by J. Kenner
Since Jenna had come on board as the bar’s marketing guru, she’d seconded his decision. And although Tyree missed being in the kitchen trying to replicate and expand on the southern flavors of his childhood, he couldn’t deny that he liked the sense of being at the center of life at The Fix.
“Easton,” Tyree said, clapping the local lawyer on the back as he nodded toward the beer. “I’m guessing no court this afternoon.”
“You guessed right. I’m about to head back to my office, let my paralegal load me down with folders, then grab a taxi to the airport. Three days of depositions in Lansing. It’s going to be brutal.”
“At least you won’t have to come up with an excuse for Megan as to why you’re not entered in the Mr. April or Mr. May contest.”
Easton’s eyes widened. “She’s on a rampage?”
“Be wary, my friend,” Tyree said, chuckling as he moved down the bar to greet some other customers, then say a few words to Eric, the bartender working the lunch shift. He was leaning forward to ask Eric if he could pick up an extra shift when something—or rather, someone—snagged his attention.
It was just a feeling. Just the oddest sense of familiarity. Hell, he hadn’t even been looking toward the door, so the girl was only at the edge of his periphery.
It didn’t matter. She compelled him. And he stopped what he was doing, then turned toward the entrance.
Eva?
But no, that was absurd, and the ridiculous moment passed as quickly as it had come. Of course it wasn’t Eva. How could it be? She was halfway across the country and more than two decades away. Even if she’d walked through that door, they were separated by time and space. By pain and death. By life and dreams and family and loss.
The current of life moved on, and his current had pushed him past Eva a long, long time ago. And that was a good thing, too. Otherwise he never would have met Teiko, the wife he adored. The mother of his son.
And yet the girl by the door had captured his attention…
Not a doppelgänger—not identical at all. But damned if there wasn’t a striking similarity. The same shade of dark skin, like coffee with just a few drops of cream. The mouth that flashed a wide, easy smile. The close-cropped hair with deliberately placed curls at her forehead and in front of her ears. A sleek, sophisticated style that accentuated those wide eyes and high cheekbones.
Pushed forward by both curiosity and trepidation, Tyree took a step toward her, only to find his path blocked by Tiffany Russell, one of his best waitresses, who was looking both frazzled and uncertain.
“Tiffany? What’s the matter?”
“I need—” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Oh, hell. Can I talk to you? Maybe over in the back bar?”
The Fix on Sixth boasted two bar areas. A front area with more seating and a stage that played host to local bands. And a smaller back bar, with just a few tables and a much more intimate feel. Since she was clearly agitated, he followed her to the back, his concern mounting.
“What’s going on?” he asked, as soon as they were standing near the windows in the back bar. They were out of earshot of the customers, most of whom were sitting on stools at the polished bar, chatting with Lori, one of The Fix’s first shift bartenders.
“I just thought you should know that Steven Kane—you know him, right? The manager at Bodacious?” At Tyree’s nod, she continued. “Well, he cornered me at Starbucks the other day and started chatting me up about how it was to work here, and if I got paid enough, and how much is the door on the nights we do the Man of the Month contest.”
Tyree said nothing. He was too busy fuming. Not about the fact that Bodacious—one of the corporate bullshit bars that had moved in down the street with watered down dollar drinks—was asking about the competition and earnings. No, what pissed Tyree off was that they were trying to poach his employees.
“I didn’t tell him anything,” Tiffany said, looking a little taken aback by Tyree’s silence. “And honestly I don’t care what you pay me. I love working here, and I’m not dressing like a damn hooker just for better tips.” He chuckled, and she frowned. “Just don’t, you know, knock my wage down by a dollar.”
“Wouldn’t do that,” Tyree said. “And I appreciate the loyalty.” Which was true. Even though he suspected that she was more loyal to her not-so-secret crush on Eric than she was to him.
“You’ve got it in spades. But here’s the thing.” She bent in closer, as if the patrons at the bar might give a rat’s ass about their conversation. “I think they’re hitting on Aly, too. And I know she’s hard up for cash. I think she might bail on us.”
