Comeback (The Holland Brothers Book 3)

“I’ll have a Jack and Coke,” Flynn says as he slides onto a stool in front of the bar.

“Save the Jack.” Brogan side-eyes Flynn as he takes a seat on his right. I take the one on his left. “And a Modelo.”

“Blue Moon for me. Thanks,” I tell the bartender, who looks like he’s already had a tough night and isn’t in the mood to deal with us.

“You two are no fun anymore,” Flynn says.

“Maybe you want to lay off the drinking for a night,” I say. “The living room still smells like a liquor cabinet.”

I get a very predictable eye roll from my younger brother.

“You know, I can get served pretty much everywhere without an I.D.”

“A minor in possession charge will not help things right now, Baby Holland.” Brogan tips his head to the bartender as he sets his beer in front of him.

I nod my agreement. Flynn still hasn’t said much about being cut from the team, but he’s always been one that needs to come around to talking on his own. Trying to force it out of him will just make him close off more.

Brogan, however, is not that patient.

“What the hell happened in Minnesota?” he asks, swiveling in his seat to stare down Flynn.

“I lost the most important game of the season.”

“So did the rest of your teammates,” I remind him.

“It’s not the same and you know it.”

“Fuck that,” Brogan says.

I tip my beer to him in a silent cheers. I wholeheartedly agree. Fuck that.

“I’ll be fine. My agent says Boston’s interested and the Cardinals might be looking for a new pitcher if their starter needs surgery.”

Despite his words, I can see the uncertainty taking a toll on him. As it would anyone in his shoes.

“You’ll land somewhere,” I say, in case he needs to hear it. He’s too talented and has too much promise to have his career end so abruptly.

The three of us order food from the bar and fall into easy conversation while eating and watching a hockey game on the TV above the bar. A classmate from college, Jordan Thatcher, plays for the Kings and they’re destroying Colorado.

While I’m ordering another beer, Brogan’s phone lights up on the bar in front of him.

“It’s London. She’s out with her sister tonight. Probably drunk dialing.” Grinning, he stands with his phone. “Be right back.”

Flynn watches him go, then glances at me. “It’s weird to see you two like this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Brogan with a fiancée.” Flynn flings a hand in the direction Brogan went and then waves it in front of me. “And you all sweet and lovey with Sabrina.”

“It’s not that strange. We’ve both dated people before.”

“Yeah, but this is different. You’re all grown up and mature and shit.”

A laugh rumbles in my chest. “Yeah, well, don’t be fooled. We’re not that mature.”

I reach over and grab him in a headlock, then ruffle his hair with my free hand.

He escapes, smoothing both hands over his head. “Not the hair. Chicks love the hair.”

“Now that’s weird,” I tell him, still chuckling. It’s nice sitting and talking with him. I can’t remember the last time we did this. “Are you dating anyone?”

“I’m dating everyone.” He flashes a cocky smile.

“Oh, brother,” I mutter under my breath with another huff of laughter.

“I talked to Dad before I left Minnesota. He’s thinking about settling back in Arizona.”

All those good feelings I was just enjoying, vanish.

“How is dear old Dad?” I ask him, taking a long drink of my beer.

“You’d know if you picked up the phone.”

A prickle works its way down my spine. I can’t remember the last time I talked to my dad on my own. Since Flynn started having a relationship with him, I’ve run into him a few times but at best we’re acquaintances. I don’t need him.

“Listen, I get why you want a relationship with him, but I don’t need or want him in my life,” I say to Flynn in case he has any ideas about pushing me to change my mind.

I really do understand Flynn’s desire to get to know him. He was too little to remember what it was like, how Dad was never around. Even before the accident, he was flaky but that seemed to be the final straw. I told Knox once that Dad left because he didn’t want to deal with me after I lost my hearing. It was one of those moments where I spoke my darkest fear, one of those things you hold on to, afraid even to give it a voice. I’d thought it for years, silently worrying that I was the reason that my brothers had lost a second parent. Saying it out loud finally helped me let it go.

And Knox didn’t try to talk me out of my feelings. I’ll never forget what he said. “If that’s true, then we’re all better off.”

Just like that. I guess I expected him to hate me a little for being the reason, but he didn’t.

I don’t know if it’s really the reason he took off or not, but I believe it played a part. Just one more problem he didn’t want to deal with. He isn’t the only one who stepped out of my life after I lost my hearing, but his loss was the worst. He hadn’t been a great dad before that but everything I’d learned about family said they’re supposed to love you no matter what. Maybe that’s not a reasonable ask, even for a parent.

Knox’s words all those years ago healed something inside me. The hurt for being abandoned and the need to keep out anyone that wasn’t going to accept me exactly as I am.

