Summer Breeze Kisses - Addison Moore Page 0,40

gives a circular nod. “She’s so puma.” She rakes her hand through the air like she’s about to claw my head off. “Rawr!” She screeches so loud half the bar turns around. “No, not puma, she’s so—cougar!” She shouts as if guessing an answer on a game show. “She’s the cougar.” Her eyes close as she rolls her head over her neck. “Izzy—cougar—rawr.”

“Oh, hon,” Laney moans. “Holt and I will get you some coffee.” She pulls me up by the ear until we’re clear across the room.

“Ouch.” I gently remove Laney’s pincer grasp from my earlobe. “What was that for?”

“What was that for?” She points hard at the pile of blonde hair that’s currently lying over the table.

“She was thirsty.” I give a slight scowl at the puddle of a woman I’ve turned Jemma into. “And I’m pretty damn thirsty, too.” I take a step toward Laney. She looks so much like Izzy it hurts. “What’s going on with your sister? She’s all messed up, Laney.” My voice cracks. “I want to help her, and she won’t let me.”

“What are you talking about?” She takes a step back as if I were out of my mind, and I wish I were. “There’s nothing wrong with my sister.”

“Something or someone tore her apart. She’s injured on the inside, and that’s about as far as she let me in.”

“Oh my, God.” Laney clasps her hand around her throat while looking over at Jemma. “There is something, then.” She swallows hard. “I think Jemma knows.” She shakes her head before burying her face in her hands. “God, I’m such a lousy sister. I have no clue what it could be.” She looks up at me with those serious navy eyes, and all I see is Izzy. “I’ll try to get her to open up. She’s got another blind date this Thursday. What better day than the Fourth to make the sparks fly—right?” She gives a little shrug. “Anyway, I thought we were close. I thought I knew all of Izzy’s secrets, and now I feel like nothing more than a stranger. Isn’t that something? The person you thought you knew best, you don’t know at all.” She takes off toward the kitchen in a daze.

Funny, I’ve felt that way for years, only in my family it’s me that nobody really knows. I’m the charred branch of the family tree, the invisible stain that no one quite realizes. And, if I get my way, it’s going to stay like that forever.

No use in making a bad situation worse.

But if it’s such a good idea to keep my mouth shut why the hell do I feel so bad about it?

Izzy flashes through my mind. She’ll be here in two days.

Maybe it’s not so important that I know what’s killing her on the inside—at least not yet.

Maybe all she needs is for someone to give her space—to love her on her own terms. And that’s exactly what I plan on doing.

That is if she gives me another chance.

And I’m hoping she will.

Wednesday night after a long line of crappy bands perform, if you can call it that, Bryson sits both Cole and me down.

“What’s up?” I ask, landing between them.

“Just thinking about what Dad said a few weeks back. I’m not sure I’m ready to part with this place.”

Dad owns more than the Black Bear, there’s the Ice Bar, and Sky Lab. I try to make an appearance at the other locations at least twice a month, but with Izzy on my brain, I haven’t done that lately.

“I’ve been thinking about it, too.” Damn straight I have. This is it for me. I don’t have a fancy degree to hang on my wall or flaunt in any prospective employer’s face for that matter. This is do or die for me, and to hell if my father thinks I’m going down with this place. “I’m going to buy him out.”

“Are you serious?” Cole deadpans. “Dude, you work for tips. How the hell are you going to bankroll three different bars?”

“It’s called a loan, moron. If I don’t qualify, I’ll see if I can get my mother to cosign. I’ll sell that damn boat I never see anymore. Every little bit helps, right? I’ll do what I have to.” I’ve thought it through enough to have worked out any impending details. Lost about a week’s worth of sleep over the idea, too.

“You’re just going to pick up and run this place, huh?” Bryson smacks his lips together as