Shit.
Aly was a waitress who Tyree had recently trained and promoted to bartender. And goddamn Steven Kane if he poached her away from him.
“I don’t know for sure,” Tiffany said. “I just thought you should—”
Since she looked to be on the verge of tears—and Tyree really couldn’t handle any tears today—he put his hand firmly on her shoulder. “It’s okay. You just take care of those customers and let me worry about it, okay?”
She nodded, drew in a breath, and started for the main room.
“And Tiffany?”
She looked back over her shoulder.
“You did right letting me know.”
He saw the relief wash over her face, and felt a bit relieved himself. That was one good deed he’d done today. If he killed Kane, would that erase all his good karma? He scowled, considering. Probably better to let the little prick keep breathing. But it was a damn close call.
As he headed back into the main bar area, he found himself casting his gaze around in search of the woman who looked so much like Eva. She wasn’t there, and as he continued toward his office, he couldn’t shake the lingering disappointment.
Back at his desk, he tried to concentrate on all the mundane tasks that needed attention, but he couldn’t focus. Instead, all his attention was taken by the framed photo on his desk. A silly shot of a nine-year-old Elijah goofing around with Teiko in the backyard.
Tyree had been on the back patio fighting with the camera, and when he’d finally gotten the settings right, he’d called her name. She’d looked over at him, her arms around the squirming boy and her eyes filled with so much love he’d almost frozen instead of clicking the shutter.
It was one of the last photos he’d taken of her.
His chest tightened as the memory crashed hard over him. Christ, he loved her.
Gently, he brushed a fingertip over the image of her face. “I miss you, babe,” he murmured, then pushed away from the desk and stood.
According to the clock in the shape of a beer bottle that was mounted on the office wall, it was earlier than he’d planned to leave. But Tyree had a good team. A loyal staff. And the pull of home was overwhelming. He needed his son beside him. A few quiet hours.
And then tomorrow…
Well, tomorrow would come like it always did.
This time when Tyree stepped out of the employees-only area and into the large main room, Reece was behind the bar, relieving Eric. He nodded in acknowledgement, his expression sober and a just a little sympathetic, as Tyree headed toward the front.
He was almost to the door when Megan hurried up. “Hey,” she said. “I don’t want to hold you up, but could I grab you for a couple of minutes tomorrow before opening? I just want to go over some—”
“Sorry, sugar. I won’t be back until Wednesday.”
“Oh.” He understood the surprise on her face. Tyree hardly ever took an entire day off. “Where are you—”
“Wednesday,” he repeated, then walked away. And as he did, he heard Megan ask, “Where’s he going? Out of town?”
And in the moment before the door to The Fix closed behind him, Tyree heard Reece’s gentle reply. “He’s going to go see his wife.”
Chapter Two
Tyree woke to the sound of rain clattering on the metal roof of his Wilshire Wood house. He laid there, soaking up the sound and the memories
. These were Teiko’s favorite mornings, when the world seemed to close in around them, and they could stay warm and cozy in bed. She’d curl against him, her warm body convincing him that she was absolutely right about the magic of a rain-soaked dawn. They’d make love slowly, almost lazily, until a rising passion brought them both awake and to climax.
Yeah, definitely the best mornings. Hell, Eli had been conceived on just such a morning. And though Tyree felt the pang of loss—especially today of all days—he couldn’t deny that the memory was sweet.
They hadn’t had these kind of mornings in San Diego, but they’d moved to Texas in the summer and had both been charmed by the thunderstorms that so frequently filled the summer sky, cooling the wicked hot air to something bearable.
He stayed in bed a few moments longer, the thoughts of San Diego bringing up memories he hadn’t expected today. Memories of Eva and the way they’d walked in the sun and splashed in the surf. He’d loved her, too, though their time together had been different. Shorter.
