I nudged my sister with my elbow to make her shut up. I loved Rachel more than life itself, but sometimes she just wouldn’t stop talking. Holly linked her arm with Rachel’s, and they began walking in front of me.
“Now, Rachel, since your brother knows so much about me, I am hoping you can level the playing field and tell me a little something about him.” Rachel looked at me with a mischievous smile on her face. She stuck her tongue out at me and turned to Holly.
“I would love to.”
Inside the restaurant, the owner was waiting for us, and his eyes turned into saucers when he saw Holly.
“Holly, what are you doing here?”
“Hey, Roy. Mr. Sommers is a friend of mine and has asked I join him for lunch. I hope that’s okay?” Of course, it was fucking okay. I paid a lot of money to make it okay. It pissed me off how timid and unsure she sounded when talking to this guy. She shouldn’t be this scared or vulnerable. She had me now. She didn’t need to worry.
“It’s okay because I paid for it to be. Isn’t that right, Roy?” My voice was firm. I wanted Roy to know I was a man people didn’t say no to.
“Yes, of course, Holly. I need to thank you for the amazing day we’re having.” Roy winked at Holly, and she smiled. I hated that she smiled at him. I hated that he dared to flirt with her.
“Now I know why he asked for spaghetti. Someone is trying to impress you, Holly.” Roy then turned to me, a friendly smile on his face.
“She is special. You hurt her, and no amount of money will keep me from breaking your legs.” Rachel began to giggle, and Roy gave her a wink.
“Now, if you work with a hunk like that, what in the Lord’s name are you doing with my brother?” Rachel asked.
“I heard that, you know. The point of this lunch was to make me, your brother, look good.” I shot my sister a look to let her know to tread lightly. They both ignored me and continued on, thick as thieves already.
“Roy? I have known him for many years. When I left home, he got his dad to give me a job at the diner. When his father died a few years back, he took over. He has been really good to me and to Sophie.”
“How old were you when you left home?” I asked. She was so young, and yet she talked as if she had been on her own forever.
“I was seventeen. As soon as I finished high school, my dad kicked me out. He did the same with my sister. My mom wasn’t any help—she was too drunk to even notice if we were there or not. My sister is three years older, so she had been gone for a while. At first, I would get letters, but then they stopped. I hadn’t heard from her in years until she showed up on my doorstep a little over four years ago with a sixteen-month-old baby in her arms. She was strung out, and the baby looked filthy. I never felt like I had a real family, not one that put me first and took care of me. I took one look at Sophie, and I didn’t want that for her. I took her in, and a year later, we signed adoption papers and Sophie became one hundred percent mine. It is a decision I wouldn’t change for the world. She is my life.” As Holly talked about her family, I realized we had similar backgrounds. The only difference being I had money growing up, and she didn’t. Her story made me admire her even more. It made me want to give her things, make life easier for her. Christmas was coming. Holly had been nice; maybe Santa would be extra good to her.
“How come when I Google Bryant, nothing comes up about you, Rachel?”
She’d Googled me.
“Who is a stalker now?” I smirked.
“I Google all my employers. A girl can’t be too careful in this day and age.”
“Bryant is really overprotective. He is fourteen years older, and when our parents died, I was just fourteen. Since we had no other relatives, it’s just been the two of us, and Bryant has been more like a father. He has been there for every significant moment in my life. I can see why my brother has taken an interest in you. You seem like a very caring person. Most of the women who surround hockey players aren’t as sweet as you. Well, that’s what he tells me anyway.” Holly smiled at Rachel, and I felt the room come alive. Holly had this way of making me feel like there was hope in the world.