Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
“And the winner of February Stars …”
Sunnie could swear every person in the pub was holding their breath, waiting for the announcer to declare a winner. For one month solid, she, her family and the regulars at the pub had gathered around the big-screen TVs to root for their hometown boy, Hunter Maxwell.
“By only twelve votes…”
“Oh my God,” Finn yelled at the screen. “Just announce it already!”
Landon caught her eye, winking at her. He and Finn had placed a wager on the competition—Finn putting fifty bucks on Hunter, while Landon remained firmly in Rory Summit’s camp.
“The performer who is going to open for The Universe on their worldwide tour is…”
The announcer drew out the word “is” for dramatic effect, producing another curse from Finn. “Where did Les find this tool?”
Les was their aunt Teagan and uncle Sky’s band manager, and he’d set up the February Stars contest, looking for the “next big act.” Hunter had been a last-minute fill-in for one of the performers, and he sure as hell hadn’t been expected to last more than the first round. Prior to the competition, he’d really only played with the equivalent of a garage band in his early twenties and, lately, as a pub singer here at Pat’s.
“Rory Summit!” the announcer yelled.
Finn groaned as half the pub erupted in cheers, the other half in anger. While Hunter was much beloved at Pat’s Pub, his fellow finalist, Rory Summit, had won her way into their hearts as well.
Landon held his hand out, palm up. “Sorry ’bout your bad luck, bro,” he teased. “Guess you don’t know true musical talent like I do.”
Sunnie snorted. “You weren’t betting on Rory’s talent. You have the hots for her, same as every other guy in here who put money down on her to win.”
Landon didn’t even bother to deny it. “Maybe. But the fact still remains I now have fifty bucks to woo her with when she shows up later for the after-show celebration.”
Finn slapped the cash in his best friend’s hand, losing it with zero good grace. “It would take a hell of a lot more than fifty dollars to get her to look at you…especially with me here.”
Landon and Finn had been friends since preschool, and their constant games of one-upmanship and practical jokes had become the standard operating procedure. Sunnie and Finn’s dad, Aaron, had refereed more than his fair share of fights between the two when they were young, when the competitiveness got too heated. Dad claimed the two of them were more like brothers than best friends, and no one had ever disagreed with that assessment.
“Tell your brother he’s delusional, Sunshine.”
She raised her hands. “Nope. Personally, I think you’re both out of your minds if you think someone as talented and cool as Rory would give either of you a second glance. Besides, Landon, you’ve got a girlfriend.”
Landon glanced around the bar, caught Audrey’s eye, and waved in a terribly lovestruck, smitten way that had Sunnie rolling her eyes. She pretended she was going to be sick as Finn laughed and picked up on the joke. “I keep trying to figure out what a hot ticket like Audrey sees in Landon.”
Typically, Landon would have enjoyed the teasing, would have started giving it right back, but instead, he sobered up. “Audrey’s planning to move to New York.”
“What?” Sunnie asked. “Since when?”
“She’s an actress, you know that. I think it’s always been in the back of her mind that she would take the leap, would try to make it on Broadway. I slowed that process down.”
“What about you?” Finn asked.
“Audrey wants me to come with her.”
Sunnie wasn’t sure how to respond to Landon’s news. He could have dropped a bomb right in the middle of the pub and it wouldn’t have shaken her like this.
Ever since she could remember, it had been her, Finn and Landon. Well, prior to high school graduation, it was more accurate to say it had been Finn and Landon, with her trailing along behind, but that had changed in the past few years.
The idea that their gang of three might drift apart bothered her. There were constants in her life—things she could always count on to be true no matter how old she got. Things like her family’s love, a Collins manning the bar at Pat’s Pub, her love of Guinness…and Landon’s presence.
Those things were solid. Forever.
Finn recovered first. “Are you going?”
Landon shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” Sunnie asked more hotly than she’d intended. “What about your job?”
When Sunnie considered her unwavering adoration for her family, she figured the only person on the planet who might love them as much—or maybe more—was Landon. She’d seen firsthand the hero worship Landon had developed for her dad. Not that she blamed him, of course. As far as Sunnie was concerned, Aaron Young walked on water. She knew Landon felt the same way.
He’d idolized her dad so much, he had gone to the police academy after graduation, and he now worked as a police officer in the same precinct as Dad. Hell, Dad was his superior officer.
Landon sighed, and Sunnie realized he’d been struggling with this decision for longer than just tonight.
“When did she tell you about the move?”
Landon shrugged. Which meant he didn’t want to answer.