So, no, I don’t have any desire to let him back into my life, but Flynn never really had a chance at a relationship with either of our parents. He’ll never be able to get time back with our mom, but he can with dad. Far be it for me to hold that universal need against him.

Flynn turns slightly in his seat. “I know what he was like back then.”

I lift a brow in challenge. Flynn was little when Dad was living with us, and with four big brothers, we shielded him from a lot. So no, I don’t think he really knows what Dad was like.

“He told me,” Flynn says, adamant in his tone. “All of it. How he wasn’t around much and when he was, he was irritable and moody. How he took off and left Knox in charge. And lots more. He hasn’t tried to be someone he isn’t with me. I know who he was back then. He screwed up. He knows it and so do I. And he also knows that there’s a good chance none of you will ever forgive him. But he’s still trying.”

“Sometimes it’s too little, too late. The damage is done.” I don’t have the anger about it that Knox does, but maybe that’s because my life didn’t change as much as his did. He had to quit school, get a job, put his dreams on hold. My desire to keep our dad at an arm’s length isn’t rooted in anger, just a healthy dose of caution. I have people in my life who love and support me. My brothers, my friends, Sabrina. Why would I let someone back in that’s already shown me they can’t do that?

“All I’m saying is people change.” Flynn has that same hopeful optimistic look in his eye that he did when we were kids and he’d get excited or passionate about something.

“Do they?” I ask, standing. Hope and optimism are things I’ve given up on when it comes to Dad.

“I mean, look at Brogan.” He lifts his chin toward the corner of the bar where Brogan is on the phone. He’s holding it out in front of him, grinning like a fool, no doubt video chatting with London.

“Not long ago he was hooking up with half the city and now he’s engaged to be married.” Flynn says the last part like the idea is too insane to process.

“I’ll give you that. I did not see it coming.”

After we leave the bar, Flynn meets up with some high school friends that have moved to the area, and I convince Brogan to stop at Lilac Lounge on the way home.

“I just want to pop in and say hi,” I say as we get out of the truck. My feet move quickly, eating up the space to the front door of the club.

The bass vibrates through the floor as soon as I step inside. I scan the space for her red hair. I spot Olivia first behind the bar.

I look back to Brogan and tip my head toward Olivia before moving her way. She smiles as she sees me approach.

“Hey!” she yells over the music. “Does she know you’re coming?”

“Nah, wanted to surprise her,” I shout back. And I couldn’t wait until later tonight to see her. “Is she dancing?”

“Yeah. Outside. Do you want something to drink?”

“Nah.” I shake my head.

Brogan comes to stand next to me and she looks to him.

“What about you?” she asks.

“I guess I’ll have a beer while I wait.” He pulls out his wallet to pay her.

“I’m going to go find Sabrina,” I say over their conversation.

Brogan nods. “Say hi to my sister.”

The club isn’t busy inside, but outside the patio is packed with people, talking, drinking, and looking out at the pool. I pause, looking toward the cages on either side of the front stage. Sabrina is on the left, dancing in her spandex black shorts and purple top.

My heart pumps faster with each step closer. I can’t get all the way to her because there’s a bouncer blocking my path, but I go as far as I can and then wait for her to see me.

The way she moves is graceful and fluid, and sexy as hell. I’m ready to break some rules to get to her if necessary.

Luckily it doesn’t come to that. Her gaze moves over the patio with an almost bored expression, but she doubles back when she sees me. She stops dancing for a moment and her mouth pulls into a wide smile.

I lift a hand in a wave.

She flips herself over a bar on the cage to get out and then breezes by the bouncer to me.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, throwing her arms around my neck. Her skin is soft and warm, and she smells like my body soap.

“I wanted to make sure I saw you and wished you good luck for tomorrow.”

“You would have seen me later.”

“Yeah, but when you crawl into my bed late at night, talking tends to be the last thing I want to do.”

Her lips part as she grins bigger. “Are you here by yourself?”

“Brogan’s at the bar. We’re not staying, I just had to see you. Had to tell you I’m proud as hell of you. What you’ve done with the studio is nothing short of incredible. I wish I could be there tomorrow to watch people fall in love with it.”

I should have told her all this earlier today, but with Flynn showing up and everything else, I got sidetracked. That’s my bad. She needs to know. Deserves to know.

“The kids are going to adore you. You’re going to be such an inspiration to them. Hell, you’re an inspiration to me.”

She is. She’s worked so hard, never asking for anything from anyone. Watching Sabrina fight for her dreams woke up something inside of me.

Her eyes sparkle and fill with tears that don’t fall. And I’m suddenly aware that we’re at a club and not alone.

“Sorry for going all sappy on you at work.” One side of my mouth pulls up.

“Are you kidding? I’m going to make you say all that again so I can record it and replay it when I need the reminder.”

“You don’t need a recording, baby. I’ll tell you every single day.”