Текст книги "Nash"

Автор книги: Jay Crownover

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Текущая страница: 19 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

EPILOGUE

“So what’s the verdict?”

Cora sent her gaze dancing between me and Rule like I was an idiot for even asking the question.

“I think that if you two boneheads don’t hire her, I might just murder you both.”

I snickered and Rule looked up from the little pink bundle he was holding in his tattooed hands with a frown.

“I’m the favorite uncle, you can’t murder me.” The baby cooed like she was totally in agreement with that statement even if Rule was her only uncle.

I didn’t tell either of them that I was going to hire her regardless of her qualifications because Phil had asked me to. He had some kind of plan and he had only been gone a few weeks, so I was still feeling the resonating loss and paying forward his crazy scheme seemed necessary.

The “she” in question had quite frankly knocked all three of us on our collective asses. I mean, I knew she was probably going to be easy on the eyes being a pinup model and all, but in person she was something else.

Salem Cruz was without a doubt the prettiest rock-and-roll chick I had ever laid eyes on and I could tell Rule agreed. She had a full sleeve tattooed on each arm, one classic Catholic images mixed with riotous Day of the Dead artwork and the other all old-school, Sailor Jerry–inspired work. She had long, caramel-colored hair that had a bloodred streak in the front of it, complete with swooping curls on top and long waves hanging down the back. Her eyes were as dark as the midnight sky, and I liked the way they twinkled like she knew something the rest of us didn’t. She was average height, but there was nothing average about the curves she was rocking, and all her retro glamour was topped off by a face that men in classic literature went to war for. She was the perfect blend of fifties pinup, rockabilly cool, and Latina sex goddess. She was just all-around impressive.

If her looks alone hadn’t been enough to convince me that she would get people in the door, her credentials were. It was her résumé and sassy, take-no-shit demeanor that sold Cora. Salem wasn’t just a pretty face, she had been tied to some of the most successful tattoo shops on the West Coast, and the shop she left in Vegas wasn’t just some hole in the wall, it was one of those big-deal chain shops that operated in a casino and was helmed by a famous Xtreme sports guy. In all actuality the stuff we were starting in D-town was small and totally new compared to where she came from, and I think Phil knew it. She also had a hand in designing and marketing her own clothing label, so really there was no way we couldn’t offer her the job.

The three of us walked out of the office Cora had commandeered and Rule handed baby R.J. back to her mom. The baby looked around the still-work-in-progress retail space and made a noise. I totally agreed with her. Expanding was a lot harder than I had initially thought and I couldn’t wait until it was all said and done.

The brunette was wandering around, taking stock, sizing things up, and I had to wonder why she was willing to come somewhere so different, somewhere that was just starting up, when obviously she could write her own ticket anywhere she wanted in the tattooing world. She turned and watched us approach, her dark eyes dancing.

“How did it go?”

Cora laughed and kissed Remy on the forehead. “At this point I’m ready to hire a stranger off the street. We are too busy, need the help, and the fact you can run circles around anyone else we’ve seen makes it a no-brainer. Plus this place could use another female in the mix.”

Salem’s bright red lips quirked up in a smile. She had a ruby-red Monroe piercing that lifted with her full lips. “I think it’s going to be a good time. The shop is beautiful. I think with a few little touches you are sitting on a gold mine up here in the clouds. There is a lot of opportunity sitting right at your fingertips.”

Cora rolled her eyes and jiggled the baby, who started to holler just a little bit. She was going to give her mom a run for her money in the loud and bossy department down the road.

“Trust me, the old carnival theme totally fits. These guys are all clowns and half the time it really is like being part of a sideshow.” I gave Cora a dirty look, but didn’t disagree with her statement.

I nodded at Salem and extended the offer. “As long as you’re okay with the pay and think you can handle working hand in hand with us, the job is yours. I think we’d be lucky to have you, and Phil thought you would be a perfect fit, so that matters to me. We’re a family, though, so be prepared to deal with the nonsense that comes with that.”

Rule grunted and reached out to shake her hand. “Welcome aboard. The crazy train is always looking for new passengers.” He bent and kissed the baby much like Cora had done, and straightened back up. “I gotta head home. Shaw’s been under the weather for the last few days. I need to check on her. She was green when I left.”

Cora looked up at him and lifted her eyebrow that had the pink crystal piercing in it.

“I don’t think there’s any stomach things going around. I pay attention now because of the baby.”

He lifted his shoulders and shrugged. “I dunno. She’s miserable, though.”

Cora looked speculative, but we were all interrupted by the thud of heavy boots on the stairs that led up from the shop floor. The only other person that had a key was Rowdy, so I wasn’t surprised when his blond pompadour cleared the second floor.

