Ollie
Unless you’d rather mope.
And yeah, he knew the sound of a gauntlet being thrown when he heard it.
Zach
I’ll be there.
He flipped off the lights as he left the kitchen.
He walked through the lobby, noting the new flooring. His dad was right. This place was a picture of redemption.
Maybe cracking some pool balls together would make him feel better. Zach walked into Kelley’s Bar & Grill, turning left into the bar. The scent of grilled onions and chili fries hit him. He hadn’t been back here in years, but the earth-tone walls, wood floor beneath his feet, and the pendant lighting were just how he remembered them. The stares of the patrons who’d turned to look at him as he walked in was also familiar.
After a moment, conversation resumed. He spotted Noah Rampart, part of the ferry crew, navy hat tucked over his sandy hair, sitting with a woman he didn’t recognize. He gave the man a wave. They’d had a few classes together in high school, but like so many others, Zach had lost track of him over the years.
Along the bar, Tommy Macintyre, still in his fire chief uniform, warmed a stool next to Simon Manning, also still in uniform, the navy blue of the island EMT unit. Next to them were a pod of women with their backs to him. One looked familiar. From his cooking class earlier in the week, maybe?
Near the back of the room, his brother was racking a set of billiard balls on the mahogany pool table.
He slapped Noah on the back as he went past. “Good to see you, man.”
“Hey. You too.” Noah raised his glass to Zach. “I heard you were a big hit at the festival. Even if you did get disqualified.”
He waited for the barb to hit, but since his afternoon in the kitchen, the pain of not taking first didn’t sting as much. “Nah. I coulda showed up better. I let those off-island folks beat me.”
“True.” Noah crossed his arms. “Someday this town will forgive you for that.” Then he winked and grinned. “Just kidding. Everyone seems glad to have you home. Even if you didn’t score big for the honor of the island.”
“I’m glad to be here.” The words rang true. All his angst about coming home had evaporated. He finished making his way to the pool table.
“I racked. You break?” Ollie handed him a cue.
“Works for me. Maybe you should order us a pair of burgers while I line up my shot.” He bent over the table as his brother walked over to the bar.
He gave the cue ball a satisfying whack and sent the other balls skittering around the table. The yellow-striped ball dropped into the near corner pocket. Another few striped balls rested in easy positions. He glanced at Ollie, still at the bar chatting with Whitney Kelley, Patrick’s wife.
With any luck, he could clean the table before his brother even got back. He lined up his next shot and sank the red-striped ball in the space of two breaths. He pumped his fist, then groaned as the cue ball sailed in after it.
So much for winning. But he was learning to live with that.
He fished the ball out of the pocket and handed it to Ollie as he came back to the table. “You’re solids. I already scratched.”
Ollie placed the white cue ball near the upper left pocket, lining up his next shot. “Were you able to patch things up with Ava before she left?”
“Is this why you brought me here? To grill me about my love life?”
Ollie shrugged, then sank a ball in the side pocket. “Things got kind of heated, and I know you like her, so I thought I’d check in.”
“Did Eliza put you up to this? Or Dani?” His scalp prickled.
“Can’t a guy be concerned for his brother and the woman his brother loves?”
Whoa. “Hold on a minute. Who said anything about love? I can’t be falling in love with her in only a few weeks. Plus, I’m still working on forgiving her.” Except that old burden felt much lighter now, especially since he knew the truth about it—and about her character.
Ollie raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t take me that long with Eliza. Ava seems like a good match for you. We can all see it.”
That was the problem with a big family: Nothing went unnoticed for long. Except, at the moment, Zach didn’t really hate it. It had been a long time since he’d felt like he belonged.
