“It’s a daunting task,” she agreed. “I mean, you’ll have to work very hard. We both know your skills aren’t up to par yet.”


“Up to par? Fuck that.” In one swift motion, AJ dropped to his knees and wrenched her panties down her legs. “I don’t shoot par, Brett. With me, you get a hole in one. Every. Damn. Time.”

Then he buried his face between her thighs and proved it to her.





Chapter Fourteen


“One year.” Two words. That was all Brett’s father uttered as he settled in her chair and crossed his big arms over his big chest.

It took an outrageous amount of willpower not to squeal in happiness. Or give a fist pump and spin around like a little kid. But Brett did her damndest to control her excitement, especially since her father was staring at her with that super-serious, super-stern expression.

“You have one year to show me what you can do,” Jimmy Conlon continued. “I’ll be working with you during the first month to teach you everything. Payroll, management, stock, all that boring stuff.” He cocked his head in challenge, but Brett wasn’t the slightest bit fazed.

She’d done it. It had taken six long months, but she’d finally proved to him that she could be trusted.

“I’m going to love every boring second of it,” she vowed.

His lips twitched. “I think you actually mean that.”

“I do.” She flung herself at the chair, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders to hug him tightly. “Thank you. I promise I won’t let you down, Dad. By the end of the year, Conlon Ink North will bring in more money than the other two locations combined. Just you watch.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, princess. Running a small business is a lot harder than you think. With that said, I do believe you’ll work your butt off to make it happen.” He got up from the chair and pulled her up with him, his voice going brusque. “I know I’ve been hard on you, but that’s because you’re my little girl. I guess that makes your old man a hypocrite, though. I let the boys run wild, because that’s what I did when I was their age, but I expected more of you.”

“I know.” She swallowed. “I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused you.”

Her shame was reflected back at her in her dad’s eyes. “I might have judged you too harshly,” he admitted. “I mean, when Mikey was your age, I bailed him out of jail on a weekly basis.”

“Really?” she said in surprise.

“Oh yeah. I’m surprised the kid didn’t turn out to be a criminal. But I wanted better for you, princess. We both know you get your stubbornness from your mom, but your wild side…that came from me, and I tried to hammer it outta you. I didn’t want you to end up like me, I guess.”

“I’d be proud to end up like you,” she said fiercely. “You’re smart and successful and you raised great kids and had an amazing marriage. What more could I want?”

“I was a punk before I met your mother,” he said gruffly.

“But you grew up.” She paused. “I’ve grown up, too. I promise, I’m going to make you proud.”

“I already am proud.” He ruffled her hair, and his indulgent smile warmed Brett’s heart. “I love you, princess.”

“Love you, too, Daddy.” The excitement returned, making her bounce on the balls of her feet. “So what now? When do we start?”

“Tomorrow, nine a.m. I want you at the new site with me. The grand opening is in a month, so we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. Tomorrow we’re talking to the contractors, and I want to meet with a few artists, too.” A frown suddenly marred his lips. “You should know—Mathis stopped by with a résumé yesterday.”

Brett froze.

Troy? He’d applied for a job at the new shop?

“Are you serious?” she exclaimed.

“Don’t worry, I made it clear there’s no chance in hell I’d let him work for us. But I’m not thrilled that he’s back in the picture, princess.”

“He’s not. I swear. He stopped by a couple weeks ago when Rob and I were closing up, and I told him exactly where I stand. I have zero interest in seeing him ever again. I’m with AJ now.”

And she wasn’t even lying. Figure that one out.

Brett still couldn’t wrap her head around the notion that she and AJ were officially dating now—and that she wasn’t freaked out about it.

She hadn’t wanted a relationship. A clear head and a new lifestyle were all she’d been interested in, at least before AJ Walsh had snuck through her defenses and made her reconsider.

When she was with him, she felt…centered. Not like in her past relationships, when she’d been wholly consumed, too caught up in them to notice the chaos she was causing and the mistakes she was making