Playbook (The Holland Brothers 2)

“There she is.” Brogan stands as Sabrina walks through the restaurant to our table.

“Hey. You made it.”

“Sorry I’m late,” she says, taking her crossbody purse off and pulling out the chair across from me. “I still don’t know my way around the city very well. All the one-way streets and…”

She stops, flustered, and takes her seat. Her red hair catches on the sunlight coming through the window. “How are you?”

“Good,” Brogan says. “Did you get everything moved?”

“I’m in a month-to-month place for now until I decide where I want to live.” She glances around the restaurant. “This place is cute.”

“It’s my sister’s and my favorite brunch place. They have the best lemonade mimosas,” I say as the server approaches our table.

“I’ll have that.” Sabrina smiles. “Thanks.” Her smile widens. “It’s so nice to meet you. Brogan has said such nice things.”

“About you too,” I tell her.

Sabrina agreed to do a DNA test and they confirmed she is his sister. Since then, they’ve been trying to get to know one another. He’s taken her to lunch and another time she invited him to dinner with some of her friends. I can tell how hopeful it all makes him feel to have found this family he didn’t know existed.

“So, Brogan tells me you’re opening a dance studio.” I’m so curious about his sister. I have my guard up, just in case, but so far, she hasn’t raised any red flags.

The way her eyes light up at the question even reminds me a little of him. She’s tall and graceful. Her features are softer, but she has that something about her that draws people in and makes them want to pay attention.

“Well, I’m trying, but you’d be amazed at how many building owners take one look at me and blow me off because they think I’m some young kid who’s going to flake on them.”

“I could help if you want,” Brogan offers.

Quiet falls over the table, and I hold my breath while I wait for her answer. I think he’s genuine in wanting to do whatever he can for her, but I hope that she doesn’t see him as only that.

“No, it’s okay,” she says with a shake of her head. “I don’t want to rent from someone who treats young women shitty anyway. And I have a lead on a place not too far from here.”

I let out a sigh of relief.

“What kind of dance studio? Ballet?”

“And tap, lyrical, modern, hip hop.”

“You’re a dancer, then?”

“I was, but I have pretty bad asthma, so I do more teaching than dancing these days. It’s fun and the kids are great.”

I fire more questions at her, and so does Brogan. By the time brunch is finished, she’s won me over. I’ll still destroy her if she hurts him though.

“I hate to eat and run, but I’ve gotta go,” she says. “I’m meeting a friend.”

She opens her wallet, and Brogan waves her off. “I got it.”

“No,” she insists. “Please. I hounded you for months, the least you can do is let me grab food and drinks.”

Brogan doesn’t seem happy about it, but he gives in with a nod.

She sets some cash in the middle of the table and stands. Brogan gets to his feet as well.

“Archer and I are having some people over next weekend. Will you come?” he asks her.

“Uhh…maybe. Your buddy doesn’t seem like my biggest fan.”

“Archer’s cool,” Brogan says.

“He called me a stripper.”

I cough as I take a drink of my mimosa. That doesn’t sound like Archer, but then again, maybe it does. He’s loyal and I know how much Brogan means to him.

“He was kidding.” Brogan grins sheepishly. “Come. Bring some friends if you want, and I can introduce you to some of my teammates. I’ll make sure they all know you are not a stripper.”

“Or don’t. I’ll show up and tell them I’m the entertainment.”

“I think I might have to beat up some teammates if you do that.”

“Okay,” she agrees with a laugh. “Thanks for letting me crash brunch. This was fun. It was nice to meet you, London.”

“You too.”

Brogan moves around to hug her. “Text me this week.”

They embrace like two people who are still figuring out their relationship, but if I know Brogan—and I do—he’ll do everything he can to make her feel special and welcome.

When she’s gone, my boyfriend takes a seat next to me. He’s grinning big and looks lighter and happier than I’ve ever seen him, which is saying something.