And though nothing could compare to the torment of losing Teiko to a slow, painful death from complications after a car accident, there was no denying that the break with Eva had been confusing and painful and so goddamn harsh. He hadn’t understood it then, and he didn’t understand it now.
All he knew was that Teiko had been the balm that healed those wounds. And he wished that he’d never seen that lithe young woman in The Fix. Because she’d put Eva in his head. And today of all days, Tyree didn’t want to think of the first woman he’d loved.
Deliberately, he cast his thoughts back to when Eli was a toddler, and the way Tyree and Teiko would hold their son close between them during stormy weather, assuring him that everything would be fine. And then how they’d open the windows in the aftermath and let the cool air into the house, filling it with the scent of wet leaves and damp earth.
That was the best time to take a walk, and with Eli in his favorite blue rain boots, they’d explore the neighborhood, letting Eli stomp in the puddles and pick up the acorns, pinecones, and bits of bark and leaves that inevitably shook free after a storm.
“This is for you, babe,” he whispered, some part of him wondering if she knew what he was thinking. If she understood how much he cherished those memories. Or if in some way that he couldn’t comprehend, she still remembered, too.
With a sigh, he slid out of bed, then stumbled into the kitchen to get the coffee brewing. Once the machine was gurgling and the aroma of coffee began to fill the room, he turned back toward the hall, intending to go wake Eli. To his surprise, he met the boy coming in, already awake and fully dressed in pressed khaki slacks, a button down, and a sports coat.
“Looking spiffy, son,” Tyree said, pride rising in his chest. They’d had their problems, especially right after they lost Teiko, but the boy was turning into one hell of a young man. And damned if Tyree couldn’t see Teiko in the boy’s looks, his mannerism, his smarts.
A petite Japanese woman, Teiko had made up for her small stature with a sharp mind and a big personality that Eli had inherited, along with his mother’s eyes and a lighter skin tone than Tyree’s deep burnished dark. And whereas Tyree was a large man, with the kind of broad shoulders that meant he had to have his suits tailored, Eli had a leaner build, inheriting only his father’s height.
Looking at his son now, Tyree couldn’t help but think that he and Teiko had made one damn good-looking kid. “You’re gonna get that jacket soaked, you know. Your mom won’t care if you’re casual. I’m gonna put on jeans, a T-shirt, and a windbreaker myself.”
Eli lifted a shoulder, then looked down at the floor. “I’m okay like this,” he muttered, then lifted his head, his eyes looking guilty. “It’s just that I need to go to the hospital today. Dr. Hanson’s showing us all some stuff in the lab.”
Another wave of pride swelled. Eli had recently been selected to participate in an exclusive internship at the nearby hospital, a position that both father and son considered a solid stepping stone toward Elijah’s dream of going to medical school.
That pride, however, was laced with something cold and hollow. “You’re not coming with me?” He glanced at the clock. Already six-fifteen. He needed to throw some clothes on if he wanted to get there on time.
“No,” Eli said quickly. “I’m coming. It’s just that after … I mean, I can’t come back here with you like we usually do. Because of the work, I mean.” He scratched his eyebrow with his forefinger, a nervous habit that Tyree recognized as one of his own. “I mean, that’s what Mom would want, right?”
The tension drained from Tyree. “One hundred percent. Why don’t you pour us a couple of travel mugs of coffee while I go get dressed.”
By the time he got back, Eli had the coffee ready to go and Tyree’s car keys in his hand. The cemetery was on the other side of town, and traffic was a bear because of the weather and rush hour, but they made it with five minutes to spare.
They put down a tarp and knelt beside the marker—Teiko Johnson, beloved wife and mother. Beneath that, her birthday and the date she died. Seven years ago today. The rain had stopped, but the air was still damp, and the whole world seemed shrouded in gray.
“You okay?” Elijah asked. “I mean, you seem distracted somehow. More, I mean. More than usual for today.”
Eva, Tyree thought, but he only nodded. Then he took his son’s hand and said, “Quiet. It’s time.”
