Besting Brady (Hearts of Hollis Book 2) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 50

  Besting Brady

  (Hearts of Hollis:

  Book Two)

  Nicole Dykes

  &

  J.L. Leslie

  Copyright 2017. Nicole Dykes & J.L. Leslie. All rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes, promotions, authorized giveaways or teasers only.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Chapter 1

  Brady

  I unhook my tool belt and toss it in the back of my truck. It’s November, but still fairly warm outside for Texas. That’s what I love about Hollis, the town I grew up in. There’s really no winter here, just one season year round.

  Although I’ve left town to go work in different states, I always come back to Hollis. I guess small town life is ingrained in me.

  “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” my best friend and boss, Caleb, asks as he saunters up to my truck.

  “What are you talking about? Everyone’s knocking off early to go to the re-opening of the hardware store.” I answer, smelling the alcohol on his breath.

  Caleb has been like this for months now, ever since his break up with his long-time girlfriend, Casey. They’ve been on-again, off-again for years, but this is the longest they’ve been off. Well, except for when he went to work out of state with me last year. They were back on-again the moment we returned to Hollis though. This time seems different somehow.

  Of course, me leaving didn’t quite work out for me and the girlfriend I had at the time. Jade.

  We had a whirlwind of a summer together last year and then I got a call for a job and took off. Without saying goodbye. When I came back, we didn’t exactly pick things up where we left them, although I think we could have.

  I’m not that guy. I thought I wanted something different. She realized quickly that she wanted someone different.

  “Are you fucking kidding me, Brady?” Caleb says, angrily. “I didn’t tell anyone they could leave early.”

  “Caleb, get a grip.” I snap. “We talked about this last week. We’re all going. Shit, man, the whole town will be there.”

  I hate what my friend is going through. It isn’t like him at all. He’s normally cracking jokes and hazing rookie co-workers with me, but lately he’s full of anger. He drinks too much and fills his time with whatever woman is willing to let him in. Typically, I don’t have a problem with that, only he’s not behaving like my best friend anymore.

  “Fuck it, go. I don’t give a shit.” he grumbles and stalks away.

  I don’t even know what to say to him at this point, so I get in my truck and leave. I stop by my house first so I can take a shower. It isn’t much. Just a two bedroom, one bath cabin-style house two blocks down the street from my mom’s. I don’t even own it. I rent it from my aunt.

  After I shower, I dress in jeans, a faded blue t-shirt, and my boots. My typical attire.

  The hardware store is only ten minutes from my house. In fact, nearly everything in Hollis is ten minutes from my house. That’s how small Hollis is. The hardware store originally opened several months ago, but the city guy who opened it didn’t like small town life so he closed it shortly after.

  Then another city guy bought it. My ex, Jade’s boyfriend. Well, I guess I can call him my friend now. We’re civil to each other. We certainly haven’t thrown any more punches.

  Madden Steele and his two brothers, all three of them city boys from Dallas, decided to buy the hardware store and open it back up. I won’t say I’m disappointed. Hollis having a hardware store is good for King Construction, the crew I work for.

  I pull up and the parking lot is full. Having anything new opening in Hollis is a damn big deal. Nothing happens here. Jack’s Bar, my favorite establishment, is the last thing that opened here and that was twenty fucking years ago.

  “Jade,” I call out to the blonde, who still at times makes my heart flutter, “what a turn out.”

  She turns around and a smile spreads across her beautiful face. Her best friend, and the person responsible for the change in my best friend, is standing right beside her.

  “Hey, Casey, how’s it going?” I ask.

  Casey is pulling her dark, red hair into a ponytail. She looks annoyed, not an unusual look for her. “There’s too many damn people here. I barely got a fucking parking space and I have to figure out how to get out of here in thirty minutes so I can go to class. You know I’m not good at backing up and I only came to look at Madden’s sexy ass brothers.”

  I laugh at how candid she is. That’s Casey. No filter at all. “You know nothing happens in Hollis. This is exciting for everyone.”

  “If everyone started getting laid, they’d have excitement.” she quips.

  “Ooh, it’s starting. There’s Madden.” Jade announces.

  I look over at her and despite the fact that I lost her to him, I know she made the right decision. Honestly, I don’t think there was even a choice. I never would’ve given her what she deserves and we both knew that.

  The three of us stand together and watch Madden and his brothers announce the re-opening. Madden gives a short speech about how he came to Hollis and their plans for the store. Then he cuts the ribbon on the door.

  People start going inside and looking around to see what changes the Steeles have made. I’m not interested in any of that. I want food and I know there’s a buffet table set up in front of the store.

  I spot my co-workers, Tate and Logan, and say my goodbyes to Jade and Casey. Tate and Logan are on the same page as me. They’re already heading to the buffet table.

  “Good job, Madden. Your voice is like fucking silk.” I tease, taking a moment to congratulate him on the new store.

