Free The River Leith by Leta Blake Page B

owner, as well as all the profits, I mentioned my frustrations about the lack of true advancement opportunities at Lisbet to Arthur.” Zach’s eyes flashed to Leith’s and held them for a moment, as though he was waiting for him to say or do something. But then he simply went on to say, “By that time, I knew Arthur through you.”
    “Arthur offered you a job?”
    “Yes. Blue Flight was doing so well and Arthur had just taken up…well, let’s just say he had bigger fish to fry than managing a bar in Park Slope.”
    “What kind of fish?”
    Zach waved the question off. “You know Arthur. It’s always something. He bought a hovel in Queens to fix up, which he turned around for quite the profit, and then he had a new girl, and then another new girl.” Zach snorted and rolled his eyes. “And then he was looking into buying a parking lot for a while. That fell through. In the end we made an agreement: I’d work as manager of the bar for three months, and if I did a suitable job, he’d let me buy in as a true partner.”
    “And you met his expectations?”
    Zach chuckled. “Absolutely. Though recently our employees have really taken up the slack. Arthur’s incredibly dedicated, but he’s got his mind on other things.”
    “Like…?” Leith could only imagine the enterprises his older brother might be into now.
    Zach cleared his throat. “You, for one. It’s been stressful for him since your accident. Anyway, back to Blue Flight — he let me buy in. It was the start of what was the absolute happiest year of my life. If I could find a way to live in that year forever, I would.”
    Feeling like he was channeling the group counselor, Leith prompted, “Why is that?”
    Zach shrugged, gazing down at the blanket for a long, strangely sad moment. “It was just a good year, Leith. I was happy. Everything was perfect. Of course I didn’t know it then. Hindsight is always twenty-twenty, isn’t it?”
    “I wouldn’t know. I’m lacking a few years’ worth of hindsight.” He tried to make it sound funny, but Zach didn’t laugh.
    “Yeah. You are. Anyway, it’s hard to explain.”
    “Oh.” Leith looked at him thoughtfully. He could tell Zach didn’t want to talk about that happy year, and he didn’t know why. “So, you’re not happy anymore?”
    The corners of Zach’s mouth went tight, and he swallowed. “Of course I’m happy. I’ve still got my bar — and hey, look! You’re alive! For a while we weren’t even sure of that. What more could I ask for?”
    Zach smiled, but it wasn’t the easy, beautiful smile Leith craved to see. Leith pondered the question for a moment, but when Zach’s eyes flitted away from his nervously, he moved on to a less fraught topic. “Are you from New York originally?”
    “No.” Zach’s lips quirked. “I know it’s not as strong as it used to be, but I’ve still got a Southern accent, don’t I?”
    Leith swallowed. He’d noticed. The soft, rounded syllables and the occasional twang did things to his stomach — and his dick — so much so that he couldn’t bring himself to confirm the fact that he’d noticed Zach’s accent for fear of blushing.
    “I grew up in Louisville,” Zach went on. “But my family — we aren’t very close. It’s really just me and Maddie. My mother and I don’t get along…even though I tried. A year ago I went down to see her, but it was just the same old thing. I’m not who she wants me to be, and she isn’t who I need her to be. So we don’t talk.”
    “There was a picture of us — you and me — after you came back from that trip to see your mother, right?” It was like memorizing a script or a novel; so many little pieces he had to keep track of.
    “Yes,” Zach answered.
    Leith really wanted to ask more about that, but Zach’s face closed off again and he got the impression that pressing the issue would be hurtful. “You’re still close with Maddie even though you left the restaurant?”
    “Yeah. There are no