Let Me Love You (Love #4) (20 page)

Eli whispers in my ear, “Throw him a curve ball, Jay.” I turn my head to the side, “Throw something at him that he’s not expecting.”

I nod and step out of Eli’s hold on me, “Thanks again for hiring Layla.”

He winks, “I did it for you, pretty girl.”

I shake my head and leave Eli and his flirting behind with a new sense of determination. Eli’s words play over and over in my head as I drive Layla to her house to drop her off. I’ve barely paid her any attention but she’s talked enough for the both of us and I don’t think she’s caught on that I’ve barely said a word.

I’m throwing Cooper a curve ball, one that he’s not going to expect.

It’s Saturday afternoon, the grand opening for the club is tonight. We have a full staff on hand , a great DJ lined up, and everything else is set and ready to go. We’ve ran a few advertising campaigns to draw in a crowd and we’ve been hearing great feedback.

Mason and I are at the gym, burning off some of this adrenaline that’s pumping through my body with the opening tonight.

“So you ready for tonight?” Mason asks as we’re changing in the locker room.

I pull my t-shirt over my head, “Yeah, everything is all set. You’re coming right?”

Mason looks at me like I’m stupid. “Of course I’m coming. We all are, well except Hailey.” Mason whistles. “Man she is not happy about that.”

I chuckle, “I imagine not.”

“Mom is going over to Kenz’s house to watch the babies so she can come too.” He throws his head back and laughs. “You should have heard the conversation that she and Hunter were having when I stopped over the other day.” He laughs again. “Kenz was talking about going out to find something to wear and Hunter was just sitting back not really paying attention. Kenz knew it too but she knew I was listening so she was messing around with him. She started listing off all the shit she had to go out and buy and the second she said black bra to cover the see through dress Hunter’s eyebrows shot up. He turned his neck so fast I was sure he’d hurt himself. They got into an argument about what she was and wasn’t allowed to wear. I got the hell out of there after that.”

“I’m glad she’s Hunter’s problem.”

He chuckles again, “He must not be getting any ‘cause Hunter was pissed when she said that he was cut off longer for talking to her the way he was.”

Leave it to my sister to hit a guy where it hurts. “Sucker.”

Mason and I both walk out of the gym laughing. It feels good to laugh; I haven’t been doing much of it lately. So much is going on I feel like I can’t breathe half the time. It’s good in a way as I don’t have time to dwell on my past and think of Jaylinn. On some of those nights when I wake up too early to go to the gym, or I just can’t fall asleep, my mind wanders and I get lost in my own head. I wish that things could be different for us. I wish I could get over my fear of giving into her and then losing her because she can’t handle it. Damn, I miss her something fierce but it has to be like this. She deserves better, deserves to live in the moment.

“Alright, I’ll see you tonight.” Mason says as he claps me on the shoulder.

“See you tonight.”

The club is opening at nine and Eli and I have been here since five making sure everything is set up and ready to go. The staff, dressed in black shorts and electric blue tops, arrived at seven and they are running over the list of things we left for them to do. The bouncers, dressed in black shorts and black polos with Bouncer in electric blue written across the back, are walking around getting familiar with all the exits and going over the plans if anything were to go down.

Eli knocks on the door to my office a few minutes before we are set to open. “You ready for this?”

I smile, a true smile, because I am ready to do this. It’s a new chapter in my life. This is how I used to feel about leaving for spring training, knowing that I was doing something I loved, but now I’m dreading leaving the club and my life behind. I feel in my element here, like this is what I’m supposed to be doing. Do I love baseball? Yes, no doubt about it. I will always love playing baseball but I’m not in love with it the way I used to be. I want what my brothers have. I want to settle down, start a family and grow roots here in Jersey. I’m tired of always being gone and on the road. I’ve had a taste of that future with Jaylinn and now it’s all I want.

“Let’s do this.”

Eli and I walk down the hall and towards Eric, the DJ, up in his booth. Eli claps Eric on the shoulder and he removes his headphones. “You ready?” Eli asks.

Eric tips his head, “Let’s do this.”

“Start it up then.” I reply.

Eric puts his headphones back on and the music fills the silent club. A few of the bartenders and waitress start cheering. The energy is through the roof.

Right at nine we give the bouncers the okay to open the doors. Before Eli came to get me to do one last walk through, I was upstairs and saw that the line was down the street which is great for the first night and it eases my nerves.

Eli agreed he’d walk around the downstairs most of the night while I agreed to do the same upstairs. We felt it was important to show our faces for the first few openings. Eli will be doing this while I’m away for the next few weeks but I’ll pick up when I return.

The second floor is kind of mine, I claimed it with the words that I’m trying to live by now.
Inhale your future, exhale your past.
Inhaling my future is exactly what I’m doing now. I’m embracing it with opening this new venture. Exhaling my past is still a work in progress. It’s a long bumpy road that I’m trying to navigate through. I’m trying to find that perfectly paved road.

People start trickling upstairs, little groups by little groups throughout the night. It’s a little quieter up here than it is downstairs, even though there are speakers in every corner. Up here you’re at least able to have a conversation without having to yell in each other’s ears. We had a few glass tables and black high back chairs set up recently so that people would have places to sit and talk if they weren’t dancing. There is lighting under the lip on the railing and under the bar, giving it a dark glow.

There is a group of girls sitting in the corner laughing amongst themselves and I see one of the girls pointing to me. I say a few hellos to people as I pass by them on my way over to their table.