  “I’m sure you hear it in your dreams.” he jokes. “You remember Keegan and Landon?”

  “Yeah, good to see you two again.” I tell them and shake their hands. We’ve only met a couple of times and they both seem nice. Well, Keegan is nice and Landon is focused. “Is Amelia here too?”

  Keegan looks for his wife a moment and shrugs. “She’s here somewhere. Probably with Jade and Casey by now. She was in the store setting up a display area for her jewelry. I don’t know why she thinks a hardware store needs a jewelry display.”

  “The women in Hollis will love it.” I assure him. “Now I’m going to eat. Catch you guys later.”

  I turn and run smack into someone. By pure reflex, my arms reach out and grab her, steadying her from stumbling to the ground.

  “Walk much?” she mumbles, gripping my forearms.

  Her dark, blonde curls fall over her face and she lets go of my arms to brush them back. Bright green eyes gaze back at me and I swallow hard t
o try and catch my breath. I can’t even speak.

  She laughs and says, “You can let go now.”

  I look down and realize I’m still holding her arms. I drop my hands to my sides and open my mouth to say something to her, but she steps past me and disappears into the crowd.

  I run a hand through my light, brown hair. I’m frustrated that I froze like that. That absolutely never happens to me. I’m Brady Fucking Thompson. No woman ever leaves me speechless.

  Until now.

  Chapter 2

  Lillian

  I try to regain my composure after bumping into the handsome, impressively built, blue-eyed stranger. This town has me all turned around. I swear I can still feel his touch on my arms and the way he looked into my eyes has me shaken, more than I would like to admit.

  I need to focus on the reason I am in Hollis. I stand at the back of the crowd and study the three men that are standing at the front of the store. The Steele brothers. They are my reason for travelling the three hours south of my home in Dallas.

  I watch the youngest, Madden, as he kisses the small blonde that just joined them. Then he turns and nudges the oldest one, Landon. Landon looks briefly at them, they exchange a few words and then goes straight back to his phone. He’s always been the more intense one, the one who took his family heritage very seriously.

  The middle one, Keegan, is busy holding onto his wife. Their wedding, which took place only a few months ago, was the talk of Dallas. It was an event fit for true royalty and the Steeles are definitely royalty in Dallas. I attended the glamorous wedding with my parents and watched as two people I had casually known since my childhood were married.

  I went to the same private school as all three of the brothers. We were members of the same country club, but I’ve never had an actual conversation with any of them. Dallas is a large city and our class had over two hundred students. We didn’t hang out with the same crowd, but I still knew who they were.

  A small hint of panic runs through me. Would they recognize me? I quickly shake that off. I may remember them, but it was because their presence was strong everywhere they went. Their family frequents the local news and on occasion, even the national news. My parents are wealthy because they both have very successful careers. My father specializes in obstetrics and my mother is a talented neurosurgeon. Although our lifestyle is extraordinarily comfortable, we are nowhere near the Steele’s level. I was more reserved in school and I’m sure they never noticed me.

  I watch the crowd. It’s unbelievable how many people are here for a hardware store to open. I feel like I’m missing something. It’s just a hardware store, nothing fancy, but this has to be every person that lives in this ridiculously tiny town. People have filed inside and some are still standing outside. There is even a live band playing and food provided for everyone in attendance.

  I suppose not a lot happens in this town. I see the small blonde that Madden is with give him a quick kiss on the cheek and then walk away from the crowd. I watch as she walks happily down the street and to a building that’s labeled Jack’s Bar. The sun is slowly going down over the horizon and frames the small, mysterious town well.

  I could use a drink.

  I take another look at the brothers. They look so happy and content, like nothing is missing from their lives. That thought makes me slightly bitter. Mainly because until recently, I felt the exact same way.

  I had planned on introducing myself to them properly. Fear rises inside of me now though. I don’t want to ruin their day with my news. It can wait. I’m chickening out. I can’t do this.

  I fight the urge to climb back into my car and drive back to Dallas, but decide instead to go check out the bar Madden’s girl went into.

  I walk briskly a little way down the sidewalk and open the glass door. A little bell dings when I walk inside. There is no one here. I walk in a little further, hoping it’s okay that I’m in here. Finally, the girl comes in from the back of the small building. She has a friendly smile on her face when she says, “Well, welcome! What can I get you?”

  Wow. Friendly. I sit down carefully on the bar stool, trying not to wrinkle or stain my expensive skirt. “I’ll take a vodka tonic. Thank you.”

  She nods and goes behind the bar to make my drink. I sit my purse down on the stool next to me and she examines me, “Just passing through?”

  I nod, curtly. I’m not sure I want her trying to figure me out. “Yes. I think.”

  That peaks her curiosity and I mentally slap myself for adding that last part. She just has an incredibly friendly face. “Well, if you are looking for somewhere to stay for a little while, Hollis seems to be a great place for that.”

