Kylie goes to bed relatively early that night which isn’t a bad thing. The next morning, I have to get up and go to work. I write her a little note letting her know where things are, in case she needs anything, and then I head out.

I can’t stop thinking about her all day. I’m distracted at work, which is unusual for me, but I’m enjoying it. As far as I’m concerned, the drama with my brother and my father doesn’t exist, and the only thing that matters is the beautiful woman back at my house.

Beautiful younger woman. I can’t let myself forget that. It doesn’t really matter but it does in a lot of ways. As much as I hate to admit it, her age does present something of a problem. I’m trying not to think about it, because for the first time in my life I feel happy and content in a relationship, but I can’t help but wonder.

It’s inevitable that my father will find out about this. Most likely he’ll learn of it from my brother, and Elliot is going to present me in the worst light possible. I should get out ahead of this and try to tell my own story, make my own narrative the important one, but I don’t know if it’s time for that.

I don’t know where I’m going with this thing. I want to be her daddy, buy her things, spoil her, and take care of her, but I don’t know how longterm this is going to be. Then again, I don’t know how much longer my father even has, so it might not matter. But if I introduce her, and then back out before my father passes, that could look bad.

I don’t know why I care so much about this fucking CEO job to begin with. I should just take what I want and forget about the rest, which is what I’m doing, more or less. But I want the CEO position just like I want Kylie, and so I have to figure out a way to get both of them. I won’t accept that they’re mutually exclusive.

Maybe a normal man can’t have both, but I’m not a normal man. I know how to get what I want. I’ve been finding ways to get what I need for as long as I can remember. Although I was born rich, I’ve still worked hard and earned everything I have. I don’t want to be the kind of weak rich kid that just gets handed everything in his life.

Which is why I’ll figure this out. I want her, and I’m going to have her. I just need to figure out how to beat my brother at this fucking game.

Work passes quickly. Normally, I work until eight or nine at night, but today I clock out promptly at five.

I don’t want to leave Kylie alone for too long. Albert meets me in the parking garage and he drives me back toward my house. When we’re halfway there, I call the phone I left out for Kylie.

“Hello?” She answers on the second ring.

“I wasn’t sure you saw the phone.”

“I didn’t until it started ringing.” She laughs softly.

“I want you to do something for me,” I say.

“Of course. Anything.”

“Go pick out one of your new outfits. We’re going out tonight.”

“Where to?”

“Nothing special or fancy. Just a local place I like. I’ll be home in ten minutes.”

“I can be ready by then.”

“Perfect,” I say, laughing. “But I want to get changed first. So take your time.”

“See you soon,” she says, and hangs up the phone.

I smile and shake my head, slipping the phone back into my jacket pocket.

I don’t know the last time I felt like this. I actually want to see her and take her out with me. I know I probably shouldn’t take her out in public, since being seen with me will inevitably get back to my father, but I don’t care. I want to be seen with her. I want to show her off a little bit. She’s funny, and beautiful, and so full of vitality, and most importantly she makes me feel good.

That’s what’s important. She makes me feel good. Fuck all the rest.

Albert drops me off and I instruct him to wait out front. He gets comfortable as I head inside. “Kylie?” I call out, walking toward the bedrooms.

“In here!”

I walk up to her room and push the door open. She’s standing in the middle of the room, a dress half on her body. I pause and stare at her, a small smile on my face, and she blushes slightly.

“How was work?” she asks, and finishes pulling her dress on.

“Boring,” I say. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

She walks across the room and kisses me lightly on the mouth. “Good. I like that.”

“I thought you would.” I grab her waist and pull her against me, kissing her mouth harder.

She smiles. “Come on, let me finish getting dressed.”

“Fine.” I kiss her again then head back into my room. I change out of my suit and into a pair of expensive jeans I’ve been wearing and fading over the years, plus a Henley undershirt and a flannel over-shirt. I roll up my jeans, put on a pair of thick socks, and finally slip on my trusty Iron Ranger boots. When I’m done, I look at myself in the mirror.

When I’m at work, I’m a suit. It’s part of the world I live in. The suit stands for power, and I wear expensive ones to show that I can afford them. It’s a status thing, basically, although I do look damn good in them.

