1
Tiff
Who the hell organizes a bar staff meeting at …
10 a.m.
On a fucking Monday?
Harry Cooper had been many things: quiet, sentimental, perennially stressed, occasionally surly.
What he had never been was a cruel bastard.
Apparently, his brother was.
As the new owner of The Basement, the other Cooper brother had ordered every single staff member to be at the bar first thing so he could introduce himself.
I didn’t know a single thing about Harry’s brother (was he younger or older?Was he another paper pusher?Most importantly, was he going to be in my way?), but what I did know was that I already had very strong opinions about this very early and very ridiculous meeting.
I bumped into Devon on my way North Side, three stops from the bar.We’d both closed the bar last night at midnight, and now the smug bastard taunted me with his hot coffee and still steaming croissant.Devon was the best of the bar staff—he worked hard, was trustworthy, and weathered stress like nobody’s business.He was probably a little wasted at The Basement, although the one time I suggested he pick the cocktail for our weekly special, he just regarded me like I was a lost puppy and told me he was good.
“You look ready to murder someone,” Devon said, his warm smile curling around his cup as he took a sip.Damn him for looking so well-rested.His brown skin was practically glowing.“Is it sleep, or do you just hate the idea of someone else taking over your bar?”
Mid yawn, I huffed a laugh in response.“I could still fire you, you know.”
“We’ll see.”
The train’s vibrations rattled through my bones, almost lulling me back to sleep.Devon wasn’t entirely off the mark.Four and a half years of working for Harry, and most of those spent running the place, could I really be blamed for feeling like The Basement was a little bit mine?And this new guy.His name might be on the lease, but this team?They were my team.My friends (well, mostly).
I wasn’t about to let anybody come in and push any of us around.
“You know anything about this guy?”Devon asked as we walked from the station.
Another yawn escaped me.I was used to a messed-up sleep schedule thanks to years of night shifts, but I hadn’t had a night off all week, and I was struggling to catch up.Another tick against Harry’s brother.“Not a thing.”
“Strange that Harry never mentioned him before.”
When we reached the bar, I was surprised to discover the front door was unlocked.It looked like the new owner was already here.Fuck.He was going to be a morning person, wasn’t he?I was not nearly caffeinated enough for this.“Is it, though?It’s not like he was here all that often.Or talked that much about himself.”
Devon shrugged and made his way behind the bar to get a head start on tonight’s prep.He really was the best.
As though our presence had kicked off a domino effect, the next five minutes were a steady stream of the rest of the staff arriving, but still no new guy.Curiosity was eating at me, so I poked my head into the back office, where Harry had always spent his time.Nothing.Where was he?
I bristled.It was beyond rude to get us all here at ass o’clock and then make us wait for him.I added it to my list of grievances.
Of course, like an omen, I found him greeting the team, shaking hands and smiling like a congressional candidate when I exited the office.I swear, if there had been a baby in the room, he’d probably have been kissing its forehead.
I crossed my arms across my chest and grumbled to myself.It wasn’t like I had woken up this morning planning to hate him, but something about his perfectly coiffed hair and pressed shirt made my skin itch.I’d met plenty of owners like this before, ego’s bigger than their brains (which wasn’t a high bar, to be honest), and I knew immediately he was going to be a problem.
Objectively, I could see the family resemblance.Same tall stature, same dark hair, same weirdly patchy stubble (was beard growth hereditary?).But everything about his manner was Harry’s opposite.Where Harry had been reserved, his brother was practically a spotlight.
Younger, too.Had to be.All bright eyes and a lopsided smile.A jawline that could cut glass.He stood completely at ease, despite wearing a suit amid a room full of t-shirts and jeans.Dark blue and paired with a crisp, open-necked white shirt.It must have been tailored from the way it fit him.And expensive.
God.Dammit.
I was absolutely not caffeinated enough for this.
He was shaking Devon’s hand as I approached.“Thank you, Devon.My brother told me you were his best employee.”
