Page 4 of Down Memory Lane
Chapter Three
Felix
Lunch at The Mill Restaurant quickly became a family affair with Nate and Beckett joining Felix and Travis at their table. The only people missing were their parents and the older brothers’ significant others, and as much as he loved all of those people, it was nice to have some brother bonding time. They mostly talked about work, three of them lamenting the highs and lows of running a business while Nate stared at his phone, his fingers flying furiously over the screen as he dealt with one community member after another. Felix didn’t envy his job as mayor. It was too much responsibility, and while owning the bar came with its own set of demands and worries, the viability of an entire town wasn’t one of them. From the looks Beckett shot around the table they’d dined at, he didn’t envy any of them.
“I may literally put my life on the line some days, but I would happily do that over payroll paperwork, hauling fertilizer, or running the town.” Beckett shook his head, slapped the top of the table, and stood to leave. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a fiancée to kiss.” After a few back-slapping hugs, he and Nate traveled to Town Hall, Aiden disappeared back into the kitchen, and Felix walked toward his bar with Travis trudging along behind him like a stray dog.
Felix figured that once they got back to Branch and Brew, Travis would drive his SUV home and that would be the end of his day out, but to his surprise, his brother stuck around. He offered to help move barrels from one part of the back storage room to another, lug kegs of beer to place underneath the taps, and even helped the small kitchen staff wash a few dishes. Even now, his brother sat at the bar looking like he was hoping for anything to come along and fill his time. The orchard was Travis’s safe space, so the fact that he seemed to be avoiding it was worrying. After watching him sit and nurse a glass of plain apple cider for almost an hour, Felix finally got up the nerve to ask Travis what was going on.
“Alright. Out with it.” Felix demanded, wiping a small spill off the bar top. Technically, the bar was open, but not many customers came in before the work day ended. The place would be packed tonight for trivia, but until then, he and Travis had the place almost entirely to themselves. “You’ve been hanging out with me for damn near half a day, and as much as I love your company, I can’t help but feel like you’re avoiding going home.”
Travis sighed and scratched at his beard. “Not avoiding anything.” His voice was low and gravelly. Whether that was from lack of use or was just how it always sounded, Felix was unsure because Travis had never been very talkative. In fact, he was fairly certain his brother would die on the spot if he had to speak publicly or for longer than ten seconds at a time. At Felix’s pointed glare, he rolled his eyes and shrugged. “Just trying not to be such a homebody.”
Felix scowled at his brother. Being a homebody was Travis’ number one descriptor. Why he was trying to change that was anyone’s guess. “But you love the orchard. The only times I’ve seen you smile are when someone is giving one of us shit, or you’re out in the middle of those damn trees.”
Travis grunted his agreement, the familiar sound causing Felix’s mouth to twitch at the corner. He loved all of his brothers equally, but Travis was special. They all had their roles: Aiden was the perfectionist, Beckett was the hero, Nate was ambitious, and Felix was the perpetually happy one. Travis was the quiet one, but there was something in that steady presence that made Felix feel settled.
His older brother was always comfortable with silence, welcoming it and letting it hang there for as long as it needed to. It felt like he did the same thing for them, letting them process their thoughts and feelings at their own pace, helping them with whatever they needed simply by being there. It looked like the man might need a little of that for himself, so Felix tried his hardest to let the silence hang and give Travis time to settle.
“Still love the orchard, but I’m not going to find what I want there. Girlfriends don’t exactly grow on trees.” His brother’s gray hazel eyes that looked blue today because of his navy shirt met his, piercing Felix with a look he hated to see there: loneliness. He was also shocked to hear his brother admit out loud that he wanted to date. The idea of Travis dating was such a foreign concept to Felix that he wasn’t sure what to say. When he said nothing, Travis gulped and coughed into his fist. “Forget I said anything.”
Travis spun on the stool, looking like he was going to run from the conversation he was clearly uncomfortably with, but Felix caught his arm. “Not so fast,” he told his brother. “I was just a little surprised to hear it since I can’t remember the last time you ever went on a date.”