But when I think of myself, my actual self, I’m always wearing this outfit. Work clothes, basically, the sort of stuff I wear around the house when I’m doing projects. I love to work with my hands, and would probably have been a carpenter in another life if I hadn’t been born into what I do now. I do woodworking projects all the time anyway, and fill my free time fixing things.

I walk back out into the kitchen and pour myself a drink. By the time I’m finished, Kylie joins me, standing in the kitchen entrance.

“What do you think?” she asks, and gives me a little spin.

I smile huge at her. “Perfect,” I say. She’s wearing a short dress with heavy tights on underneath and leather boots.

“Think I’ll be too cold?”

I shake my head. “We won’t be outside long.”

“Good.” She walks over to me and leans against the refrigerator. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“A place I like,” I say.

“You look different out of a suit.”

I grin at her and sip my drink. “Is that a bad thing?”

“No, not at all. You just... look like an Alaskan.”

“I am an Alaskan.”

“I know, but my stereotypical view of one. You know, manly man lumberjack.”

“I’m not manly in my suit? I’m almost insulted.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“You wound me deeply, Kylie.”

“Oh get over it, you big baby.”

I laugh and grab her. She tries to get away, laughing, but I pin her up against the refrigerator door and kiss her.

She kisses me back like that for a second before finally breaking off. “Come on,” she says. “Let’s go. I’m tired of being cooped up in here all day.”

“Okay then.” I let her go. “But I was going to do unspeakable things to your body just then.”

“I’m sure.” She gives me a look and then laughs. I grin, knock back my drink, and then we head out front. Albert has the car running, the hot air on full blast, as we climb into the back.

She’s flirtatious and happy as we head into town. The roads are clear and it hasn’t snowed again, which is a small mercy. Juneau is usually covered in snow at this point, but it’s not too bad right now, fortunately. Albert still drives carefully, like he always does, but we’re parking outside of The Walker only a half hour later.

“What is this place?” Kylie asks as we climb out of the car.

“It’s an old fisherman bar,” I say. “Or at least it used to be. My father bought it years ago. It’s something of a family place now.”

“Family place?” she asks.

“I mean, my family.” I laugh a little. “I know, it’s absurd. But it’s one of my favorite places.”

“I’m excited to see it,” she says.

The outside of The Walker is more or less unchanged from the way it was when my father bought it. The sign is handpainted and peeling slightly, despite having been touched up a few years ago. My father could renovate, but he likes that The Walker retains its “rustic charms” as he says.

I personally think it looks a little too old school, but I wouldn’t change it, either. It’s just been a part of my life for so long that I can barely think of it any other way.

We step in front and shut the door, closing out the cold air behind us. The Walker is one large room with pillars breaking it up. Booths ring the main room, and there’s a small stage in the far corner. A massive bar takes up the entire north wall of the place.

“Carson!”

I grin and wave at Brenda, the bartender. She’s been working the bar for maybe the last ten years. I head over to her and she comes out from behind it, giving me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“How are you, Brenda?” I ask.

“Doing great. Haven’t seen you in here lately.”

“You know how things are. Always busy.”

“Of course. How’s your dad?”

“Not great, but thanks for asking. I’ll tell him you said hi.”

“Please do. I’d love to visit him sometime.”

“I’ll pass that along as well.”

Brenda laughs long and loud then looks over at Kylie. “Who’s this now?”

“Brenda, this is Kylie.”

“Good to meet you,” Kylie said.

“You too,” Brenda answers then gives me a look. I grin at her and shrug. “Well, you can have the corner booth,” Brenda says.

“Thanks. Can I get the usual when you have a chance, and some wine for Kylie?”

“Sure thing,” Brenda says, then says a little lower, “you sure she can legally drink?”

She laughs and winks at me and I just shake my head, grinning. Brenda always speaks her mind, even when it’s not something I really want to hear. I take Kylie’s hand and we head off to the corner table. A minute later, an old fashioned appears along with a glass of white for Kylie.

“Cheers,” I say, and we toast, sipping our drinks.

“Nice place,” Kylie says. “I can see why you like it.”

I shrug. “It’s a little old and falling apart, but I like it anyway.”

“I mean it, I really like it here. And Brenda seems nice.”

I sip my drink again. “She’s pretty great,” I say.

