The Bartender's Daughter (11 page)

Sam turned around. She opened her mouth and then shut it abruptly. Finally, she blurted it out.
“What about the loans to my Dad?”

He felt her words deep in his gut. She didn
’t trust him.

“
You still think I conned your father into selling half of the bar?” Again he had to defend himself to her. Even after last night.

She fidgeted under his gaze until he turned around and headed to the office.

He knew she was following him from the squeak of her rubber-soled tennis shoes. Without looking back, he went directly to the metal file cabinet in the corner. Ray’s filing system wasn’t easy to decipher but he knew the man had kept every piece of paper that came across that desk. He opened the top drawer and started pulling out messy folders filled with scraps of different colored and sized paper. He dumped them all on the couch and then sat down to start rummaging through them.

Sam stood over him.
“What are you doing? I didn’t mean you needed to give me documentation. I just need to understand what happened while I was gone.”

“
Oh, no. I think you want me to prove to you that I never meant to screw you or your father over. I lent your father money because he needed it and I had it.” He looked up at her. “Haven’t you seen for yourself how bad things are here? Your father was doing the best that he could, but the regulars are either dying or moving away. There is no business growth here. The bar hasn’t changed in the last twenty years. If we don’t do something about it, we’ll be in the same position your father found himself in, in need of repairs and unable to pay for them.”

He turned his attention back to the files until he found the fluorescent green flyer and handed it to her. His jaw hurt from biting back everything he wanted to say. He stood up from the couch and paced the small room while her eyes scanned her father
’s scratching on the back of the lawn care advertisement.

“
I don’t understand. What does this mean?”

“
In exchange for the money your father used for repairs, I hosted some events here for my other businesses. We had five in total and we were even.”

She shook her head and reread the paper again.
“So it wasn’t really a loan. You found a way to give my dad the money without putting his back up.”

“
He was too proud to accept it outright. It was a win for me. My employees enjoyed their parties and I got to help your dad.”

She took her time, slipping the paper back into the file and then shoving it into the loaded drawer.

“I’m sorry. I thought…” She touched his arm and implored him with her eyes. “My sister—”

Another gut punch. As much as her sister had done to her, she still trusted her more than him.
“Your sister what, Sam? Are you going to stand there and bring her between us again?” He waited for her response but she only stared down at the floor. He pulled his arm away. “I have to go.” He turned on his heel and walked off. He had other businesses and other people to see to. People who didn’t always look for the worst in him.

Chapter Eleven

She came out of the office a step behind him. Lee went directly to Joanna, spoke a few words into her ear and then turned back to the door.

The hurt in his eyes, the way he kept himself so rigid had her stepping toward him. He stopped a foot away from her. “I’ll be back in a few hours. We need to talk then about our plans for this place.” He emphasized
our
.

She needed him to understand how confused everything was
. “I’m sorry. I…  I didn’t mean—”

“
I know, Sam, but eventually you’ll have to decide if you’re willing to see me for who I really am or who you’re afraid I might be.” He continued out the door while she stood in the middle of the bar, staring at the floor.

She had messed that up. Why was she so afraid of letting things happen between them? Last night had been amazing and there was more than the past between them, Lee was right about that. She was so damn afraid of losing herself again, of feeling a pain so deep she had to run to stop herself from falling apart.

When she finally looked up, Joanna eyed her over the bar. There was none of the usual joy in her face. She took a deep breath and attempted a smile. She’d ruined everything with Lee this morning but she could at least smooth things over with Jo.

“
Don’t mess with him.” Joanna’s voice was unusually low, her eyes narrowed on Sam’s face.

“
I’m not.”

“
Then why were you with Dylan at the party and my brother after? He’s not the kind of guy you can do that with.” Joanna wiped the taps down while she waited for a response.

“
Dylan is a friend. Lee is…” She looked away, attempting to find the right description for their relationship.

“
Your husband. I know all about it.”

She dropped her hands and breathed in.
“Good. Maybe you can explain it all to me.”

“
What’s to explain? As far as I can tell, you married him and then you left him.”

She couldn
’t deny that. “It’s more complicated than that.” She took a few steps, intending on ending the conversation there. She really didn’t owe Joanna any explanations.

“
He hasn’t been the same since the accident. I thought it was because he felt guilty, but I think it has more to do with you. He hardly ever sleeps. He works constantly, never takes time off.”

