AllFreeNovel
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It feels strange to climb into the passenger seat of Oliver’s car. I’ve been driving him for so long. “I could get used to this. To The Square, chauffeur, and step on it.” I lean my seat back and clap twice.
“Don’t think I won’t put you in the trunk just because you look so hot.”
“Pass. It’s too damn cold out.” He turns the heat up and tilts the vent toward me.
When we get to The Square, it’s a little early. The band isn’t set to play for another thirty minutes. It’s a good thing because we beat the crowd.
Oliver holds the door open for me and then leads me across the room. When he stops at a table next to the wall and near the corner of the stage, I pause and look over at him. “Have you been here since you got hurt?”
“No, why?”
“Why did you pick this table?”
His eyebrows jump up and his mouth opens then closes while he considers it. “I don’t know. Do you want to sit somewhere else?”
“No, this was the table you always sat at when you came here. Alden and I used to meet you and Breanna here sometimes. Tori too. You always had this table. Did you remember?”
We both sit down and the waitress approaches before he can reply. Oliver orders a beer, and I get a margarita. Once she walks away, he looks around. “I don’t remember this being my table, or recognize anything specifically, but the place feels familiar to me. It’s hard to explain. It felt like I was on autopilot when I walked in and picked the table.”
“It’s okay. It’s good.” Something occurs to me. “Do you know where the bathroom is?”
He instantly points across the room to one of the two hallways. “Down there on the right.” Once the words are out, he looks stunned. “I guess I kind of remember?”
Our waitress drops off our drinks, and he takes a long swallow of his beer. He looks a little shaken.
“Hey.” I reach across and squeeze his arm. “It’s okay. Don’t try to force anything. Let it happen naturally.”
“I’m not. It feels odd, though.”
I’ll bet it does. It’s a good time to change the subject. “I wanted to talk to you about something now that you’re back at Stokes Brothers.”
“Are you kicking me out?” he asks with a teasing smile.
“Of course not! You know that Alden left me his half of your business when he died. I want you to know that once you’re confident you have everything handled, the business side of things, you know.” I roll my hand. “I’m going to transfer my share to you.”
Oliver picks up his beer and takes a drink, then leans on the table to get his face close to mine. “No.”
It catches me off guard and a nervous giggle escapes me. “What?”
“No. Actually, hell no. I’m not taking your part of Stokes Brothers.”
“It’s your business, Oliver. It was always yours and Alden’s. He started it but you were instrumental to its success. He always said so. He didn’t know anything about business. He left it to me because he thought we’d be married and probably have kids if something happened to him in the future.”
“It doesn’t matter. My brother wanted you to have it. You did everything you could to make sure it stayed afloat while I was sick and you’re still watching over it. We’re business partners now, El. You’re stuck with me.”
“I don’t know shit about bikes.”
“I don’t know shit about anything.”
“Oliver!” I exclaim, biting back a laugh. “You do too.”
His little self-satisfied grin is cute. “You don’t want to argue about who is more inept with me right now. I’m going to win.”
“Fine. We’ll talk about it again later. When you feel lessinept.” My next sip of margarita seems to find all the alcohol in the glass, and I wince.
“Is it strong?”
“It is. Want to try a sip?”
