Boss Daddy: A Secret Baby Romance by Black, L. (big screen ebook reader txt) 📗

another of the theme nights, and I wanted to check it out from a customer’s perspective. I knew what it was like to work one of the exciting, somewhat chaotic events, but running around waiting tables and tending the bar during them kept me from actually being able to immerse myself in the experience.

That night was a car show night. I heard from Ava the bar had done one of these back early in the days of the theme nights, and it was extremely popular, so they revived it every few months. This event was particularly exciting because it didn’t just involve The Hollow.

Two blocks of the street where it sat were shut down and filled with classic cars and car-related vendors. All the restaurants and bars on that stretch were offering specials and combining forces to create an almost carnival atmosphere that would benefit all of them rather than just being purely about competition.

A long line at the front of the event waited to go through a station to purchase an admission ticket and get a wristband, but I was able to go through the employee entrance with a special wristband Ava gave me when she suggested I come check everything out.

I walked out into the event and was blown away. Everywhere people were dressed up to match the eras of their cars, showing them off, eating, drinking, and dancing. I absolutely loved it.

I was waiting in line to get a drink when someone came up beside me. I looked up and saw Jordan smiling at me.

“Hey,” I said. “What are you doing out here among the regular people?”

He laughed. “I could ask you the same question. It’s my night off. They actually sprung me for the evening because they got all the other guys on deck and a couple of the extra employees that are kept in their back pocket for just such an occasion.”

I nodded and smiled as the line moved, and we took a couple of steps forward. “It’s my night off, too. I wanted to see what all the hype was about.”

“And?”

“And the hype is totally warranted,” I said.

“I love coming out here on the rare theme nights I have off. It’s a completely different experience than working them, and I love to see the customers having such a good time. They really get into it. What’s really fun is seeing the ones who have come to a bunch of the nights interacting with the ones who this is their first one. There’s definitely a sense of membership, like they have some sort of inside knowledge because they’re seasoned.”

“People certainly do like to feel special and like they belong,” I agreed.

“That’s what Ava said, too. She’s thinking about doing something like a beer stein club or something where customers can have their own stein with their name on it that would be on display in the bar and give them special discounts or something,” Jordan said.

I nodded. “That’s a really good idea. I bet people would love that.”

I got up to the booth and ordered my drink. Jordan piped up beside me, ordering his own plus a couple of the food offerings. He whipped out his wallet before I could say anything, and the vendor waved him away. He knew who he was and wasn’t going to charge him. According to him, these theme nights were worth four or five regular nights at his place during this time of the year, so he was happy to show his appreciation.

We walked around enjoying our drinks and sampling the food. As we did, we fell into easy conversation. Jordan told me all about his oldest brother buying the bar and how they had to get used to being bar owners.

“I was still in the military then. I remember my brothers trying really hard not to let on how much they needed my help here because I was still on active duty, and they didn’t want me to be distracted. But they were having a hard time of it at first. My parents were both sick and needed the support. It was kind of scary times, to be honest,” he said.

“It sounds like it. I can’t imagine going through something like that,” I said. “At least you guys all had each other.”

Jordan nodded. “That’s the only thing that really got us through. When our father died, I got an early release from the service and came home to be with the family. It was rough, but we did our best to focus on our mother and getting her through not only losing Dad but continuing her own fight.”

“She sounds like an amazing woman to have raised all of you and to get through challenges like that,” I said.

“She is.” Jordan was silent for a few seconds. “How about your parents? What are they like?”

I shook my head slightly, looking down into my drink so I had something to do with my eyes other than looking at him. “I don’t talk to them much.”

“No?” he asked.

“No.” I shrugged and looked ahead as we kept walking. “We’ve had a lot of conflicts and just don’t see eye to eye on life. They send me money every once in a while, but I don’t keep it. I donate it all as soon as I get it because I don’t want anything to do with them. I don’t want to feel obligated or tied to them because of money.”

I stopped short of telling him about my ex or the reason I completely separated from my family, but the rest of the conversation was smooth and comfortable. I had always been one to find it easy to talk to people, but there was something different about Jordan and in the very best way.

5 Jordan

My eyes snapped open, and I sat bolt upright in bed, for a moment dazed and not knowing exactly where I was. It had been a few weeks since the last nightmare, but this one was even more