Page 111 of My So-Called Perfect Life

“No,” I sigh exasperated. “Space, Roxy. A break.”

She slides down the bar a few steps to a couple who needs new beers. She pops the tops and places them on the bar. She immediately redirects her attention back to me and our unwanted conversation. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

I shake my head. “Not a fucking clue.”

She places her hand on my arm. “This isn’t what I meant when I said you guys needed to be on the same page. I meant, more like talk about things and see where you guys stood, not break up with her.”

“I didn’t break up with her,” I tell her. “We’re just taking some time apart to make sure we know what we want.”

Roxy crosses her arms over her chest. “You know what you want, and she told you she wanted you.”

“If this break doesn’t change that, then we know for sure.”

“What is this? An episode ofFriends?” she asks. “Breaks are stupid. Look at how that turned out for Ross and Rachel. Either you’re together or you’re not. Was this Evan’s stupid idea?”

“No. It was mine.”

“Well then, you’re dumb,” she tells me. “You’d better hope this doesn’t backfire on you.”

Thanks, Captain Obvious.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Ryan

Two weeks later

“Your name on this lineis all that’s needed, my friend.” Evan points to the line at the bottom of the page. “Then this place is yours!”

Pride and accomplishment stream through every vein in my body as I pick up the pen and scribble my name on the line sealing the deal on the space for Cohen’s West.

“This is so exciting.” Roxy bounces on her feet next to me with the same excitement as a child in line for a spin on the tilt-a-whirl. “I can see it. I can see everything you talked about.”

Two weeks ago, Evan came storming into my apartment at like eight in the morning on a Saturday ranting and raving about this place that just came on the market for lease.

As I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, he made it out to sound like there was a line of people waiting around the corner to see it. There wasn’t. But Evan knows his shit and it’d have been a dumb decision to ignore him. Especially if it had him barging to my place that early, demanding I get up because we needed to see this place ASAP. He claimed it was better than the first place he showed me over the summer, and it wasn’t going to last long.

He was a thousand percent right. I fell in love with the space the moment we stepped through the door.

It’s a renovated factory that overlooks the water. The views from the patio are killer, and it fits one of my visions perfectly. I like how Raul has his unique set-up with the music and dancing and always wanted to see if I could put my own spin on it. I can definitely try it here. The open ceiling and exposed metal pipes match the concept of Cohen’s. The place is already industrial-sheek.

My lips feel stretched to the max as I drop the pen. Spinning around, I take in my new bar.

Evan pulls a bottle of champagne from a bag he had behind the bar. “Can’t celebrate without popping the cork!”

“Ooh . . . wait,” Roxy stops Evan from handing me the bottle. “Let me get my phone out. This is great promo.”

“Damn, good bar manager.” I smile as she digs inside her bag for her phone.

She smirks. “Which is why you’re going to do a boomerang for Instagram, and you’re not going to complain. I’m agreatbar manager and this is gold right here.”

Ugh! Roxy and her damn boomerangs. She made Aiden do one the other day. It took fifteen minutes. She made him shake drinks and pour them over and over until she deemed everything all good.

It was painful to watch.

Roxy stands in front of me, her phone up and ready to start. “You only have one shot at making this good, Ry. No pressure, but don’t fuck up.”

Evan laughs as he hands me the bottle. “Yeah, don’t fuck up.”