AS SOON as they hit the sidewalk, the icy wind made Dan shiver, and he wished he’d worn a thicker jacket. He pulled his hat out and shoved it on his head.
“I’ve got gloves if you can deal with the colors. Ariel knitted them at school.” Gideon pulled a bright yellow and purple stripy woolen pair out of his pocket, but Dan shook his head.
“I’ve got gloves.” He pulled out his own sedate navy pair and put them on. “I think Ariel gave me the scarf to match your gloves.”
“She knitted presents for everyone that year.” Gideon didn’t seem to feel cold, and he stuffed his gloves back in his pocket.
As he walked along the sidewalk next to Gideon, Dan was acutely conscious of the height difference between them. Gideon was at least seven inches taller than him and much broader, and he seemed to take up the space around him as they walked. Dan’s previous hookups—he never bothered with the term boyfriend—had all been around his height or smaller, and Gideon was huge in both body and personality. Dan had worked with him for five years and still felt overwhelmed.
“Dan?”
Gideon had been talking to him, but Dan didn’t have a clue what Gideon had said. He flushed and said, “Sorry, what was that?”
Gideon gave him an odd look. “I asked where you wanted to eat?”
“Let’s go to the diner on Washington Avenue,” Dan said. “They do the best burgers, and I’m really in the mood for some meat.” When he realized what he’d said, he sighed. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Gideon’s lips twitch, and he wished he’d kept his mouth shut.
“That’s fine,” Gideon said. “I like it there.”
By the time they reached the diner, Dan was hunting for something to say, but Gideon didn’t seem to mind the lack of conversation. He led the way into the warm room and greeted the waitress by name. She pointed to a booth, and the two men settled themselves. Their legs brushed for a moment, and then Gideon found his own space.
“I guess you come here a lot,” Dan said.
“More than I should,” Gideon admitted. “I used to bring Ariel and Simon here when their mom wanted a break from cooking.”
“You didn’t offer to take over?”
“Sarah would never let me near the kitchen. Her parents were chefs, and Sarah learned from them.”
“I like cooking. I just don’t get the time,” Dan admitted. “My mom taught me too, and she’s a very good cook. Is that why you’ve never offered food at the bar?”
Gideon shook his head. “Ariel would like me to offer food, but it would change the style of the bar, and I like it as it is. Too many places have become restaurants rather than places to drink and socialize. Cowboys and Angels is for guys to come in after work and relax. If they want to eat, they can go home or to a burger bar. I want somewhere they can drink and let off some steam.”
“They let off steam a bit too often,” Dan said dryly. “Don’t you get fed up with replacing the furniture?”
It was a conversation they’d had too many times, and as usual, Gideon shrugged it off. “It’s cheap, and I’ve got the money. They do a lot less damage than they used to.”
Dan touched the bruise on his face and huffed. Gideon only came in after the worst was done, but Dan still came home damaged every time there was a fight. Gideon followed Dan’s fingers and narrowed his eyes.
“You’re still hurt?”
“No more than usual.”
“Did Ariel start the fight again?”
“She doesn’t help the situation.” Dan said it as diplomatically as he could. It wasn’t as though they hadn’t had this discussion before either.
Gideon grinned. “This is why you’ve lasted so long at my bar.”
“Oh yeah? Go on, then. Tell me why I’ve lasted so long,”
“You tell me I waste my money and my little girl causes trouble, but you’re not obnoxious about it.”
Dan gave a wry smile. “I like my job, Gideon. Cowboys and Angels is your place. If it were my bar, I’d do things differently.”
Gideon leaned back in his seat and picked up his coffee. “Okay. You tell me what you’d do if Cowboys and Angels were yours.”
“Is this a trick question?” Dan could usually read Gideon’s expression, but not now.
Gideon shook his head. “I really want to know.”
