Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)
Laura Pavlov
one
Hugh
I’d planted my ass on a stool at the bar at Reynolds’, the restaurant I’d opened a few months back. Business was booming, and between opening this place and running my parents’ pub and diner for them, I was existing on very little sleep. I hadn’t expected business to be as busy as it had been since the day we’d opened the doors. We were understaffed at the moment, and I needed help.
The door swung open, and sunlight flooded the space, highlighting the marble bar top and the rustic wood flooring. My two best friends, Travis and Brax, walked in, letting the door fall closed behind them.
“Hey, sorry we’re late. I’ve got sandwiches.” Travis held up a bag and walked toward me.
“Thanks for picking those up.” I pushed to my feet and made my way around the bar to grab us each a drink. “You guys want a beer?”
“Hell, yeah.” Brax pulled up a bar stool and sat down. The guy was always down for a good time.
“Nah. I’ve got to go back to work, so I’ll just stick to water for now. Those fuckers on the site can’t figure out how to hammer a nail unless I’m standing right over them,” Travis grumped.
I laughed and handed them their drinks, grabbing a Coke for myself. Travis was a contractor and was responsible for the majority of the new construction in town. He’d worked on this restaurant for months, and the dude never let up. But he was a grumpy motherfucker, and most people pissed him off. Lucky for me and Brax, we’d been his best friends since preschool, so we usually got a pass.
“Are you sure you aren’t just micromanaging them again?” I raised a brow and unwrapped my sandwich.
“Right. You’re a bit of a dick when it comes to work. Are you sure this isn’t you being a control freak?” Brax asked, over a mouthful of food.
Brax owned the largest real estate company in Cottonwood Cove, and he was about as relaxed as you get when it comes to running a business. These two were night and day with how serious they took things, and I fell somewhere in between.
“Pfft… please. I have no choice when every time I look over, they’re fucking around.” He shook his head before narrowing his gaze at me. “You look tired. I’m sure you’re ready for Lila to start helping out.” Travis’s little sister was going to be home for a few months, and she’d agreed to come work with me at the restaurant.
“Yeah. You’re giving me Trav-vibes over here, and I can’t deal with two damn control freaks in my life.” Brax reached for his beer.
“Yeah, I’m fucking drowning, man. The timing couldn’t be better with her coming on board, even if it’s just temporary.” I took a bite of my turkey on rye and shrugged.
Travis studied me. “This place is a huge undertaking, and you’re still trying to run Burgers and Brews and Garrity’s. You can’t be in three places at once, brother. And you’re talking about expanding to the city? You need to figure out how to manage all this shit. Lila’s brilliant, so hopefully she can help you get things figured out and running smoothly over the next few months.”
He was right. I’d taken over our family restaurants when my father retired, and since opening my own place, I was stretched too thin.
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I actually agree. And you know it kills me to agree with this one,” Brax said, as he flicked his thumb at Travis. “But you need help, or you’re going to burn out.”
“Agreed. And you know I don’t like people in my business, but I obviously trust Snow,” I said, after I finished chewing, referencing the nickname I’d always called Lila.
My siblings were all busy with their own careers, and my youngest sister, Georgia, was taking summer school classes and would be graduating from college in December. I sure as hell wasn’t going to burden any of them with my shit.
“Yeah, I think she’ll help out a lot, and then you can figure out if you need to bring on more people full time when she leaves. She’ll definitely get your ass organized.” Travis reached for his chips and tore open the bag.
“Aside from work, you look like you’re wound awfully tight, so I’m guessing you haven’t been laid in a bit either.” Brax barked out a laugh. The dude was too loud for his own good. And, of course, the asshole found it hilarious that I was in a bit of a rut in that department. I hadn’t been out in two months, and I slept every free minute that I had, but it still wasn’t enough.
“Thanks for pointing that out, dickhead.”
“You’re a lover, man, so you’re always moodier when you aren’t getting female attention. No shame in needing a release, brother.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake—he gets laid plenty. That’s hardly been a problem for him.” Travis rolled his eyes.
“Hey, maybe I’m tired of the game. I’m getting older. And not all of us are so lucky to marry our fucking high school sweetheart,” I said, shooting Travis a look.
He nodded over a mouthful of food and reached for his water. “Cry me a river. I’m not Hugh fucking Reynolds, Cottonwood Cove’s biggest player.”
“Don’t be humble, you broody bastard. It doesn’t suit you,” I said.