She spun around to face Lee
’s sister. “That’s not what you implied the other night. What about his engagement to Melissa? That doesn’t sound like the actions of a heartbroken man.”

“
I never said he was in love with her. That’s not really a prerequisite for marriages in my family.” There was an aura of sadness surrounding Joanna with her words.

What could she say to that?
“I’m sorry. I don’t know anything about your family. Lee has never been open about where he came from. I only learned about you when you walked into the bar.”

She narrowed her eyes.
“He didn’t tell you about my family?”

“
No, nothing. I didn’t even know you lived here in Oldport.”

“
We don’t. We didn’t. My mother only comes down for the summer season. She still lives on Beacon Hill. I moved in with Lee after…” Her voice dropped off and she looked away for a moment before continuing, “I’ve only lived with him a few months.”

She knew his family was wealthy
, but still, hearing they had a house in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Boston surprised her. “Serena said you had two sisters. Where do they live?”

“
They live on the South Shore but summer here with my mother while their husbands work in the city. You know, I’m not surprised my brother never mentioned you to my mom or sisters. They wouldn’t have approved of you.”

Sam felt her heart drop. The jab
was an unexpected insult from Joanna. Of course, his wealthy family would never have wanted him to marry a bartender’s daughter. She tried to tell herself that it wasn’t their approval she needed. “Maybe not.” This time she didn’t hesitate from walking away from Joanna and wrenching the office door open.

Joanna
’s hand on her shoulder stopped her. “That has more to do with my mother and sisters than with you. I’m sure Lee had his reasons for keeping you out of that side of his life. You should ask him, but please don’t use whatever happened between you in the past as an excuse to hurt him now.” Joanna let go and walked away.

She had to talk to Lee and more than just about the business. He had stormed off, angry with her for doubting him again at her sister
’s word. His anger was misplaced. He had to understand how messed up she was, that it wasn’t him she didn’t trust. She didn’t trust herself and hadn’t for the last few years.

It was the result of being the good daughter, the one
who did everything her father asked of her. He wanted her to play softball so she did. He wanted her to take over the bar, so she studied business in college. It got to the point that she couldn’t say where his dreams for her ended and hers began. Yet here she was, working her way through the business he wanted her to run.

****

His knuckles connected with surprising force but he didn’t stop. Each punch gave him a little jolt of pain, enough to get his thoughts off Sam for one second until her face and her words came charging back at him. His family thought he was a lost cause and it didn’t hurt half as much as Sam’s inability to trust him.

One last punch at the bag and he dropped his arms. He pulled off the gloves and grabbed a drink of water as he walked out from under his house. He wore his bathing suit and stopped only to drop the bottle in the sand before walking into the water. He dived under the first wave and swam out until he had to work to get another breath into his lungs and the salt water stung his eyes. He turned around and let the waves drive his body back to shore.

He reached shallow water and stood up just as Sam’s lithe figure came around the corner of his house. He continued toward the beach as he watched her walk up the wooden steps to his back deck. He followed behind her, his feet covered in sand, while water dripped from his body. He got close enough to touch her as she knocked on the sliding glass door.

“
What do you want, Sam?”

She spun around while one hand clutched at her heart. He felt a puff of air across his wet chest when she gasped.
“You scared me.”

“
You’re the one skulking around my house.” He gritted his teeth. Just that morning he’d asked her to move in with him, to give their marriage a chance. Hell, by law, she owned half of it. He loosened his tightened fists and turned around to throw his body down on one of the chaises, ignoring the towel he’d put down before going below to hit the speed bag. He’d let the sun and his anger dry him off.

“
I saw your Jeep out front, but you didn’t answer your front door.”

“
So you thought you’d catch me in the act of what, Sam? Cheating? Stealing from sick friends?” He flexed his fingers, testing out the soreness in his knuckles where they’d hit the bag.

She looked down at him until she finally sat down on the chaise beside his
; her knees lightly touched his arm.

“
I’m sorry. I don’t think you stole from my father or that you tried to con him. I’m just confused, Lee. Everything is going so fast.”

He pushed up and turned his body.
“Two years. Two years of not knowing what I did wrong. Two years of wasted time. No one would consider that fast, Sam.”

“
It’s not just us. My father’s gone, Lee.” Her voice broke and she turned away from him to look back out over the waves. “I admit it. It wasn’t just you I ran away from. I didn’t know if I was the person he wanted me to be. Until I met you, I did whatever he wanted me to do to make him happy. I was always Ray Pierce’s daughter, the one that was going to take over the bar. Then I was the one that disappointed him.”

