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Epilogue
Two days later
Corey pulled the door open with a binder tucked under his arm and smiled at Antonio behind the bar. His gaze swung to his brother helping a customer on the other end. He tossed his head to the back area, motioning his brother to come join him when he was done.
He blew out a breath before setting the binder on a table in the corner of the room. Away from prying ears—not that he figured the few patrons in the room would eavesdrop, but still. He had his back to the wall so he could keep an eye on anyone walking in as well.
Brick joined him a few minutes later, sliding into the chair next to him. He didn’t hesitate to grab the binder.
“What’s this? This shit is huge.”
Corey chuckled. “I’ve had three years to write things down. Ideas and whatnot.”
Brick paused at turning a page. His expression fell for a moment, then brightened. His brother didn’t need to mask his emotions with him, but right now wasn’t the time to open up past shit. He should’ve never even mentioned the three years of animosity between them. It wasn’t something he wanted to hash out at the moment.
“Well, I’m glad you wrote it down. You have a terrible memory.”
Corey wouldn’t dispute that. One year he forgot his own birthday until his mother had a cake ready and waiting for him when he got home from school. He was also grateful Brick chose to gloss over the three-year gap.
He sat watching his brother scan page after page, laughing when he laughed. It was nice to hear his brother laugh again. When a huge bout of laughter let loose, Corey knew exactly what he finally came upon.
“Seriously?” Brick cocked a brow.
“People will love it.”
“You really want to have glasses that say ‘pantie ripping time’?”
Corey couldn’t hide his shit-eating grin. “Gabby and Mia loved it so much when you got Jezebelle that drink, they had to have one. The drink name just draws you in. People won’t be able to resist it. Plus, people love weird, fun sayings. People can purchase a glass if they want one and when others see it, they’ll be like ‘where’d you get that?’ and they’ll be like ‘at The Corner Bar.’ More customers heading our way.”
Brick nodded. “You have a good point. Great idea. Good job, bro.” Brick slapped him jovially on the shoulder.
God, he missed his brother so damn much.
Three years had been a long time. Too long. Especially when they were growing up, Brick had been like his father. Looking out for him when their dad got into a tizzy about one thing or another. Making sure no other kids picked on him at school because it happened way more times than he wanted to count. Teaching him about life and how to be a man—a proper one. Not the asshole deadbeat their father was.
Yeah, he had missed his brother. While it still hurt Brick had thought he had stolen from their grandmother, he couldn’t fault him for believing her. They were both close to Gram. She had never once lied to them. Always insisting ‘the truth will get you farther than a lie.’ She’d never lie to Brick, which meant he had to have stolen what she said he had.
It hurt worse she thought him a thief than his brother thinking it. How couldn’t she have seen behind his father’s lies? Her own son? Maybe that’s why. She had blinders on when it came to her son. She probably never imagined her son would steal from her and then blame his son for it. Corey would be the first to admit he had a drug problem. Had being the operative word. He was going on a year of being clean and staying on the right path.
He was focused on his future. What happened in the past would stay there. Sure, if Brick wanted to bring it up and talk about it some more, he would. He wouldn’t shut his brother out again. Despite Brick thinking he stole from their grandmother, he had never cut him out of the business. He always emailed him about this and that concerning the bar. Brick would never know how much that meant to him. Because if his brother had cut him out altogether, he wasn’t sure he would’ve pulled himself out of the deep dark hole he had found himself in.
“Oh, this sounds good. I bet Jezebelle would like to try this Mudslide Cocktail. She loves chocolate.” Brick tapped the page. “You have some great ideas for happy hour. Anything that springs to mind right off the bat that you want to implement?”
“How about I work nights and you take days? You’ve been pulling your weight a lot more than me lately.” Corey chuckled, thinking lately was a nice way of saying three long years, but whatever. “It’s my turn. You can spend more time with Jezebelle.”
Brick nodded. “We can switch it up every few weeks. She’s working hard for a part coming up. Once she gets it, she’ll be working nights, too.”
Corey loved Brick’s positive attitude he had for Jezebelle. He hated to admit he was a bit jealous of his brother and the woman he found to spend the rest of his life with. Corey had been with a lot of women. Slept with way too many in his drug-hazed days. He had yet to meet the right one. The one who made him want to smile like Brick smiled when talking about Jezebelle.
“Yeah, sure, whatever you want. I just wanted you to know that I’m here for good. I quit my job at the auto place I was at, and this bar is my one hundred percent focus from now on.”
His last job wasn’t one he’d recommend anyone bring their car to anyway. Shoddy work with terrible customer service. But they had given him a job when a lot of other places slammed the door when they saw he had a record. Yeah, he had done some dumb shit when he had been high.
“I missed this bar.” Corey looked away, blowing out a breath. Then he looked at Brick. “I missed you.”
Brick nodded, pressing his lips together as if he were about to cry. Shit. Corey felt tears pooling behind his eyelids, too. If his brother started the waterworks, he knew he would as well.
Brick clamped him on the shoulder and squeezed hard. “I missed you, too, bro. I’m so sorry for everything.”