Dan had had a lot of time to think about what he’d do with the bar. He licked his lips. Okay. Gideon had dangled the bait. Maybe it was time to hook the fish. “First I’d put a muzzle on Ariel.” Gideon let out a bark of laughter, obviously not angry at Dan’s forthright comment. “You’re spending money night after night cleaning up her mess. You could spend that money elsewhere. She’s not a little girl anymore. I know she’s your little girl, but she’s an adult. She’s almost finished college, and she needs to grow up.” He saw the laughter changing to a frown and held up his hand. “That’s all I’m gonna say. I want to see the bar change, but I don’t want to change the patrons. I like that we’ve got a place for working men to go to. I don’t want to be a fancy wine bar, and I don’t want to be a sports bar. I like it as it is. But I’m tired of the customers smashing the furniture over each other’s heads, and the décor needs updating. We’re not in Texas. We’re in New York, and if it were my bar, we’d reflect that.
“I’d also put in a small amount of food. Burgers, fries, chicken wings. Give the guys something to soak up all that beer. It doesn’t have to be a large menu, but something basic. You should look at what other bars do. They’re offering food, and they don’t get the trouble. We’re gonna lose customers. Just because you can pay for the damage doesn’t mean you should. And last, I’d make sure I was visible as the owner or manager. You hide upstairs too much. People only see you when there’s a fight.” Dan ran out of breath and decided to end it there. He hadn’t intended to say so much, but once he started, he couldn’t stop.
Gideon stared at him, and Dan had visions of being handed a pink slip, even though Gideon had told him to be honest. “You’ve thought about this long and hard, huh? Is this from the course?”
“I’ve worked for you for a long time.” Between the bar and his business courses, he’d had ideas over the years.
“But you never said any of this to me before. Why not?” Gideon’s tone was more curious than annoyed.
“Would you tell your boss that you think he’s doing it wrong?” Dan pointed out. “I just have different ideas, that’s all.”
“It’s okay. I’m a big boy. I can take a little criticism. Let me get this straight,” Gideon counted off his fingers, “One, you think I need to rein in Ariel. Two, I need to change the décor to reflect New York and change the furniture so the customers can’t hurt each other with it. Three, I need to provide a food menu. Four, I’m being a lousy boss by hiding away.”
“I didn’t say you’re a lousy boss. You’re a good man to work for, and I wouldn’t have stayed as long as I have if I thought you were bad at your job. I just think you could make changes.”
A long silence followed, and Dan started to worry. Just because Gideon had said to be honest, didn’t mean he accepted the criticism.
Gideon smiled. “How would you like to become my manager?”
Dan stared at him. “What did you just say?”
“How would you like to become the manager of Cowboys and Angels?”
“That’s what I thought you said.” Dan took a deep breath and exhaled. “Yes.”
Gideon’s smile widened. “Just yes?”
“Well, subject to terms and conditions. You’re gonna give me a pay raise? When do you want me to start?”
“Yeah, yeah. You get a pay raise and benefits. Once we’ve discussed benefits, the job is yours.”
Dan took a deep breath and tried to hide his excitement. The experience of running Cowboys and Angels would look great on his business plans for the future, and the pay raise would help with his rent. “Okay tell me the terms.”
“I can’t tell Ariel what to do. She’s got me wrapped around her little finger.” Gideon’s smile turned wry, and Dan nodded. “But my manager? He’d be a different matter. He could tell Ariel to behave.”
Dan held back an eye-roll. Trust Gideon to make Ariel top of the list. “You want me to be the bad guy?”
“Yeah. Do you think you can do that?”
“If you don’t interfere, yeah.”
Gideon snorted. “Don’t hold back, Dan.”
“I’m not gonna take the job if you want a yes man,” Dan said bluntly. “There are plenty of other guys who can do that.”
Gideon leaned forward and caught his gaze. “I offered you the job precisely because you’re not a yes man. You get carte blanche to run Cowboys and Angels how you want. I need to step back from the bar. Other interests need my time.”
Dan’s eyes opened wide. “Are you serious?”
