I See The Light (Book #3 in LA Series)

Chapter Two

Dan's POV
It was 2 pm and like usual Cole had plopped himself down onto his bar seat. Except this time he was pushing a stroller where his new baby twins, Rosie and Hayley were. They were two months old now.

Georgina had genetics in her family so they had a lot of twins.

I walk around the bar and crouch down peeking into the pram, awing at my nieces. They were beautiful. Red hair just like their mum.

"How's it been?" I ask.

"I've been walking them for an hour, trying to get them to sleep," he huffs.

"These little angels?" I question. "Not possible."

"Wait till you have your own," Cole says. "Then I'm going to be laughing in your face."

I wanted that with Emily.

Emily and I were high school sweethearts. We met when I was outside the police department fighting they don't turn Cole's case cold and she was coming out of the library next door. She walked over and joined us.

I had been in love with her then.

We graduated and then went to Vegas and got eloped. Our parents hated it but we were in love. She got pregnant a year later but then had a second-trimester miscarriage.

We were both heartbroken.

We tried so hard for another it just wasn't working. We both also had three jobs each wanting to save up to open our bar.

Suddenly out of nowhere, Emily had a stroke. She went into a coma and had so much brain damage that I had to pull the chord. Her parents hated me for that.

I go to her grave on her birthday and anniversary to talk to her. Some people say it's stupid but I loved Emily. She was my everything and I could never replace her, no matter how much sex I was having.

To be fair though, I have been on a two-year dry spell. I accidentally slept with Jade again after too much tequila on New Year's and decided I needed to change.

Didn't mean I was ready to love again though.

"Why did you bring them to a bar then?" I ask. "It's not quiet."

"They like noise," Cole says. "It's fucking weird."

I chuckle. "They are your kids."

He snorts. "Fuck off." I walk back around the bar and start cleaning the glasses out of the dishwasher. "Also Beth is back."

My whole body freezes. "My waitress Beth?"

Sadly six years ago when Georgina came to town her abusive ex-husband followed her. Ashton, as we soon found out was a serial rapist. Beth was closing one night and he raped her.

I found her the next morning, barely breathing in the men's bathroom. My staff are supposed to feel safe and then that had happened to her. When she told me she was leaving to go to Australia with her sister, I gave her a big check to spend on flights.

Cole says it wasn't my fault, but I shouldn't have let her close alone. I should've been here.

"Seb said she saw them at Luigini's," Cole murmurs. "Beth puked all over the floor when she saw Lenny."

"Jesus," I mutter.

"Do you reckon she will want her job back?" Cole asks.

I scoff. "Did you seriously ask that?"

"Well she might want a fresh start," Cole argues. "She did have some happy memories here."

"I don't think your brain is remembering the fact that the worst thing in her life happened here," I state. "This place is like hell for her."

"You should go see her," Cole says. "This has been eating you up inside and I think you need closure from this."

"I'm fine," I grunt.

"Which means your not," Cole says. He hops off his stool and pushes the prams towards the door. "Think about it."

*
The door to my bar opens and I spin to tell them we are closed but see Kevin walking in with a beautiful woman. She was super tan and had gorgeous blonde hair that was curled and tucked behind her ears. They were both walking straight to me.

"Hey Kev," I say. "I'm just about to close, but I can stay open for a couple more minutes if you and your date want a drink."

Kevin laughs. "She's not my date."

"I'm his sister, Violet," she says. "You know his other sister, Beth?"

I clear my throat. "Of course, I know Beth."

"Hypothetically if she asked for her job back would you give it to her?" Violet questions.

I nod. "I would, but I presumed that since she got, um hurt here she wouldn't want to come back," I say awkwardly.

"Well, that is how she feels right now," Violet says. "But she did love this job." Violet's eyes wander over me. "And I see why now."

My cock hardens a little at her tone. "If she wants her job she can have it," I tell them. "But you can't force her."

"Well the only other place hiring is the cafe," Kevin murmurs. "She won't go there because of Georgie."

I frown. "What did Georgie do?"

"Well, I am sure you are aware of what happened at Luigini's yesterday?" Kevin questions. I nod. "Well, I reckon that will happen again if she sees Georgie."

"If anything Georgie could help her," Violet scoffs. "Didn't she go through much worse?"

"You can't compare the two," Kevin snaps. "Georgie had Lenny, Cole, Seb and Dan here to help her. All Beth had was you."

"What the fuck is that suppose to mean?" Violet growls.

Kevin rolls his eyes. "That you aren't the most comforting person."

"Well, maybe that is why she left with me," Violet says. "She didn't want you breathing down her neck."

Before a sibling fight broke out I cut in between the two. "Did you guys want a drink or can I close the bar?"

"We will leave you to it, man," Kevin says. "The team and I will come around Saturday to celebrate."

"That's if you win," I say smirking.

Kevin flips me off as he turns to leave my bar. Violet stays where she is standing. "You should give me a call sometime," she says. "I am looking for some fun around here."

"I'm sorry, but I am not the fun your looking for," I say, letting her down gently.

She smirks. "You should know one thing about me." She leans over the bar and kisses my chin. "I always get what I want."

Ah, shit.