  She smiles like that is a part of some secret joke. Where am I going to stay? My parents think I’m traveling around Europe to try to clear my head after dropping out of medical school. It seemed like a natural fit since both of them went into the medical field. Turns out, I didn’t have a passion for it. I liked when I worked in the pediatric wing, but nothing else fit. Of course, after what I discovered a couple of weeks ago, that makes more sense to me now. “A lot of people come through here?”

  She sits the drink in front of me, “Oh yeah, all of the time. Most don’t stay, but we catch a couple occasionally.”

  I laugh at that, although I find that hard to believe. She must be talking about Madden. He’s the Steele brother that abandoned his birth right to Steele Industries and has moved here full time. Landon and Keegan still live in Dallas. “Well, perhaps I’ll stay for a bit.”

  She looks delighted by that, “Well then, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jade.” She holds her hand out for me.

  I shake it, “Lillian.”

  She drops her hand and then goes about cleaning the sticky bar. “I don’t want to be presumptuous, but if you are planning to stay for a bit, would you be looking for a job?” Jade asks.

  I look over at her. I’ve never held a job in my life, but I suppose it would be suspicious if I didn’t need one, wouldn’t it? “I guess it would be depending on how long I stay.”

  She nods to a sign above the bar, “We are pretty desperate for some help around here. You wouldn’t happen to have waitress experience would you?”

  I look at her sheepishly and shake my head, “No, I’ve never been a waitress before.”

  She brushes that off quickly, “I can train you.”

  I’m amazed by her instant kindness. She doesn’t know a thing about me. “Is it hard?”

  She laughs, but it isn’t cruel. “No, not at all. There are a lot of customers for a town this size, but that’s because there aren’t a ton of places to eat here. For the most part, everyone is really nice and there are definitely times when the bar is dead and we have nothing to do, but I have a lot of fun doing it.” She dries the bar and adds, “I recently started taking college classes and so did the other waitress. So, the owner is getting tired of filling in for us on Tuesday and Thursday nights.”

  I turn and look out the window, toward the hardware store. The crowd is starting to die down a little bit. What could it hurt staying here for a bit? Maybe I’ll grow a pair and actually talk to the Steeles about why I’m here. It would give me time to gain the courage and I could get to know them from afar. That doesn’t sound creepy at all, right? I look back at Jade, “Thank you for the offer. It sounds wonderful.”

  Her smile brightens and she runs around the bar, and gives me a big hug, “I’m so excited!” She pulls back slightly and I remain stiff- I’m not usually a hugger. She laughs, “I’m sorry, I think my friend Amelia is rubbing off on me, but you have no idea how much we need the help.”

  I give her a weak smile, still unsure if this is the right decision. “I’m glad I can help. Is there anything I need to do?”

  “There’s some paperwork, but I won’t have you fill that out tonight. Can you start Tuesday? There is no way I will throw you into it now, it’s gonna be busy. I promise I’ll ease you in. Maybe you can stay and observe me though.”
>
  I nod my head, “I can do that.”

  “Great! Jack will be pleased. He’s the owner and can be a grumpy son of a bitch sometimes, but trust me, he’s all bark and no bite.” She puts her finger to her lip like she’s thinking, “Let’s see. The pay is five dollars an hour, but don’t worry you get to keep all of your tips. We’ll need you every weekend and Tuesday and Thursday nights.”

  I take in all of the information. Five dollars an hour? Wow. “Alright.”

  “Oh, also there is a small apartment above the bar that you are welcome to live in rent free for as long as you are working here. You won’t find anywhere else in Hollis. Trust me.”

  Well, that’s good news. It beats staying in the hotel I stayed at last night. I wanted to be refreshed and well rested to meet them. “That sounds great.”

  “You can move in soon, they are just finishing up a couple of things in there and I will have Brady rush it. I promise it will only be a couple of days at the most.”

  Okay so at least I won’t be at the hotel for long. “Thank you very much for your hospitality, Jade.”

  She grins, “It’s kind of a Hollis thing that I adopted and I am grateful for you. My boss was going crazy having to work the evening shifts. He’s not a huge fan of people and that’s when we get the most business.”

  I laugh at that. A bar owner that doesn’t like people. Strange.

  Just then the door at the entrance dings and I look back to see several men entering the bar. I see the gorgeous stranger who held me in his strong grip earlier and he gives me a sexy grin as he makes his way to the bar.

  He’s intriguing, but it’s the man that walks in after him that makes my heart pound faster in my chest and my palms sweaty.

  Madden Steele, one of my three brothers.

  Chapter 3

  Brady

  She didn’t smile back at me. I know I have a good smile. Shit. It’s a great smile. But she looked right past it to Madden. I refuse to lose another woman to City Boy. Besides, he’s taken. That’s pretty fucking obvious.