Holding On (Road House Series) (3 page)

“Seriously,” Iris stared at her sister, “You aren’t going to let this go are you?”

“Uh, duh.” Pan had already helped herself to a big drink off her soda and a few sips of the chicken noodle soup. Iris took the spoon from her hand and shot her a glare.

“He came by to apologize.” Iris blew on the soup on order to avoid the next few seconds of conversation.

“Well it seems like he did a shitty job.” Pan slumped to the counter, resting her chin on her palms.

“Yes. Well, no.” Her insides twisted remembering how wonderful it had been.

The chime on the door broke their conversation. Both women looked up to see Sarah walk through the door.

As she stood next to Pan, Iris realized just how short Sarah was.

“So what are you all up to?” Sarah asked.

“Well, Iris was about to tell us that what happened with her and Luc this morning,” Pan said and gave Iris a smug smile.

“Oh.” Sarah leaned further into the counter. “Did you all have a run in? Were the sparks flying like they were at the bar because I think I might have to turn the hose on you all.”

“What?” Iris nearly dropped her spoon. “We had no sparks! He was a pain in the ass, and I nearly had to slug him.”

“Hmmm.” Sarah flipped her shiny blonde hair over her shoulder. “That’s not the way I saw it.”

“You didn’t see anything,” Iris snapped.

“Now I don’t know about that,” Pan chimed in. “Sarah sees a lot of things. I’m guessing she knows when there are sparks.”

Iris gripped the spoon and seriously thought about thumping her sister on the forehead with it.

“Forget last night,” Sarah said, clearly trying to smooth things over. “I want to know what happened this morning. Did he…stay the night?”

“What? No way!” Iris nearly fell off her stool with her vehement reaction.

Iris tapped her finger on the counter as her sister struggled, unsuccessfully, to stop laughing.

“Fine!” Iris slapped her hand on the counter. “He came by to bring sticky buns as an apology. I invited him in for coffee. Things got…heated. And then he bolted so fast you would have thought I was some ragged troll.” The pain of the rejection still ran deep.

“Oh hell, Iris. I’m sorry.” Pan reached across and patted her hand.

“Luc,” Sarah twisted a lock of hair, “Well, he’s had a tough time. I think maybe he’s not so great with women.”

“Ya think?” Iris couldn’t keep the irritation out of her voice.

“You have to understand, when he and Jake were SEALs, they saw most of their team get blown up, including a really close friend.” The women were stunned into silence. “The shrapnel sliced up his face pretty good. He’s had several surgeries to help with the scaring, but there’s not much they can do at this point.” Sarah sighed.

“I don’t see why he’d care,” Iris said. “It’s not like it diminished his looks and it makes him…” Iris thought for the right word. “Interesting.”

“Oh, honey, I’m glad to hear you say that, but not everyone felt that way.” Sarah’s pretty face contorted with rage. “Including Victoria.”

“Who the hell was Victoria?” Pan leaned in. Anger radiated off her.

“His fianceé.”

“His what what?” Iris felt the walls close in on her. She could see where this was going.

“Victoria had been with him for several years. Carefree and loving, Luc was the perfect man. Jake tells it like Luc was just happy being with her.” She traced a line in the counter to avoid looking at them. “When he came back, he was reserved. Sullen. Jake said none of that seemed to bother her, but the wound ate at her.” Sarah pinned Iris with a look as she finished the story. “She was obsessed with reducing the scar. Surgery after surgery, it was never good enough. Finally, Luc put a stop to it. Two years of nothing but surgeries, and he was finished.”

“Oh God.” Tears stung her eyes as Iris thought about how he must have felt.

“Oh it gets better. So, she tells him that she didn’t see how she could take their wedding photos with that scar. Said it was the worst thing that could have happened. Worst thing! So many of his friends died and that was the worst thing? There are days I like to just…” Sarah took in a deep breath and seemed to recover. “Give him a little time. He’s going to need it to get back to what’s normal,” Sarah said, her eyes bright with tears.

Iris stood very still thinking on Luc. Someone who deserved a chance. Someone who just needed to find normal again.

Before she overthought, Iris gave a small nod. “I’ll try.”

“Good!” And as quick as that, Sarah was back to her bubbly self. “Now to the good stuff. I came to ask you two to come to the bar tonight. I’ve invited a biker band to play, and it’s going to insane!”