The Walker isn’t crowded tonight for whatever reason. I can’t tell if I’m pleased with that or a little disappointed. I want the people that I’ve known my whole life to see Kylie, even if that’s a dumb idea. Juneau is a small place and the locals all know each other, even though it’s the largest city in Alaska. There are strangers constantly coming in and out, but the locals are always here, always coming to the same places over the over, and The Walker happens to be an affordable and popular spot.

“Has she been working here long?” Kylie asks.

“Sure,” I say. “Forever, basically.”

“It must be nice. Having a place like this.”

“It is and it isn’t,” I say, trying to be honest.

She cocks her head and sips her drink. “What’s bad about it?”

“Everyone knows me here,” I say, glancing around the room.

“Isn’t that what everyone wants? A place where everyone knows your name?”

I grin at her. “I’m surprised you’re old enough to make that reference.”

“Cheers is famous. And I’m not that young.”

I lean toward her. “Yes, you are. But to answer your question, there are no secrets here, not when you’re in my family.”

“Can’t hide me,” she says with a slight frown.

“If I wanted to hide you, I wouldn’t have brought you here.”

“It’s funny,” she says, shrugging. “We come from such different worlds, but they’re similar in a lot of ways.”

“How’s that?”

“Back in my neighborhood, there was no such thing as privacy. Everyone knew everyone. And everyone knew your business.”

I laugh softly. “Yeah, that’s Juneau all right.”

“It’s good and bad.” Her face suddenly gets dark, like she’s remembering some far off bad memory. “It’s a sense of community, but sometimes people try and protect their own, even when their own are fucking scumbags.”

“Is that why you ran away?” I ask her.

“My father.” She says it simply. “He was... abusive.”

I nod slowly, understanding. I remember seeing bruises on her body when she was getting changed, but I didn’t make note of them until now.

“He’s why you ran away. That’s why you came here.”

“That’s right. It was between here and Philadelphia, and I chose here. I guess Alaska felt further away.” She shrugs a little bit. “I had no choice but to run. Everyone knew what he did when he was drunk, but nobody cared. He’s good ol’ Jimmy, can’t do anything wrong.”

“Assholes,” I murmur softly.

“Nobody raised a hand to help me. So I had to run away on my own.”

“You got away though. That’s pretty amazing on its own.”

“Maybe. I don’t feel amazing.”

“I’m sorry you had to live alone with that for so long.”

“It’s nothing,” she says, trying to brush it off.

“It’s not nothing. It’s a heavy burden to bear. It’s amazing you got away at all.”

“Thanks,” she says softly. There are slight tears in her eyes and she wipes them away.

I reach out and take her hand. “Listen to me,” I say. “I won’t let anyone hurt you again, you hear? I’m sorry your asshole father did that to you. But you’ll never go back.”

“You’re right,” she says. “I won’t go back.”

“I guess we have a lot in common. You have an asshole dad and I have a crazy shitty family.”

“Bad families,” she says, smiling. “And yet we both turned out so great.”

“I know. We really beat the system.”

She laughs and I can sense the darkness move away from her, at least for the time being. I don’t let go of her hand though. I note that there are people looking at us, noticing what I’m doing, but I don’t care. It’ll get back to my father one way or another, and I’m not hiding this.

I sip my drink and as I put it down, Brenda comes over and sits in the booth next to me. “Shove over,” she says.

I grin and Kylie laughs a little bit. Brenda smiles at Kylie.

“Don’t you have a bar to watch?” I ask her.

“Sure,” she says. “But it’ll survive without me a few minutes.”

“Aren’t you getting paid right now?”

She glares at me. “Sure am. Gonna fire me?”

I grin. “Maybe.”

“Good luck finding a bartender as attractive and competent as I am.”

“Very good point,” I say, putting my hands up in surrender.

She looks back at Kylie, her smile softening. “So dear, what do you want to know?”

Kylie looks surprised. “What?”

“About Carson here. What do you want to know?”

“I... I don’t know.”

Brenda laughs and I sigh. “I’ve known this boy for years,” she says. “I’ve seen it all. Go ahead, ask me. I’ll tell you.”

“She’s bluffing,” I say to Kylie. “Don’t listen to her.”