“Hey, Zeb called and had an awesome idea about putting old fun-house mirrors up here when we get around to having the store open. You know to tie everything together …”

His voice trailed off and his ocean-blue eyes popped open so wide they nearly took up his entire face. His jaw unhinged and all he could do was gape at the Spanish beauty standing with us. I looked back and forth between the two of them. She was smiling like a huge secret had been revealed and he looked like he had just seen a ghost.

Salem’s high heels tapped a sexy little beat as she walked toward the stairs. Rowdy was stuck, like he was glued to the spot with industrial adhesive. I saw Cora give Rule a questioning look, and when they both turned to me, all I could do was shrug helplessly. I didn’t have a clue what was happening either.

“Hello, Rowland. It’s been a long time.” She trailed her bloodred fingertip across the bridge of his nose. “You sure did grow up nice.”

Rowdy gulped so loud that it was actually audible and stayed stuck to the floor.

“Who in the hell is Rowland?” It was a valid question but no one seemed in a hurry to answer Rule when he asked it.

Salem stopped in front of Rowdy so they were eye to eye, only because she was clad in some serious heels and he was still down a step. She put a hand on his cheek and gave it a little tap, which had him rearing back and blinking like an owl.

“Salem?” The question sounded strangled and forced out. I had never seen Rowdy so dumbfounded. He was the charmer, the jokester. He always had something to say. What in the hell was happening here? And why did I think this was exactly what my dad had been orchestrating all along?

The brunette looked back over her shoulder, her sleek fall of hair moving like something out of a movie. She winked, actually winked at us, and started down the stairs.

“Strike that, it’s going to be a great time. See you guys at work on Monday. E-mail me whatever forms you need me to fill out.”

Her shoes clicked and tapped on the way down the stairs while the rest of us just stood there in silence. After a long minute, Rowdy shook his head like he was coming out of a daze and walked the rest of the way into the loft.

“Rowland?” He glared at me.

“Like you have room to talk, Nashville.”

Good point, but I was still going to give him shit every chance I got.

Cora’s mix-and-match eyes were practically glowing as she shifted the baby to one arm and grabbed Rowdy’s shirtfront with her free hand.

“Is that her? Is that the one?”

I didn’t know what “the one” meant, but when Rowdy shook his head in the negative, Cora looked super disappointed.

“No, not her … but that is her sister.”

Cora gasped and Rule and I just looked at each other in confusion.

“Someone want to fill us in?”

Rowdy sighed and lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck.

“When I was in foster care growing up in Texas, Salem and her little sister, Poppy, lived next door. Their dad was the minister in the town that we lived in. He was really, really strict with both the girls. They were very different, turned out opposite. Salem got out as soon as she could and Poppy broke my heart when I tried to give it to her. What in the hell is she doing here?”

I sent a sideways look at Rule and he just bit his lip ring.

“She’s the new shop manager. We just hired her.”

The big blond man looked like he was going to either pass out or throw up.

“Are you serious?”

Cora nodded solemnly and patted him on the shoulder. “Nash offered her the job. It’s legally binding. Are you going to be okay with that?”

He rubbed one of his sideburns and looked around at all of us like he was kind of lost.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not really.” I hated to break it to him.

“I think I just need a minute to get over the shock. I haven’t seen her since I was eighteen and getting ready to start college. That was when everything went to shit with Poppy. I can’t believe Salem is here.”

“She’s very beautiful.” Cora’s tone was gentle and placating.

Rowdy’s blond eyebrows shot up and he sarcastically drawled, “I didn’t notice.”

Rule barked out a laugh. “Then you’re blind.”

I cleared my throat and everyone turned to look at me. “Phil wanted her here. He set it all in motion. How much do you want to bet he knew all along your tie to her? He didn’t just pick her name out of a hat.”

Rowdy swore. “Why would he do that to me?”

“He had his reasons.” Love couldn’t be negotiated with, I would remember that forever.

Rowdy frowned at me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

All I could do was grin. He would find out soon enough.

“You’ll see. Now I want to go home to my girlfriend and love all up on her.” Nothing had ever made me happier than being able to say that anytime I wanted. Saint was the person I was always going to want at the end of the day, I just knew it.

Cora held up R.J., who held her little arms out as she tried to grab on to my nose ring. That damn thing was a tiny hand magnet.

“Be careful, this is what that results in.” She cut a sideways look to Rule, who completely missed it.

“By the way, tell Zeb yes to the fun-house mirrors. That guy is a goddamn genius.” I really was in awe of the contractor’s immense talent.

Rowdy muttered his agreement to pass the news along to his friend as we all made our way out of the shop.

I wanted to feel bad for him, to tell him that it would all be okay, but just like the rest of us, he was going to have to get there on his own. The journey to the one wasn’t always easy. The baggage from the past could be heavy and totally unwieldy, and the drop-offs and curves could make a man ready to get off the road at any second, but there was no better destination, no better end point than the love and the woman offering it that waited at the end.