“Oh, I don’t—”

“Sounds great,” Pan said.

Iris shot her sister a glare. “I just don’t think—”

“Oh no you don’t. You ran out on me yesterday, and tomorrow the shop is closed. You are so going out with me.” Iris sighed. Pan was rarely this pushy, but when she was, she usually won.

“All right.”

“Really?” Sarah squealed. “So there’s just one more thing. Since it’s a biker band, I really think we need to play our part.”

Pan smirked.

“Not going to happen,” Iris said.

Chapter Four

“No,” Iris said to the dressing room door.

“Come on, we’re all doing this together.” Sarah’s sweet voice drifted over the door.

“Damn it, Iris. Out now!” Pan jiggled the door. “You come out, or I’m coming in.”

Iris slammed the lock back and barely missed clocking Pan in the face with the door.

“Fine.”

“Oh that is amazing on you!” Sarah said, her dark grey wool pleated skirt swishing slightly. Iris thought out of all of them, Sarah looked best. Fishnet stockings, black and white lace tank, with a three-quarter sleeve leather jacket. The thigh high leather boots set the whole piece off.

Iris looked at her own reflection. The short leather mini-skirt did look pretty great with the feminine grey shimmery sleeveless silk blouse. It hung loose but only seemed to accentuate the outline of her breasts and long neck.

Pan peered over her shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. A vision of biker bitch, Pan had gone for a black leather halter top and low slung black leather pants.

Sarah tapped a finger on her mouth. “Now what kind of shoes to wear.”

“I don’t suppose I could just wear my flats,” Iris muttered.

“No!” Pan and Sarah shouted in unison.

Pan turned to Sarah. “She needs a pair of ‘fuck-me’ black high heels.”

"Uh, not really looking for anything like that." Iris wrinkled her nose in irritation. "Besides, I've got plenty of black shoes at home."

"Nice try, but I've seen your shoes, not going to work. And honey, I don't think you know what you're looking for. Maybe you should just take our word for it and enjoy the ride." Pan shoved Iris back in the stall, so they could check out.

***

When they were settled on a bench outside the store, conversation drifted once again to Luc.

Pan nudged Iris’s foot. "So you think lover boy is going to be there tonight?"

"Why would I know? It's not really like we spent a lot of time talking this morning. I mean…" Iris blushed a deep shade of crimson.

"Oh is that right? Didn't really go into detail on that, now did ya?"

Iris decided it was a good moment to study her plain brown shoes. Maybe it would be good to get a sexy pair. She shook her head. All this talk was getting to her.

“If Jake has any say, he’ll be there,” Sarah said.

“What’s Jake got to do with it?” Pan eyed Sarah suspiciously.

"So what’s next?" Sarah bounced in her seat, ignoring the question. One thing was certain, she loved to shop, but she had something up her sleeve.

"I say shoes and then a little something for underneath." Pan winked at them.

Iris suppressed a groan.

One pair of shoes, a dozen frilly undergarments, a few night gowns later and they were finally leaving the mall. Never had Iris been so happy to be finished shopping.

"So let’s just get ready over at my house. I'm sure Mom and Aunt Patty will be so happy to meet you all." Sarah swung her sacks into the back of the car.

"Sounds good. We'll just follow you over." Pan tossed her bags in the back and hopped in the front seat.

As much as she hated going out, she hated even more that her sister loved every minute. And then it got ten times worse when she cranked up the stereo.

Thankfully, the ride wasn't that long. When they pulled in front of a cute little bungalow, Iris wasn't really sure what to think. It wasn't anything like she expected. Everything about Sarah just seemed so larger than life. She almost expected it to be bright pink with neon flashing lights. Not the very normal house they had pulled up to.

Pretty white flowers raced along the sidewalk. The house itself was white with a light yellow trim. Everything about it was storybook. Was there a witch inside who would try and bake them?

A plump middle age women greeted them at the door. Wisps of mousy brown hair fell into her eyes, and she tried to tame the tresses.

"Hello, dear. You're mother isn't home yet, but Jake should be bringing her home soon." She glanced at Iris and Pan with an open smile.