The cemetery spread out over the top of a small hill in Northwest Austin, and as Tyree and Eli looked to the east, the gray of the rain took on shimmers of gold and orange. Muted because of the clouds, but at the same time the colors seemed to dance in the air, reflected on the small drops of water that surrounded them.
They sat there, watching the sun rise above the horizon. As the colors changed. As the world came alive. And when the sunrise gave way to the full light of day, Tyree sat back on his heels and sighed. “Sunrise was your mom’s favorite time of day.”
“I know, Dad. You tell me every year. She liked it better than sunset because the sunset meant the end, and she loved beginnings.”
Tyree blinked, his eyes suddenly damp and his throat thick. “I don’t want you to forget.”
“I know. I’m trying not to. I remember Christmas,” he added. “She always got us up before dawn. And one day we walked on a beach in the dark, and then we made a sandcastle as the sun came up.” He sighed. “But I’ve forgotten a lot.”
“You were five on that beach trip. We’d gone to Port Aransas.” He pressed his hand to his son’s shoulder and squeezed. “And it’s okay to forget,” he said, even though he kicked himself hard with every one of his own lost memories. “Just hold tight to what is clear in your mind. And never forget that your mom loved you. That I love you.”
Eli looked at him, his eyes seeming wiser than his sixteen years. “I know, Dad. I love you, too.”
Back home, Tyree spent the day as he did every year, the only difference being that today Eli wasn’t with him. He made a big batch of jambalaya, downed a steady stream of bourbon, then settled onto the couch to watch Blade.
They’d seen the movie on their first date, even though he’d tried to do good by selecting what he considered a girl-friendly date movie, specifically, How Stella Got Her Groove Back.
But as soon as they’d arrived at the cineplex, Teiko had taken one look at the marquee, put her hands on her hips, and asked him why they weren’t seeing Blade instead. Because, action. And, she’d added, Wesley Snipes was a bonus.
God, how he’d loved her.
He wasn’t sure if he was luckier than most or cursed to have had that kind of passion. The kind of love that sunk into the marrow and made you part of the other person. That almost killed you, too, when you lost them.
He rubbed his eyebrow and sighed. The truth was, he would have withered away after Teiko died if it hadn’t been for Elijah. That boy had been the wellspring of his strength.
And after Eva? After he came back from combat to learn that h
e’d lost her? That she truly, for certain, would never be his?
Well, in those dark days, it had been Teiko who saved him.
He drew a breath and let the memory wash over him. The heart-wrenching loss that had led him to Teiko.
He’d been twenty-two and on a short leave before shipping out when he’d met Eva in San Diego. Their romance had been hard and fast and intense, and the two of them had been absolutely inseparable.
He’d loved everything about her, from her strong personality to her quirky sense of humor to the soft little noises she made in bed. They’d walked along the beach holding hands, and even though they’d only known each a short time, they spent hours planning a future together. Plans that had sustained him when he traded the comfort and safety of Southern California for the heat and danger of the Persian Gulf.
But it had all been a lie. Not one of his letters was answered, and though he’d called her house, he’d never reached her.
When he returned to the states, he’d been stationed at Norfolk, and though he tried to forget her, he never quite managed. And finally, after years apart, he went back to San Diego and tried to track her down.
He’d found her. And not just her. He’d seen Eva with her husband, holding their little girl and laughing. And though he didn’t have a clue how old the girl was, he knew enough to know that she wasn’t a newborn. Which meant that Eva had barely even taken another breath before pushing Tyree’s memory aside and landing in the arms of another man.
That knowledge—and the sight of how happy she looked holding her daughter—had ripped his heart in two.
He’d met Teiko hours later in the small cafe her parents owned. She’d been working as a waitress there on weekends. They’d talked, one thing led to another, and she’d completely stolen his heart. And healed it, too.
She’d been his rebound girl, no doubt about it. But she’d also saved him. And dear God, he’d been crazy in love with her.
