Relentless (21 page)

“Luc, I’m not gonna apologize to you for my past. Have I been with a lot of women? Hell yeah. Would that all change if your daughter saw fit to give me a chance? Hell yeah!”

Shooting him a sidelong glance, Luc said, “Either you’re tellin’ me the truth, or you’re one of the best liars I’ve ever come across.”

“Which do you think it is?”

“I know your brothers and your parents. They’re all good people. There’s no doubt that you’re the wildest of the bunch, but I suspect that has somethin’ to do with being the youngest, doesn’t it? You felt like you had something to prove?”

He didn’t have much interest in being psychoanalyzed, so he merely shrugged. “I don’t think much about why I’ve made the choices I have. I don’t have any regrets, if that’s what you’re askin’ me.”

“Glad to hear it,” Luc said, quietly. “Regrets are a hell of a burden to bear.”

J.T. suspected Luc was still grappling with guilt over his daughter’s childhood and the fact that he wasn’t there for her when she was growing up. According to Ty, Luc was a stand-up guy who’d made some bad choices, but he couldn’t seem to get past the guilt and forgive himself.

“Maybe you just need to let go of your regrets, man. Assume that whatever happened, happened for a reason. Maybe it helped Nik grow into the amazing woman she is today.”

Luc looked up, seemingly surprised that J.T. had been able to read between the lines. “How could being abandoned by your father ever be a good thing?”

“Might help you to become a stronger, more independent person.”

“You think Nikki is strong?” Luc asked, looking up at him.

“I think she’s stronger than you seem to think she is.” He drew a breath, deciding to take the risk of overstepping the unseen boundary between them. “I think she’s smarter too, smart enough to know what and who she wants.”

“And you think she wants you?”

“Yeah, I do. But I think she’s afraid of disappointing you, so she’s pretending, to me and herself, that her career’s the reason she doesn’t want to take a chance on me. I think we both know that’s bullshit, don’t we?”

“When I came here today, I sure as hell didn’t expect things to end up like this.”

J.T. smiled, confident he knew where this was going. “What were you expectin’?”

“I thought I’d have to knock some sense into you.” Luc laughed. “Instead, you’re the one making me see reason, kid.”

J.T. laughed. He wasn’t a kid by anyone’s standards, hadn’t been for a long time. “I’m glad we talked about this, Luc. I didn’t want to sneak around behind your back. I wanted you to know, upfront, how I felt about your daughter, and what I want.”

Luc stood up, extending his hand. “I’ve always liked you, but now you’ve earned my respect. If you think you can make this thing work with Nikki, more power to you, buddy.”

J.T. walked into Jimmy’s, hoping to catch a glimpse of his girl before she hit the stage. Jimmy probably had her sequestered in the back so overzealous fans wouldn’t mob her. Smart man. If anyone even thought about laying a finger on her tonight, he’d be there to intervene.

He claimed a recently vacated stool at the crowded bar, hoping to order a beer before the show started. Jimmy spotted him and ambled over, a wide grin splitting his weathered face. Offering his gnarled hand, he said, “Good to see you, boy. It’s been too long.”

“Yeah, I’ve been busy.” J.T. was struck by the change in Jimmy’s appearance since he had last seen him. It seemed he’d aged years in the last month. The arthritis was obviously starting to take its toll on his body. The old man was a living legend in Nashville. Not that he’d take any credit, but he was responsible for almost as many big careers in this town as Luc. J.T. knew both Trey and Ty had gotten their start at Jimmy’s, in addition to at least a dozen others who’d gone on to enjoy successful careers.

Jimmy crooked a finger toward the back of the bar. “Why don’t we grab a table? You can tell me all about the trouble you been gettin’ yourself into out there on the road.”

J.T. laughed. Jimmy knew him too well. He’d been a regular at the bar since the day he turned twenty-one, often raising hell with his buddies there two or three times a week. If not for Jimmy, he would have been thrown in jail a time or two for damn near wrecking the place in fights that had gotten out of hand. Instead, Jimmy had allowed him to work behind the bar until the debt was paid in full.

Jimmy stopped to talk to a waitress as J.T. sat at one of the few empty tables in the back. It was early, but the bar was filling quickly. Apparently, country music’s newest sweetheart knew how to draw a crowd.

Taking the seat across from him, Jimmy said, “She’ll bring us a couple of beers when she gets a minute.”

“Sounds good,” J.T. said, leaning forward. “How you been, Jim? You feelin’ okay?”

He shook his head, looking disgusted. “Doctors say this damn arthritis could land me in a wheelchair inside a year if I don’t slow down,” he muttered.

“Shit,” J.T. whispered, trying to imagine a man as active as Jimmy confined to a chair for the rest of his days, dependent on his wife Edna to care for him. It would kill him. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

He shrugged. “We knew this day would come eventually. We were just hoping we’d have a little more time, ya know?”

J.T. knew all about wishing for just a little more time. It was hard to accept that your glory days were behind you, no matter how old you were, or how many good years you’d had. “Yeah, I know what that’s like.”

Jimmy chuckled. “Boy, you got your whole life ahead of you. You ain’t got a clue what it’s like to be a prisoner in your own body, not able to do the things you used to take for granted anymore.”

J.T. felt like a loser for complaining about his lot in life when Jimmy was trying to come to terms with his mortality. At least J.T. had options, money in the bank, and a world of opportunity that was his for the taking. Too bad his old friend couldn’t say the same. “You decided what you’re gonna do, Jim?”

Jimmy waited for the waitress to set two long necks down on the small circular table before he leaned forward and said, “It’s time to sell this place. We’ve got our eye on an assisted living facility out in Arizona. The docs say the climate would be good for my arthritis and if, hell, when it gets to the point I can’t walk anymore, at least Edna will have some help taking care of me.”

