I pulled out the chair and sat down. “Oh, thisisserious,” I said, raising both eyebrows.
Adrian folded his arms on the table and licked his lips. His normal joking edge was replaced with an almost palpable nervous energy. Hesighed again before looking up at Knox. “I think I’m ready to finally bite the bullet and do it.”
“Do what?”
“Get my own place. My own bar.” As anxious as he was, there was confidence behind the words he spoke. “I found a building, too, over by UIC. Lots of competition there, but I think that’ll actually be a good thing.”
Knox nodded, his eyebrows pulling together. “College students do like to barhop,” he said, rubbing his beard. “So you’re really going for this?”
“I am. At least, I want to.” Adrian laid his palms flat on the table. “I’ve built up a savings, as you know. Enough to get me started. But the bank needs someone with better credit history.”
I looked across the table at Knox, who leaned on his elbows. “A co-signer. You mean.”
Adrian gave him a slow nod. “Yeah. But hear me out for a second before you say anything else. I’ve never been more confident about anything in my life. This bar, this business—it’s been my dream for a decade now, and I finally have a chance to bring it to fruition. I don’t need any money, but I know you’ve got a strong credit history, and they won’t hesitate to give me the—”
“Okay,” Knox said, lifting one shoulder in a casual shrug.
Adrian blinked. “Okay? You’ll do it?”
Knox nodded. “Yeah, I’ll do it. I believe in you, man. You’d do the same for me, if the roles were reversed.”
My brother leaned back in his chair in utter disbelief, like he was stunned Knox agreed so easily. He probably expected to have to persuade him a little more, but it was already settled. “I don’t know how to even thank you for that.”
Knox’s mouth widened with an easy smile. “Name a drink after me.”
“Deal.” The two of them laughed, and I anxiously ran my fingers over the hem of the soft boxer shorts Knox had given me to wear. I took in the scene before me—my brother’s look of relief, and Knox’s confident stature as he leaned onto the table. A flicker of an idea presented itself to me, and I spoke before it faded away.
“Have you thought about having a business partner?” I asked, and they both turned to me.
Adrian shifted, reaching up to scratch his cheek. “He’s already got a solid job,” he said, nodding at Knox, “and I’m not about to try to drag him away from that.”
“I didn’t mean him,” I said. Across from me, the corners of Knox’s mouth twitched upward like he already knew where this was going. “I have a marketing degree, you know. I could make sure you have a successful launch.”
“Yeah?” Adrian raised an eyebrow at me. “And what aboutyourjob?”
“I quit my job before I moved back here,” I said, surprised at how easily it was to come clean. The truth was somehow less scary than living a lie, and now that I had an opportunity that might make me feel like I had a purpose again, I didn’t want to lie anymore. “Don’t tell Mom. But anyway, that means I’m free to help you build this business from the ground up.”
“Hallie…”
“I promise you won’t regret it.”
A quiet laugh slipped out of Adrian’s mouth. “We’ll murder each other before the doors even open.”
“Knox could be our mediator,” I joked, nodding across the table at him. And then I reached for my brother’s arm, giving him a littlesqueeze. “If you wanted this to beyourthing, I understand. This has always been your dream, not mine. But if you want my help… I’m here.”
My brother lowered his hands to his lap and folded them. “Fine. It’d probably be stupid not to accept your help. But if this implodes, I’m blaming you.”
I leapt from my chair to give my brother another hug, one that he accepted more readily than the last. With his arms draped over my back, he muttered, “God. I’m going to try to pretend you’re not wearing my best friend’s boxers right now.”
The three of us laughed, and I felt a sliver of hope that my life in Chicago was actually headed in the right direction. The ground under my feet felt solid for the first time in months, like I wasn’t just drifting aimlessly. I glanced between Adrian and Knox, my brother’s reluctant grin and Knox’s quiet, steady gaze, and realized this messy, unexpected thing might actually be the start of something real.
The bar.
This… whatever I was starting with Knox.
Finally, I could picture a life that didn’t make waking up every morning feel like agony.
Adrian gave his knees the ol’ Midwestern slap that signified the end of a visit, pushing back his chair. “Wow. This had been a productive conversation,” he said, the three of us standing up. He eyed the Chicago Bulls t-shirt and shook his head. “This is all a lot to process.”
