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Holden nodded at someone seated on the opposite side of the bar, facing us, then said to me, “I was starting to think you’d changed your mind.”
“I considered it,” I told him. “Not going to lie, I’m feeling old. This is about ten times crazier than the Fly gets.”
“That’s the truth. This place packs ’em in, particularly when they advertise their drink specials on the Tattler. You’re not old though. Take a look around.”
I did, and I saw more twentysomethings than at a college graduation. I shot my half-brother a raised brow of disbelief. Donovan set a mug of cold beer in front of me.
Holden nodded toward the pool tables. “Over there we have Lyle and Jerry. They’re both close to seventy, as are half the people watching their game.” He turned partway around and indicated a table near the outside wall. “That group is in their fifties and then some. There’s Davis Morten over there with Tony Wall and Jeannette Ditmer.”
They were clearly closer to retirement than middle age, but the clusters of older patrons didn’t make me feel any more at ease.
“It’s more of a lifestyle thing than an age thing, I guess,” I told him. “There was a time when a scene like this was important to me. During college. In my twenties. Maybe even in my early thirties. But there came a point when I figured out I prefer a peaceful night at home or at a movie to this chaos.”
“I get it. I’ve been out a lot less since connecting with Chloe. Why didn’t you say something? We could’ve gone somewhere more low-key.”
“We’re here now,” I said, glancing around again, smiling to soften my complaints. “I’ll get over my old self in about five minutes. Things like this are useful for filling the creative well. Besides, I’ve hoped for months to one day be able to grab a drink with one of my brothers.”
“It’s cool as shit,” he said, grinning.
“Glad you think so.”
“Cash will come around eventually. Tonight was a good time, right?”
“Tonight was good.” In part because Cash wasn’t there.
Hayden and Zane had invited us all for an impromptu dinner. Seth and Everly couldn’t make it because they had plans with Everly’s producer, Gin, and her husband, Tucker. Cash was working the dinner shift at Henry’s, and Ava had plans with Magnolia, so it was just the nine of us including the kids. I chuckled at that. “Our partial gathering of nine was a huge family get-together in my world.”
“Better get used to it fast,” Holden said. “But then you’ve already had a sample of full-on Henry-North chaos.”
“Overwhelming. Mostly in a good way.” I sobered. “You think Faye and Simon are okay with Juniper overnight? I’m not sure I should’ve taken them up on the offer.”
“Oh, hell.” Holden laughed. “Those two are in grandbaby heaven. As soon as ours is born, there’s no one I’ll trust more than Faye.”
I relaxed a degree. “Not only am I not used to having a child, but I’m not used to having family to rely on,” I said, keeping my tone light.
“Both will take some getting used to, huh?”
“Understatement. Good beer can only help.” I took another drink.
I’d been warned, plus witnessed it myself, that Holden knew everyone in town. As if to further prove it, two guys stopped to say hello on their way to the dartboards.
“Levi Dawson, Nick Carlisle, have you met Knox?”
“Hey,” Nick said. I’d met him through Seth.
“Good to see you,” I said, then held out a hand to Levi. “Dawson. Is Max your brother?”
“Afraid so,” the other tall, built guy said. He didn’t have the look of an office guy, more like he did physical labor of some kind. Both of them actually.
“And his younger sister, Dakota, tends bar at Henry’s,” Holden said.
“Ah, yes. I know Dakota. She’s a sweet girl.”
Levi’s brows shot up. “She’s something,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t usually use the wordsweet.”
“I met Max a couple of days ago,” I said. “He invited me to a single dad group.”
“That sounds like Max. He’s got his hands full with that baby.” Levi’s expression—as well as Nick’s and Holden’s—washed into sorrow as he shook his head, and I remembered Max had said Daniel was his cousin’s baby. Levi had clearly suffered a loss too.