“
Not everyone thinks that. Your sister is a tough woman. She’s loud and quick to criticize, but that doesn’t mean people listen.” He had though. Maybe not to every word, but he was so grateful for any news of Sam, he had listened and believed Michelle’s lies.

“
She was here and I wasn’t. They had no choice but to believe her. I gave her that power when I took off and moved in with Serena.” She finally turned back to him. Her eyes reflecting an internal storm he didn’t know if he could weather. “I’m not leaving again. I’m going to make the bar into a success.”

And that
’s why she was here, to ensure the bar didn’t sink. “I already told you that I would help. It’s mine too. I haven’t lost a business yet. I’m not planning on making the bar my first failure.”

Her hand landed on his clasped hands.
“I know that. I’m not here because of the bar. I’m here because I want this to work, too.”

His eyes focused on her empty ring finger. He flipped his hand around, catching her left hand in his. His thumb rubbed the spot his ring should be.
“You’ve been wearing my ring for years. Why not now?” He looked up into her eyes.

“
No one really knew me there. Here it’s a different story. I want to see if we can make our relationship work.”

He cringed at the word.
“It’s not just a relationship. It’s a marriage.”

“
Our marriage then. I want our marriage to work. But I don’t want to deal with all of the questions until you and I can work out things between us. There’s more than just time between us. We’ve both changed and I want to know if the people we are today can make it work. I want you to tell me about your family. I want to meet them.” When he opened his mouth to answer, she put her hand up. “Not just Joanna. I want to get to know your mother and your other sisters. No more hiding.”

He nodded his head.
“So you’re saying you want to date again?”

She reached over to touch a water droplet on his cheek. He closed his hand around hers and pulled her down to sprawl across him on the chaise. Her lips descended on his. He may have initiated but Sam took over, straddling him and disregarding his wet swim trunks and her short dress. While she nibbled on his bottom lip, his fingers worked their way up her thighs, taking the hem of her dress up and over her hips. His fingers reached the lace of her panties just as she lifted up and away from him.

“So you’re willing to date me again?”

Lee intertwined his hands with her and it was easy to pull her back down. Another kiss and he was about to slip the bit of satin and lace
off her when she moaned and pushed off his chest.

“
Am I going to have to wait until the third date before I’m allowed to get into your pants?” He squeezed her thighs, letting her know he was thinking about getting up her dress at the moment.

A soft smile curled her lips.
“That would be a bit like shutting the barn door after an entire stable of horses had trailed out. No, we don’t have to wait.”

“
Good.” He didn’t meet up with any resistance as he pulled her back down. Her mouth was just millimeters away when he continued, “I want Dylan to know you’re off limits.”

“
He knows I’m not available.” Her voice died off on a moan as his fingers slipped under her panties again. Her head fell forward as a groan escaped from her chest. “Wait, there’s one more thing.”

“
Anything.” He meant it, too. He was completely at her mercy.

She bit her lip, before dropping back down to his chest.
“I want you to move in with me.”

****

Two hours after she walked out of the bar, with a promise to be back in an hour, Sam finally returned. She hoped no one would notice the change of clothes. Hers were wet and unreasonably wrinkled. She didn’t have any reason to worry. From the moment she and Lee walked in, they were hit with one problem after another. There was no time for anyone to notice her change of clothes as she ran about, trying to put out proverbial fires.

The needs of the bar kept her from thinking too much about Lee and the last hour and a half they shared. A toilet in the women
’s bathroom was overflowing, one of their beer distributors had called with a problem for the next morning’s delivery and their head cook had run off with one of their waitresses. It was becoming clearer that she and Lee needed to get their heads off relationship stuff and back on the bar. It needed them.

Happy hour passed by in a blur
, as did the small dinner rush while Sam pitched in in the kitchen and Lee worked his magic with the toilet and on the phone. She wondered how many people from the night before would have plunged a toilet, especially one in a public restroom. She gave Lee a lot of credit for stepping out of the world he grew up in. Dylan would have hired out before he ever thought about rolling up his sleeves to do it himself.

She caught a glimpse of him serving drinks when she brought out another plate of nachos. That easy smile of his had attracted two younger women, who clamored for his attention at the end of the bar. His sister worked the other end and she was getting just as much attention.