If Travis was capable of blushing, Felix was sure he would be doing it in that moment. He gazed down at the bar before wincing back up at his brother. “Been a while.” He chuckled humorlessly. “Damn near a decade in fact.”
“Huh.” Confirmation of his suspicions didn’t help ease Felix’s worry about his brother any less or give him any ideas on how to help. He was still trying to get his own shit together, so who was he to try and help Travis? As he considered his brother’s predicament, something tickled at the back of his brain. “Why now?”
Travis gave Felix a withering look. “Telling me you haven’t thought about that sort of thing more since Beckett got engaged?” He shook his head, looking even more troubled at his prospects. “Hell, even Aiden has a girl, and he’s the grumpiest bastard alive.”
Felix chuckled because both were true. His eldest brother was a grump, but Aiden had also softened enough to make room for love in his life. Beckett was strong, but he made himself flexible enough to give Willa time to acclimate to their relationship. Maybe there was hope for Travis too. Maybe he could not be the homebody he proclaimed himself to be and find someone.
Felix wasn’t sure what, if anything, would change about him if he and Autumn agreed to pursue a relationship, but he couldn’t deny wanting one. “I have thought about it, and I’m working on it.” He slapped Travis on the shoulder and smiled. “Which means you can too.”
Travis snorted. “Trying. It’s hard.”
Felix nodded just as the front door flew open and his number one employee rushed inside in a swirl of silk cloth and hairspray.
Lottie Adams was probably the hardest working person at Branch and Brew, and Felix included himself in that. Not only was she great with the customers, but she was also responsible for doing most of the paperwork side of the business while he handled the brewing and alcohol ordering. Lottie also happened to be one of the most uniquely styled women Felix had ever come across. Dark caramel curls spilled over her shoulders and the very fancy dress she was wearing seemed to sway with her every move as she strutted toward the bar.
When she got to the two men who couldn’t help but stare at the brunette bombshell, she struck a pose worthy of any starlet from the Golden Age of Hollywood. “What do you boys think?” She spun in the silky black number that looked like it was poured onto her body, enough smooth skin on display that while Felix hadn’t been sure if Travis could blush before, he was certain now.
His brother’s face turned an almost beet red as his eyes traveled the woman’s body. “Looks nice,” he said quietly. He spun back toward Felix, his eyes wide as he mouthed the wordWow.
Felix nodded. “Yeah. Looks nice.”
Lottie always looked nice, and she was also super chatty and friendly to everyone who crossed her path, but she did nothing for him as far as attraction went. He could appreciate that she was a knockout with a great personality, but Felix was too laid-back for a dynamic woman like her. Lottie wrote the town newsletter, worked at Branch and Brew, and as far as he knew, volunteered at the senior center and whipped up her stylish looks all in the same twenty-four hours the rest of them had. It was a wonder she was able to stand at the end of the day.
Felix nodded at her dress. “Very appropriate given tonight’s theme.”
Lottie beamed at the compliment. It was classic movie trivia night and she looked like she’d walked out of one of the old black and white films his mom favored. “Thanks. Though I was hoping for more than nice,” she said, shimming her way behind the bar. “Nice doesn’t always get you laid.” Travis started sputtering, choking on his last sip of cider. Lottie rolled her eyes and passed over a napkin to him as he tried to regain his composure, patting his hand lightly while giving him a placating smile. “Don’t worry, Travis. I wasn’t asking for volunteers, and you couldn’t handle me anyway.”
Lottie sashayed away off toward the back, both men watching her go, Felix with amusement, and Travis with eyes still watering from his coughing fit. Felix chuckled and shook his head as he turned back to his brother. “She’s right, you know. Neither of us could handle a woman like her.” Lottie was great, but she was alsoa lotand needed someone who was up for that kind of challenge. Felix tapped the bar and scrunched up his nose as he glanced across at his brother, trying to think of the qualities the perfect woman for him would possess. “We need to find someone more your speed.”
Travis scoffed, pulled his wallet out, and slapped a twenty on the bar. “Better look for a tortoise. S’about as fast as I go.” He smiled sadly and nodded at Felix. “Tell everyone hi later. Not up for trivia tonight.”