Gideon held up his hand, and Dan noticed the small hairs curling around his watch. “Carte blanche within reason. My bar is for drinking, not a restaurant. But if you can find a small menu we can agree on, then we’ll talk. I’m open for change. You get a pay raise, and you’ll need to find someone else to take your place.”
Dan shook his head. “This is the last thing I expected you to want to talk about.”
“I have a couple of conditions,” Gideon said.
“What are they?” Dan asked suspiciously.
“I want you to take some evenings off. Time away from studying and working.”
“But you just said—”
Gideon held up his hand.
“This is a condition. I know what I just said, but your comments about dating struck home. You’re not even thirty yet, and I can’t remember the last time I saw you date someone you were excited about.”
Dan felt a bit defensive. Why was everyone on his case about his love life? “I don’t date at the bar. It’s not a place to pick up guys.”
“I know it isn’t, but God knows I know what it’s like to be alone. I also know what it’s like to be in a loving relationship, and I think you should have the chance.”
“I’m not on the shelf yet. I just haven’t found anyone I like.” Except you.
Oblivious to Dan’s inner conversation, Gideon continued. “Find a date for Marty’s wedding.”
“I don’t want to date,” Dan said tightly. “I’m fine going stag.”
“Humor me.”
“How am I supposed to find a date?”
Gideon let out a booming laugh. “Well, son, if you need me to tell you that, you’ve been doing it wrong all these years.”
Dan refrained from pointing out that he was not Gideon’s son. He’d had many fantasies about Gideon over the years, but the daddy-and-son relationship wasn’t one of them. “Why do I feel like there’s a conspiracy here?”
“Because you read too many of them conspiracy sites?”
“How do you know…. Oh, of course, Ariel told you?” At Gideon’s nod, Dan sighed. “I do read conspiracy-theory websites. But I don’t actually believe them.” He kept the tinfoil strictly for cooking.
“Thank heaven for that. I don’t want to discover my manager is a closet flat-earther.”
“I’m not a closet anything,” Dan pointed out. “And definitely not a flat-earther. You know way more about me than I know about you.”
“That’s the way it’s meant to be,” Gideon said. “A good boss should always know about his staff.”
Dan had a momentary panic thinking Gideon might know about his unrequited crush. But he was fairly sure he’d managed to keep that one from Ariel. She would never have kept that juicy piece of gossip quiet.
At that point their food arrived, and Gideon dove in with obvious enthusiasm. Dan’s stomach rumbled as he picked up his knife and fork, and he moaned as the taste of bacon flitted over his tongue. Gideon looked up with a grin, and Dan flushed.
“Good?”
“Very good,” Dan mumbled through a mouthful of bacon, egg, and hash browns.
Eating was more important than talking, and both men agreed on pancakes to follow. Dan relaxed in Gideon’s company, at least until coffee, when Gideon mentioned the wedding again.
“I don’t need a date.”
With a wicked grin on his face, Gideon sat back against the vinyl seat. “A bet, then.”
“What kind of bet?”
“I’ve been thinking about that. How about $500?”
Dan frowned. “You want to bet $500 on what?”
“If you find a date, I’ll keep Ariel out of the bar for the next three months and pay you a $500 bonus.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Dan didn’t have $500, and Gideon knew that.
“You’re turning down a quiet bar?”
“And if I don’t find a date, I have to pay you $500 and keep Ariel quiet?”
Gideon shook his head, but mischief was written all over him. “Not quite.”
“What, then?” Dan asked warily.
“If we, and by we I mean Ariel, find you a date, you donate to a charity of my choice and Ariel is all yours to deal with.”
“You’ve got to be joking. There’s no way I’m going to let Ariel pick me a date.” That idea was just horrific. Dan turned it over in his mind as the waitress topped off their coffees. The whole thing was a joke to Gideon, but Dan could use $500. Was he a man or a mouse? He could find a date for himself.
Gideon picked up his cup. “Five hundred dollars and no fights.”
“You’re on.” Dan was going to win that bet. He raised the cup to Gideon in mock salute. One date. He could manage that.