“Damn. You’re really gonna sell this place, huh?”

He shrugged. “What other choice do I have? This condition of mine ain’t gonna get any better. Hell, it’s only gonna get worse as long as I keep up this pace. I been livin’ in denial too long. It’s not fair to Edna. She’s been watchin’ me get worse, tryin’ to get me to slow down and follow doctor’s orders.” He chuckled. “But I’m a stubborn old fool. It ain’t easy for a man like me to accept that it’s over.”

“I can understand that,” J.T. said, lifting the beer bottle to his lips.

Frowning, Jimmy asked, “What do you mean by that?”

“Time for me to pack it in too, Jim. My days on the circuit are numbered.”

Sitting back in his chair, he said, “Huh, you don’t say.”

“Yeah, it’s time. My body’s takin’ a hell of a beatin’ over the years.” He wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up in Jimmy’s position one day, but for now, he had to worry about the immediate future, not something that may or may not happen forty years down the line.

“You give any thought to what you’re gonna do now?”

“Not a clue.” He took a deep swallow of the cold brew, allowing it to coat his throat, momentarily chasing away the burn of bile. Just the thought of being aimless, without a purpose or goal to strive for, made him feel sick. “That’s what I’m tryin’ to figure out.”

“Money shouldn’t be a problem for you, what with your winnings and endorsement deals…”

“Nah, money’s not the issue. I’ll probably buy a little place on a few hundred acres outside of town. I’m not interesting in getting into ranchin’ again, but I know I’d go crazy in the city.”

“You’re probably right,” Jimmy said, peeling the label of his bottle. “You’re still a young man, got a long life ahead of you. What’re you gonna do with yourself?”

J.T. chuckled, trying to pretend the question didn’t scare the hell out of him. “Therein lies the question, my friend. I know about two things, ranchin’ and ridin’. Beyond that, I ain’t got what you’d call marketable skills.”

Jimmy leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin. “I don’t know about that. I seem to recall you were pretty good behind the bar.”

Laughing, J.T. asked, “Are you suggestin’ I become a bartender?”

“No, I was thinkin’ more along the lines of a proprietor.”

Frowning, he asked, “What the hell are you talkin’ about?”

“You could take this place off my hands.”

J.T. gave the suggestion a minute to sink before dismissing it. “You’re crazy. I don’t know shit about runnin’ a business.” Not that he hadn’t considered the possibility. But Jimmy’s wasn’t the kind of mom-and-pop shop he had in mind. It was a thriving business, one that employed dozens of people. Not to mention the fact that his old friend had invested years of his life making it successful. He couldn’t live with the guilt if he managed to run it into the ground because he was too inept to fill Jimmy’s big shoes.

“Don’t sell yourself short, kid. You were the brains behind a lot of those summer promos. They brought in thousands of people over the years.”

J.T. had come up with the idea to promote on the rodeo circuit. Those guys were cowboys, country music fans, but since they were just passing through town, they wouldn’t even know Jimmy’s existed unless they’d heard about it. J.T.’s idea was to make sure they heard about it.

“One good idea doesn’t mean I’d make a good boss, Jim.”

He guffawed. “Hell, you think I knew what the hell I was doin’ when I bought this place?”

“You mean you didn’t?”

“Boy, I made so many mistakes; I’m surprised this place is still standin’.”

“Really?” J.T. leaned back, folding his arms over his chest. He had to admit, the idea didn’t seem as far-fetched as it had a few minutes ago.

“Tell you what I’ll do. If you’re interested in doin’ this deal, I’ll stick around for a month or two, just to show you the ropes.” He reached his hand across the table. “What do you say? We got a deal?”

“Don’t you have to talk to Edna about this first?”

“You kiddin’? She’ll be thrilled. She’s been tryin’ to get me to sell this place for years.”

He was running through all the possible arguments in his head, but he couldn’t help but get excited about the possibility of a new challenge, a new chapter in his life. Maybe this was exactly what he needed right now. This and Nikki. “What kind of coin we talkin’ about?” he asked, reluctant to take Jimmy’s hand until he was sure. In their world, a man’s handshake was as good as their word, and he wasn’t prepared to offer his until he’d taken the time to think it through from all possible angles.

“I know what this place is worth,” Jimmy said, lowering his hand to the table.

He wasn’t one to pressure or coerce a friend or stranger. J.T. knew he’d give him all the time he needed to make his decision. But he didn’t need any more time. He was ready to take the plunge. “If you want it, I’ll be fair, give you a good deal. I just want to know that I’m leavin’ it in capable hands.”

“You got yourself a deal, my friend.”

“Good,” Jimmy said, getting to his feet.

J.T. offered his hand to seal the deal, and Jimmy laughed, pulling him into a hug. “You come by in the mornin’, and we’ll take care of the paperwork.” He pulled back to look J.T. in the eye. “I couldn’t be happier about this, son. I know you’ll treat this business the same way you did your time on the circuit. You’re the kind of man who won’t even consider failure an option, a quality every good business man needs.”

Jimmy’s faith in him gave J.T. the confidence he needed to embrace this new challenge. Jimmy was right. He’d never been a quitter or a failure, and he sure as hell wasn’t about to start giving up now. Not when it came to business or the woman he wanted sharing his bed. “Thanks for sayin’ that, Jim. I’ll be by in the mornin’.”

J.T. took his seat as he watched Jimmy walk back to his office. He looked around, seeing the place in a whole new light. He was starting to see it as his, imagining the possibilities. He was so caught up in his musings he didn’t hear Josh approach.