"That's great," Sarah said as she stepped through the door. "These are my friends Pan and Iris. We're going to get ready for tonight together."

"Sounds like fun. Just go on upstairs and make yourself at home."

"Nice to meet you and thank you for opening your home to us." Iris thrust her hand out.

Patty reached out and patted her cheek. "Good heavens, this one sure is wound tight." She gave a wink to Sarah. "You are very welcome, hun. I have a feeling you could use a night out."

Pan burst out laughing. "I like you."

Patty shifted her sharp gaze to Pan. "Ah, a kindred spirit. Word of advice, don't bury yourself too far in that shell."

Pan froze where she stood, clearly shocked.

"Well now, on that note, let's go get ready," Sarah said and led the way up the stairs to her room. “Kay, let’s get started.”

Iris grabbed her clothes and headed for the bathroom. Once inside, she leaned on the sink.

“What am I doing?” she whispered.

She struggled with her role in life. For so long, she had been the one to take care of Pan. Her uncle had been a perfectly nice man, but someone who lives by themselves for seventy years doesn’t suddenly become a man that deals with family crap. But she was just happy to have a place to go. It had been a worry that they might have to go to a foster home or worse, be split up. Having to live with Uncle Byron was the easiest solution.

The two had learned the ropes at the shop and tried to stay out of trouble. Maybe Pan a little less but regardless, there had never been any law involved, and she had at least graduated high school. Iris, on the other hand, well, just didn’t do much of anything. Most of her time was spent studying or in the shop.

She sighed. There was no way she was equipped to take on Luc. The man seeped testosterone out of every pore. Not to mention all the issues. She just couldn’t understand why he would even go through all the surgeries or why he would even think he needed to. The scar wasn’t him. The event that caused the scar certainly was a part of him, but the scar was just the physical proof of his service to his country. Her heart twisted at the cruel way he was rejected.

She traced on her face the line of his scar and shivered when she pictured touching him. It had been nice. Not that she had many experiences to compare it to but, well, it had been way more than nice. Before he jerked away, she had been so very close to seeing stars. Something nibbled at the back of her mind. What had she been doing just before he went running? Her hand stopped mid-trace. She had touched the scar.

Iris stared at her reflection. He had rejected her before she could reject him. The sensitivity from the scar must have reminded him of everything Victoria said.

The smile that broke out on her face couldn’t be mistaken. Luc liked her. Liked her enough that he felt he had to distance himself from her. Her heart raced at the thought.

For once, she was caught up in something, and she’d be damned if she let him slip away. Luc was about to meet his match.

Iris quickly put on the matching bra and panties set she had bought, zipped the leather skirt and slipped on the blouse. She did a little turn in the mirror and liked the result, but her hair and makeup were all wrong. Too much stern librarian, not enough va va va voom.

The girls were startled when Iris burst through the bathroom door.

“If I’m doing this, I’m going to need some help with my hair and make-up.” The other two stared in shock. She furrowed her brow. “I want him putty in my hands.”

“I’ll be damned.” Sarah popped up off the bed, already dressed and ready to go. “Well, we’ve got some work to do.”

***

“Well now, don’t you all look…” Sarah’s mother searched for the right words. “Exciting.”

“Exciting, yup, that’s about right, isn’t it, Iris?” Sarah giggled as Iris glared daggers at her.

Jake coughed at their exchange.

She had to admit, though, they were pretty exciting. Not quite all the way biker but close enough. And hot enough to melt ice-cream in Antarctica. They had decided on a smoky eye shadow that gave her these great “bedroom eyes,” as Pan had called them. The deep ruby lipstick seemed to stand out, but she liked it. The outfit and make-up made her feel sexy and that was something.

They had tried several things with her hair. Pan insisted that it be down since Iris typically had it pulled back. In the end, they had left it down in long, loose twisted waves. It did have a certain just rolled out of bed look, but Iris wondered if it would be too hot at the bar, so she had secretly slipped a hair-tie in her purse.

“We had better shove off. Still have some things to set up before the band gets in.” Jake stepped in front of Iris and looked right at her. “Yup, he is in a world of trouble.” Then turned and walked out.

“Pan and I will follow,” Iris said. “Thanks again for letting us get changed here, and it was wonderful to meet you both.” Iris beamed at Sarah’s mother and aunt.