We’ve spent the past weeks talking a lot about his parents, how they were rarely around, so basic things like food and clothes weren’t always available. He had to learn how to do his own laundry at a really early age and he forged their signatures so he could get things at school like free lunch. The stories were heartbreaking and hard to hear. He spent one whole week without water or electricity because they left him to go to a concert in California, and forgot to pay the utility bills. He was seven.

And when they were home, they treated him like his presence was a burden, often kicking him out if he made too much noise or got in the way.

Then Rosie Holland took him in, and Archer and his brothers looked out for him all these years. There’s a lot of hurt there that he’s ignored, but he has so many people that want only the best for him. I hope Sabrina can be one of those people too.

“I like her,” I tell him. It’s true. By all accounts, she truly wants to get to know her brother and doesn’t have any ulterior motives. I hope I’m right. Even Archer can’t find any flaws in her story, and he has definitely been looking for them.

“Me too.” He shakes his head, eyes glinting with happiness. “It’s weird having someone that’s part of me. Blood family that doesn’t suck. I never thought I’d have that.”

I run a hand through his hair and rest my fingers at the nape of his neck.

“I know she didn’t grow up the same way I did, but it’s like she feels that same sense of loss that I do. I know I was lucky, don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t change things if it meant not having the Hollands, but with her, I just feel like she gets it in a different way.”

“That makes sense,” I say. “Having a sister is a really unique and fun thing.”

“A sister.” He laughs. “She probably would have made my life hell growing up.”

“Like any good sister.” I bat my lashes.

He’s grinning like he’s still lost in the idea of Sabrina and what their life could have looked like together.

“You have lots of time for her to annoy and irritate you in all the ways sisters do.”

He leans forward and presses his lips to mine. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“I don’t know. Everything.”

“You’re welcome.” I take another sip of my mimosa. “Did Archer really ask her if she was a stripper?”

“Not exactly, but he definitely put his foot in his mouth.”

“He’s protective of you.”

He bobs his head in agreement. “I know, but once he gets to know her, he’ll come around. I’m not worried.”

“What did she say when he asked if she was a stripper?”

“He didn’t ask her, he signed it to me.”

My eyes widen. “And she knew?”

“Yeah.” He laughs. “Turns out she knows ASL. Totally called him on it.”

“I like her more and more.”

“Hey,” he says, angling his body toward mine and placing one knee between my legs. “I have an idea of how we can spend the rest of the day.”

“You do, do you?” I ask, sounding genuinely intrigued by the possibility when I know very well it’s going to include us being naked.

He takes both of my hands in his. “Let’s go to your apartment.”

I chuckle. “Mhmmm.”

“And pack up all your stuff.”

My brows furrow. Okay, this isn’t going where I thought it was.

“And bring it to my place.”

“You want me to stay at your place for the weekend?”

“Yes.” He nods, placing a kiss on the inside of my elbow. My skin tingles. This man has made me insatiable.

“For the activities you have in mind, I don’t think I’m going to need my entire apartment.”

He chuckles softly and looks down at me with a soft expression that makes butterflies swarm in my stomach. “Move in with me.”

“What?” There is no hiding the surprise in my voice.

“Move in with me. I already talked to Archer. He’s cool with it so long as we shut the door while we’re having sex and as long as you promise not to refer to us as a throuple.”

I want to. God, do I want to. It hasn’t been very long, but I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. He is my guy. Forever. “I can’t bail on Alec.”

He scrunches up his face. “Can’t I just buy him out of your lease? I really like waking up and falling asleep next to you.”

I drape my arms over his shoulders. “Me too, but our lease ends in four months, which should be plenty of time for him to find someone else, and then…yes, absolutely. I have conditions of my own though.”

“Oh yeah.” His eyes light up. “Like what?”

“Ummm….” I kiss him while I try to come up with some. It turns out I don’t have any conditions at all. I want him and all the fun and chaos that comes with him. The good times, the bad. All the dark parts he tries to hide so he never makes anyone feel anything but happy. I want those too. I want it all.