As I get closer I look at each girl but none look familiar, which isn’t an uncommon thing. They probably recognize me from being a
BlueClaw
. I approach their table, “You ladies look like you’re enjoying yourselves.”

The one that was pointing at me bats her eyelashes, “I know who you are.”

Ugh, I hate this part of my career. I’m not ungrateful for what my career has done for me but just once I want to be known as just Cooper Cahill, new club owner.

I act the part and plaster a smile on my face, “I bet you do, sweetheart.” I wink at her. “Everything going well so far?” I ask the rest of the girls at the table, trying to deflect anymore questions from their friend.

“Everything is going great. I really like the setup, it’s not like the other clubs around here.” The pretty blond says.

I smile politely, “Thanks, I’m glad you think so.”

I spot Layla, who Eli hired without my knowledge, walking up the steps with Jackson and Chloe behind her. “Excuse me ladies.” I say as I walk over towards my brother and sister in law.

When I reach them I lean in and kiss Chloe on the cheek, “You’re looking stunning.”

She blushes, “Thanks Coop.” She leans back into Jackson who slid an arm around her waist.

“I like what you did to the place.” Jackson says, looking around. “I’m proud of you Coop.”

He has no idea how much I needed to hear that tonight of all nights. Tonight is an important night for me and it’s nice to know that I have my family’s support. My nerves were starting to get the best of me before they showed up. As I’m standing here talking to Chloe and Jackson someone throws their arm around my shoulder and I relax a little more.

“Hey, bro.” Mason says with a beer in his hand. He didn’t waste any time.

“Hey.” I greet him.

MacKenzie steps around Mason and throws her arms around my neck as he drops his. I pick her up so her feet are dangling in the air.

“How does it feel to have a break, Mama?” I ask when I set her back down.

She looks over to Hunter and I follow her line of sight. If MacKenzie answered me I didn’t hear what she said because I see Jaylinn is standing behind Hunter with Eli’s arm around her shoulder. I’m back on high alert seeing her. Everything that had settled me now has me in one big bundle of fucking nerves again.

“Cooper,” MacKenzie says in a warning tone. “Don’t fuck this up.”

Jaylinn is absolutely stunning in her black, form fitting halter-top dress. She has on black high heels that make her legs go on forever. Her normally straight hair is curled at the end and cascading down her back. Her blue eyes shine through the dark make-up that she’s wearing and her lips, her fucking lips, are colored cherry red. Just the thought of her lips has my dick standing at attention.

Hunter takes a few steps towards me and that’s when I see Eli who is standing there talking to Layla and Jaylinn. “Just let it be.” Hunter warns as he claps me on the back.

I look back over in their direction and Eli says something that has the both of them laughing. I hate it, jealously is a mother fucker and I’m not a jealous kind of guy. Not normally. When it concerns Jaylinn though, it rears its ugly head. I don’t know what those two are doing but it’s not sitting well with me. Eli would never go after Jaylinn. We set that straight after that little stunt he pulled the night at the bar when I brought Jaylinn along.

I don’t exactly know what to do at this point. Am I supposed to go over to her and say hello? Do I let her make the move? I sigh in frustration. It should be me making her laugh, not my friend, my business partner.

MacKenzie wraps her arms around me. “I love you, Coop. I’m so proud that you and Eli did all of this. To be honest with you, I wasn’t expecting it. ” MacKenzie rambles on.

“I love you for what you’re doing.” I kiss the top of my sister’s head. She’s great at trying to distract me but it’s not working. “To be real honest with you, I’m totally shocked she’s here.”

MacKenzie huffs, “It wasn’t easy that’s for damn sure, but she knows it’s something she had to do. While you guys are fighting or whatever, Jaylinn knows at the end of the day she wants to support you no matter what.”

In the corner of my eye I see Jaylinn take a step towards me. “Cooper,” MacKenzie calls my name. “Please.” She begs.

I smile sweetly at my sister. “Relax, it’s fine.”

“Hey,” Jaylinn says as she steps in front of me and MacKenzie. “Everything looks great.”

I give her a curt nod, “Thanks. I’m glad you came.”

MacKenzie elbows me in the side.

“You are?” Jay asks with uncertainty lacing her voice.

“Of course,” I see Jackie, one of the bartenders, with a line at the bar. It’s a perfect excuse to get the hell away from Jaylinn before I do something I regret. “I have to go help out; I’ll see you all later.”

My heart is hammering in my chest as I walk away. I can’t believe she actually showed up here and was even speaking to me. When she left that night I thought it was final, like that was the end. I wish things could be different for us but they can’t.

As the night progresses things start to settle down and I’m able to talk to my family again. It’s near closing and the DJ has started playing a few slower songs. Hunter and MacKenzie, Jackson and Chloe are dancing closely in their own worlds, oblivious to everyone around them. Jaylinn disappeared hours ago; I’m assuming she’s left and gone home. I don’t blame her, I wasn’t exactly welcoming.

Mason stands from the chair he was sitting on and yawns, “I’m getting out of here.”

I stand up as well and I pull him in for a hug, “Thanks for coming, bro. Tell Hailey I’ll stop by tomorrow to say bye before we leave.”

“Will do, great job on the place by the way.” Mason tells Eli who’s sitting at the table with me.

“Thanks.”

Mason walks over to our sister and brother and tells them goodbye. I sit down at the table and start pulling the label off of Mason’s beer bottle that he left behind.