She and Finn leaned forward, waiting for the reply.
“Right after the New Year.”
“Two months ago? And you didn’t tell us?” Finn asked. Sunnie heard the slight tone of hurt in her brother’s voice. Finn and Landon were practically brothers, their relationship as tight as Colm and Padraig’s, who were legit twins, connected by some sort of invisible thread that meant they were always in each other’s heads.
“I don’t know what I’m doing yet, Finn.”
It was a simple answer, and one she and Finn should have expected. Landon didn’t do anything without thinking through every conceivable consequence.
“Let me guess. You have a pros-and-cons list going,” Sunnie said, forcing a grin, trying to find a way to ease some of the tension that suddenly hovered over the table.
Landon smirked and started to deny it.
“Don’t kid a kidder, babe,” she said.
He sighed. “I have a list.”
She laughed. “I knew it. What’s on it?”
Landon clearly didn’t want to tell them. “Just the typical. Pros are new city, new opportunities, Audrey.”
Sunnie didn’t point out that she thought Audrey probably should have been listed first, but she held her tongue.
“And the cons,” Finn prompted.
“Leaving you guys.”
She waited for more, but she realized those three words probably encompassed it all. “You guys” meant more than just her and Finn, she knew that. It would include their mom and dad, Pop Pop, her cousins. Landon had been practically adopted into her family when he was just five years old and, like her, he knew that being a Collins meant something—meant everything.
“When is she planning to move?” Finn asked.
Landon looked down at his beer, rather than maintain eye contact with them as he said, “Beginning of March.”
“That’s next week!” Sunnie said, aghast.
Sunnie looked across the pub again. Audrey and Yvonne were talking to Pop Pop at the bar.
Unlike Landon, there were no dark circles under her eyes, no signs of stress. She’d made up her mind and was looking forward to her future, to trying to make her dreams come true. Meanwhile, Landon was being torn in two.
Sunnie’s temper piqued toward the woman. She’d always liked Audrey, always thought she was good for Landon, but that opinion was changing fast.
“When do you have to decide?” Finn asked.
Landon gave him a sad grin. “If I’m going, I have to figure it out this weekend, give Aaron my two weeks’ notice on Monday, then pack up my apartment, follow her later in the month.”
If I’m going…
Sunnie hated the sound of that. Hated the idea of living in Baltimore with one of her brothers—Landon was as good as the real thing—so far away.
As if reading her mind, Landon reached across the table and tapped her hand with his finger—two quick touches to get her attention. “You do realize that New York is only three hours away.”
It was far enough away that they wouldn’t be sharing Sweet Thursdays together anymore. The concept of Sweet Thursday was created by her uncles Killian and Justin, who’d instituted the tradition of kicking off the weekend one day early by sharing a Thursday happy hour.
It also meant no more weekly Sunday football games together in the Collins Dorm.
That brought up an even more horrifying concern.
“Jesus. You’re not going to start rooting for the Giants and the Yankees, are you?” she asked.
Landon visibly winced. “Are you insane?”
They all fell silent, and Sunnie realized there wasn’t anything else to say. Landon hadn’t made up his mind, and neither she nor Finn would feel right trying to talk him out of it. He was in love with Audrey. They knew that, knew they had no right to stand in his way if his heart chose to follow her.
“You’ll call me the second you decide?” Finn asked.
Landon nodded. “Of course I will. I’ll call both of you.”
Finn cleared his throat, and Sunnie could only assume he had the same lump there that she did. He reached for their empty pitcher and rose. “I’m going to fight my way to the bar for a refill. Don’t let anybody take my seat. This place is crazy tonight.”
And there was no doubt it would get crazier once the friends and family who’d gone to see the February Stars competition live returned from the show.
Sunnie had been delighted by the party atmosphere, ready to dance and drink the night away. Now…
“Don’t let this ruin your night, Sunnie. I shouldn’t have told you guys here. Truth is, I should have said something way before now. I just…didn’t know how. Now it’s…”
“Almost March.”
Landon nodded. “What do you think I should do?”
Sunnie couldn’t help it. She grinned. “Holy shit. You are in a bad way if you’re asking me for relationship advice.”
Landon smiled and rubbed his jaw wearily. “Damn. Good point. This is fucking me up more than I realized. Lost my head there for a second.”
She reached across the table and took his hand in hers. “I’ll channel Pop Pop for you. He’s a better person to talk to about stuff like this. I’m pretty sure he’d say follow your heart.”
