Holding On (Road House Series) Read Online Free

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.