Nash and Saint’s Playlist

Blood or Whiskey: “Never Be Me”

Band of Skulls: “Fires”; “Navigate”

The Pixies: “Holiday Song”

Deadstring Brothers: “Silver Mountain”

Drive-By Truckers: “Everybody Needs Love”; “Lookout Mountain”

Dropkick Murphys: “Echoes on ‘A.’ Street”

The Kills: “Heart Is a Beating Drum”

The Vines: “Outtathaway”

The Tossers: “Alone”

Flatfoot 56: “Son of Shame”

Her Space Holiday: “No More Good Ideas”

Sea Wolf: “The Cold, the Dark, and the Silence”; “Song for the Dead”

The Pogues: “If I Should Fall from Grace with God”; “(And the Band Played) Waltzing Matilda”

Johnny Cash: “Danny Boy”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First I gotta give all the love to the two tiny blondes that rule my writing world, Stacey Donaghy of the Donaghy Literary Group, who is my fearless agent, and Amanda Bergeron, my brilliant editor from HarperCollins. They are both equally important for bringing these Marked Men into the world and I honestly don’t know what my life would look like without either one of them. I adore that they just let me do my thing (with the proper amount of reining in) and that the end result is always so much better than I imagined. I am truly blessed to get to work with women that I genuinely like, respect, and admire.

The other person key to my writing world is my book bestie. Oh, you can call her what you want, I always say she is a woman of many talents and many names. To me she is a sounding board, a friend, a fellow book lover, and for Nash’s story not only is the inspiration for one of the characters, she was also my medical guru, my Nursey-No-Mercy. Thanks, Mel, for always being there, for offering your knowledge and support, and for generously giving me punctuation and feedback in every first draft I write. Thanks for being an awesome critique partner and just all-around an awesome friend. I love you and your giant brain so hard.

I never had too many complaints about running a bar. It was a really fun job. I got to meet cool and interesting people. I got to play with booze all day. Beer delivery guys are pretty cute and have big muscles, and I always got to stay up late and never had to get up early. That being said, this new job I have kicks that job’s butt, and the people I’ve been fortunate enough to meet in the last year … well, I can’t tell you how exciting and interesting it has been. From fellow authors, publishing professionals, to bloggers, to readers, to event organizers, to the people I have Internet-befriended along the way. Book people are the best. End of story. Thank you all for making the last year a blast, and I gotta thank Sophie Jordan, Jennifer Armentrout, Cora Carmack, and Lisa Desrochers for showing the new girl the ropes and making me feel welcome. I love hanging out with these ladies and it’s always a good time when we get in the same room.

Of course, my folks always need to get a shout out because they are awesome and there are none better. Did you know my dad is coming to my European signings with me this year? If you see a guy walking around that has a cowboy mustache and probably something with a Dodge logo on it, that’s him. Buy him a beer or a shot of Jack and tell him thanks for being the base inspiration for all these hot guys swimming around in my head. My mom is wonderful. She’s not only my biggest fan but my closest confidante. I just love her to pieces and I’m grateful that with all the opportunities I’ve had come my way, I get to experience so many of them with her. She likes red wine and has lots and lots of blond hair if you want to buy her a drink instead.

I can’t write a story about loving yourself, about knowing you are fabulous just the way you are, and not throw out a thank-you to my bestie. She’s amazing at this. Really understands the importance of it, and the journey she had to take in order to remember how wonderful and amazing she really is was heartbreaking. But she got back to where she needed to be and I couldn’t be prouder or more stoked for her. She is always the strongest, most beautiful person I know inside and out. I just LOVE Settie Phillips to a million pieces. I am so very lucky I get the honor of having her as my best friend.

And always my most important, most heartfelt and overwhelming amount of thanks goes out to you … the reader. OMG, where would I be without you guys? I will always be taken aback, dumbfounded, and completely humbled when I get an e-mail saying something I wrote is their favorite book, or that they related to what the characters are going through, or that they appreciate how “real” my storytelling is. I never really thought past hitting publish on Rule, so now that we are four books in, I really can’t tell you how much value and wonder all of you have brought into my life. I think of each and every single reader as a gift, as a compatriot, as a fellow book lover, and as a friend. Thank you so very much from the bottom of my tattooed heart.

The above goes for all you amazing and dedicated bloggers out there. Thank you for the support. Thank you for being invested in this world I have created. Thank you for spreading the word and taking the time and effort to write reviews and give valuable space and time on your blogs to me and the boys. Thank you for all that you do!!

Finally, I have to tell you how much I love the girls at http://literatiauthorservices.com/. Karen, Michelle, and Rosette have made my now hectic and busy life far more manageable. They are organized and efficient, but mostly they are delightful and wonderful ladies. They know it all, the business end, the blogging end, the reading end, and the promotional end. I wouldn’t just trust my boys in the hands of anyone, and I tell them all the time working with them is the best decision I ever made!! If you need marketing or promotional help, look them up, you won’t be sorry you did it.

I love my dogs. That is all.