But I’d think about that later. Right now, a car repair beckoned. I walked under the car and looked up into its grimy guts.
“You don’t have to work while you’re here,” Gray told me.
Flynn’s smile sagged. “Yeah, of course not. This is your weekend.”
Before I could answer, Holden emerged from his office. “Well, thanks for telling me the college boy was home.”
Gray turned. “The college boy is home.”
I snickered. I’d missed my sarcastic brothers. “Hey, Holden. I’m home.”
He glanced at the clock. “What about class?”
I rolled my eyes. “Canceled today. I’m not playing hooky. Figured if I had a long weekend, I should get my ass down here and help out.”
Holden shook his head. “You don’t need to help.”
“No?” I looked over at Flynn, who looked worn out. “You saying you’re not busier with that county contract you got? And Flynn here doesn’t look exhausted?”
Flynn winced, shooting me a betrayed look. Well, shit, I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Judging by the stress lines on his face, the guy needed a break, is all.
“None of that is your problem,” Holden said.
The hell it wasn’t.
“I’m still a Forrester Bro, am I not?”
“Your last name is Steele, not Forrester,” he said.
I glowered. “You know what I mean. Am I not still part of this family?”
“Of course you are,” he said. “But you need to focus on college. Your future is a lot bigger than this little shop.”
So he loved to say. I wasn’t so sure. I’d gone to Thurston University because Holden had his heart set on giving me all the opportunities he and my brothers missed out on.
He’d made the argument that I wouldn’t know what I really wanted until I got out there and tried new things—and maybe he was right about that. But so far, all those new things had just shown me that Ireallyliked the old things.
Like my old job, in my old house, with my older brothers.
Not that I could just bail on school. Not when Holden and my brothers all contributed funds toward my education. Not when a local business had covered part of my tuition with a scholarship, and a state grant for foster kids covered the rest.
So many people had invested in me and my future. I couldn’t throw that away. But just thinking about it made it hard to breathe.
Holden was still talking about how I should go relax at home, do some laundry, watch some TV, or catch up with my high school friends. All things I would do this weekend.
But not yet.
“It’s my time off,” I said, shedding my jacket and pushing up the sleeves of my Henley. “I’m going to spend it how I want. And right now, I want to help Flynn fix a car.”
Holden sighed. “Fine. Have it your way. But you’re clocking out at six, and we’re all having dinner. I’ll call Axel and let him know you’re back. Invite Nova over, too, if you want.”
I’d already texted Nova that I’d be home this weekend, so she would be crashing our dinner either way. I decided not to tell Holden, though. Better that he thought it was his idea to invite her.
“Cool. Thanks.” I turned back to Flynn with a grin. “So, did you miss me?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, man. You’ve got no idea.”
Flynn missed Bailey the mechanic, not Bailey the guy. But it was still nice to hear. I hung my jacket on a hook by the door and then joined him under the car, shooing Gray back to his bike business, beyond ready to get my hands dirty.
