"Yes. The bar's ready for opening," he responds automatically.
"No." I shake my head, "I meant you. Are you okay?"
He frowns and cocks his head like a confused puppy.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
I shrug. "I don't know. You just seem off."
A hint of a smile and a deep breath later, he says, "Just feeling a bit under the weather. I have those kinds of moments sometimes."
"Anything you want to talk about?"
"At the workplace? No. Thanks for asking, Ezrah."
His tone makes it clear the conversation's over. But I can't let it go. After all, if there's something bothering our workers, it's my job to be there and help.
Who am I kidding? It's not just about being his manager. I want to be there for Sebastian the way he was there for me. I wouldn't have survived that first month without him.
"Maybe we can grab a drink after our shift is over?" I ask. "Talk if you want."
Sebastian's eyes widen, and he stares, startled, before screaming, "Yes."
I flinch, more surprised than anything else.
"Sorry," he says quickly, clearing his throat. "I would love that. Yes."
"Great. I'll meet you in the back when we're done."
"Perfect." His smile this time is wide and real.
Sebastian may be my ex's brother, but he was also the one who kept me alive in some of the darkest nights of my life. If something's troubling him, I want to be the one to help.
Not because I have to.
But because I want to.
Sebastian is a good guy. He deserves someone in his corner. I don't know if he has friends here, or if they're all back in England. But tonight, he has me.
I just hope it's enough.
Chapter eight
Sebastian
Daddy asking me out on a date is the best thing that has ever happened in my life.
Fine, maybe he didn't say the worddate, but technically it could be understood that way, and I'm choosing to do precisely that.
After what I did yesterday night, I've been feeling down. I've been down this road several times in my life, and I know the drill. This is the part where the hollowness inside me grows and grows until it consumes me.
There's nothing else in this void.
It usually takes days before I snap out of it. But Daddy managed to pull a smile out of me. That has never happened so soon after one of those… episodes.
Still, even the excitement for our date isn't enough to pull me out of the hollowness. I took two shots earlier, and if I didn'thave to work, I would have drowned a few bottles of cider. No heavy alcohol for me.
My shift starts slow. Some ugly ducklings try to flirt with me, and I go through the motions, flirting back like an actor. By ugly ducklings, I mean men. Everyone's an ugly duckling compared to my Daddy.
