Once upon a time, she’d been my friend.
“Honestly, I hadn’t seen her since high school, not until a couple months ago when she learned I owned this place and came to me for a job. But since then, she’s become part of our family, so my loyalties are with her, which is why I wanted to tell her about you working here before I told you about her...in case she had a problem with it. Except I’ve been unable to reach her and therefore unable to clue her in to what’s going on.”
I shook my head, not sure if I bought his story. But I couldn’t think up any other reason why he’d shove us together like this. “And if she does have a problem with me working here?” I asked.
Pick shrugged. “Then I’ll help you find employment elsewhere.”
I nodded, respecting that for some reason, probably because he’d claimed his loyalty to her. I couldn’t outright hate him for backing her up. But still...what the fuck had he gotten me into?
I’d told myself I would not look her up when I got out, I would not find out where she was or what she was doing. I’d leave her the fuck alone, because that was what was best for her. Yet now I was working at the same goddamn bar as her? Because of Pick Ryan? It was all just...
“Unbelievable,” I muttered as I wiped my hands over my face and stood so I could pace the room. “Why did you even hire me in the first place?”
“A couple of reasons. I really do need another bartender, and I remember you. You have all the values I demand in an employee.”
I sniffed. “Values?” Spreading my arms, I motioned to his demolished office. “Did you not see what I just did?”
Pick glanced at his broken things impassively, then returned his attention to me. “What I saw was a man full of a lot of anger and resentment over the injustice he’s been served, over learning the woman he loves hasn’t had the easiest time of it. But I also saw a man who pulled back as soon as he struck out at one of my boys. I’ve seen someone gentle with my children, patient with my nosey wife, and respectful in my home. So, trust me. I’m pretty confident I have you pegged right, Parker.”
I snorted and glanced away, but the fucker kept talking.
“Let’s see. You came across a pregnant girl in trouble and got her help. Then, when you were left alone with her car, you didn’t take off with it even though you could’ve used the cash it would’ve brought you. Instead, you used the rest of all the money you had to clean it. Then you returned it to the hospital to see how she was doing.”
I grumbled under my breath that none of that made me full of such great values.
Pick’s lips quirked as if he knew something I didn’t, then he kept talking. “There’s also another reason I took you in. I owed you one for something you probably don’t even know you did for me.”
I glanced at him, frowning in confusion. “What’s that?”
The secretive smile kept playing around his mouth. “I’ll tell you about it sometime. But not yet.”
My eyes narrowed even more. I didn’t like how mysterious he was being. He didn’t seem to mind, though. He kept talking.
“Aside from that, there’s the fact I had to be the asshole who told you about your family.”
I flinched, not wanting to go there.
“I feel like shit about that, man. And you had nowhere to go, no one to contact for help, no money for...fuck, anything. I wanted to make it up to you somehow. So I took you in and offered you a job because it was the first thing I could think to do. It was what you needed most.”
I started to tell him he didn’t owe me shit—even if I had unknowingly done him a favor once upon a time—I could take care of myself. But he held up a hand. “And then I also felt inclined to keep tabs on you in case Felicity wanted to know where to find you when I told her you were out.”
Just hearing her name slayed me. I winced and kept my eyes averted. “I can’t keep you from telling her, can I?”