I can sense danger in this moment, but Kylie doesn’t seem to mind it. Brenda isn’t kidding when she says she’s seen it all, and part of me is afraid what she might tell Kylie about me. There have been some moments in my life that I’m not too proud of. I don’t think Brenda will air my dirty laundry and low moments right here, but I can never be sure with that one.

“Tell me about his last girlfriend,” Kylie says.

Brenda laughs loudly. “Girlfriend? You hear, that Carson?”

“I heard it,” I say, shaking my head and smiling.

“Girlfriend!” Brenda laughs some more.

“What?” Kylie asks.

“Carson here has never had a girlfriend in his life,” she says. “Plenty of girls, sure, but never a girlfriend.”

Kylie gives me a little knowing grin. “Is that so, playboy?”

“What can I say? I’m a very eligible bachelor.” I grin at her and wink.

“Please!” Brenda says. “This is Juneau, boy. Out here you’re a catch only because you’re competing with toothless rednecks and a bunch of poor fishermen. You look like a king in comparison.”

“Thanks, Brenda,” I say, wincing. “You really make a guy feel good.”

“Please, like you need the ego boost,” she says, grinning at Kylie again.

“Does he have a big ego?” Kylie asks.

“Oh please, the biggest!”

I groan and shake my head. “Okay, that’s enough.”

“Aw, I’m teasing.” Brenda leans toward Kylie a little conspiratorially. “Listen honey, truth is, Carson is a damn fine catch. The man needs to settle down. I don’t know if you’re the girl to make him figure it all out, and maybe you are, but give it a shot.”

“Okay,” she says simply, looking at me. “I think I will try.”

I smirk at her. “Bring it on,” I say.

“Well now, that’s my damn cue,” Brenda says, standing up. “You two behave. I’ll be right over there, doing my job.”

“Back to work with you!” I say, laughing.

Brenda gives me a little smack on the shoulder then waves and heads back to the bar. Kylie is smiling and laughing, which makes me feel good. Brenda took it easy on me, which is nice. And I liked the way Kylie said she was going to try and make me settle.

The idea of settling seems strange to me, but the situation I’m in with Kylie feels more settled than anything I’ve ever been in before. Normally I’d be bored already and looking for something new, but Kylie isn’t letting my attention stray. Truth is, I want to see where this goes. I want more from her. I haven’t gotten what I want, not nearly enough, not yet.

“I like her,” Kylie says.

“I do too,” I say. “Although she can be an ass sometimes.”

“I bet she says the same thing about you.”

I grin. “No way. I’m an angel.”

“Not according to her, playboy.”

I reach out and squeeze Kylie’s hand, and am about to make a killer and hilarious retort, but my phone starts ringing.

I sigh. “Sorry,” I say, checking it. “I have to take this. It’s work.”

“Go ahead.”

I answer the phone, lifting it to my ear. “Yes?” I say.

“Carson, it’s Melissa from accounting,” she says. “I’m sorry. I know this is a bad time.”

“What’s the matter?” I ask.

“Well, I just got a report from your brother. And there are some seriously strange numbers on here regarding your Lower proposal.”

I pause, frowning. “I thought those numbers were set.”

“So did we. But I was double-checking, and there are some big errors. I think you need to take a look at this.”

I frown and check my watch. “I can be there in ten minutes.”

“Okay. I’m so sorry to do this.”

“Not your fault. The job is what it is.” I hang up the phone and frown at Kylie.

“You have to go?” she asks.

“I do,” I say. “I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it.”

“Albert is outside with the car. Finish your drink, have something to eat, do whatever. Head on back when you’re done.”

“What about you?” she asks.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get a ride back,” I say. “I might be late. So don’t wait up.”

“Okay,” she says.

I go around the booth and kiss her softly on the lips. “See you soon,” I say.

“See you.”

I shrug my jacket on and head out toward the entrance. I stop at the bar and catch Brenda’s attention. “Take care of Kylie,” I say. “Gotta go to work.”

“Will do,” she says.

I nod and wave, then head out, annoyed, but feeling good.

That was a good date. And it was a date, a real date. I hate that it got cut short, but that’s just the nature of my job. It never ends, and there are no real days off. As much as I want to stay, I’ll see her again soon.

I head out into the cold and walk over toward the office, trying to think about the job, but my mind stays back with Kylie.