“Sunnie, that’s not?—”
“Let me finish. I’m sure it might not feel helpful, but the truth is…it is. This decision is as simple as looking deep inside and figuring out what would make you happiest. Look at Audrey, Landon.”
His gaze drifted over to his girlfriend.
“She’s doing exactly what I just said. She’s following her heart.”
“She looks…”
Sunnie saw the moment Landon recognized what she had just seen.
“God, she looks happier than I’ve ever seen her.”
Sunnie nodded. “So make the decision that puts that look on your face.”
Landon leaned back, and she could tell she’d surprised him. “Wow. Pretty smart, Sunshine.” He lifted his pint glass, toasted her, then took a long swig.
“Pop Pop is a very wise man,” she joked. “Of course, we could call him over to see if I was right. Maybe even put a wager on it.”
He rolled his eyes at her Collins penchant for betting. “That’s okay. I’m good. I’m better than good, actually. Thanks for listening, and for…not making that hard. You and Finn are…”
“Spectacular,” she filled in when he paused.
However, before he could respond, his attention was drawn to something across the room. She glanced over her shoulder to see what he was looking at.
“Who’s the blonde Finn’s talking to?” Landon asked, and just like that, it was just another Friday night at the pub, their worries about the future put away in the spirit of enjoying each other’s company.
Sunnie stared at the woman for a moment, but decided she’d never seen her before. “No idea, but he’s brushed his hair back off his forehead twice already.”
“Oh damn. He’s lifting his shirtsleeve, pretending to show her his tattoo when really he’s flexing the guns. Mr. Obvious is pulling out all the stops,” Landon added.
Sunnie giggled. “What a tool.”
“Your brother is turning into a manwhore.”
She snorted. “Sort of think he was born that way. Remember the infamous Accidental Two Dates for Homecoming incident?”
“Jesus. Yeah.”
During their junior year, Finn had asked a girl to Homecoming during first period. She’d said she wasn’t sure she could go because she thought her family was going out of town. Finn had shrugged it off, walked to the back of the classroom and invited another girl, who’d accepted. Five minutes later, the first girl said she’d texted her mom and they weren’t vacationing that weekend, and she would love to go with him. Finn had been too embarrassed to tell her he’d already gotten another date after literally a few minutes.
Sunnie had felt like she was trapped in a sitcom for the better part of a week as Finn tried to figure out which girl to let down.
He’d been saved by Landon, who had promised to pick up the pieces. Finn explained the situation to the second girl, who fortunately was more than happy to go to Homecoming with Landon.
“He’s gonna have to learn some smoother moves,” Sunnie said, turning back to look at Landon.
“I’d say it’s a family failing. Something in the genes.”
“Excuse me. I’ll have you know, Landon Riggs, that my moves have moves.”
He rolled his eyes. “Come on, Sunnie. I’ve known you since you were four years old. Remember Joey Dantzler in second grade? Those ‘do you like me’ letters you used to write him with the yes or no boxes? Those were really smooth,” he said sarcastically.
She laughed. “I was seven. And the asshole always checked no.”
“I haven’t noticed you perfecting the art of subtlety since then. How many guys put their number in your phone last weekend at the Power Plant?”
Landon, Audrey, Finn and Sunnie had gone club-hopping on the Inner Harbor the previous weekend.
She crossed her arms. “Three.”
“Did you text any of them?”
Sunnie shook her head. “Nope. Decided I wasn’t interested.”
“Seems to be a theme with you. Dance ’til you drop with a guy, make out during the slow songs, then ditch them at the door.”
Sunnie lifted one shoulder casually. “What can I say? I’m young and wild and free.”
As if on cue, they broke into the chorus of the Snoop Dogg song in unison, then Sunnie kept going, rapping the Wiz Khalifa part until they started laughing.
“I’ve got another year of school, and I am in no hurry to fall in love,” she said. “Settling down and becoming boring like you is going to have to wait. I have decided to grow up in my thirties.”
“Six years is a long time.”
She shook her head. “Blink of an eye.”
“Not sure I want to meet the guy who convinces you to hang up your hootchie-mama heels.”
“He’ll be built like John Cena with Chris Pine’s eyes, and when we’re in bed, he’ll?—”
Landon cut her off. “Do me a favor, Sunshine.”
“What’s that?”
“Keep working on that list until what the guy looks like doesn’t matter as much as how he treats you.”
“ Now who sounds like Pop Pop?”
He raised one eyebrow until she relented.
“Deal.” Then she stood up, leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You’re a better brother than my own sometimes.”
He lifted one shoulder casually. “You’re setting the bar pretty low, but I’ll take it.”