The pool table.
A dent in the bar.
He touched nothing.
“Fifteen years.”
Cassie said:
“That’s a long time.”
“Depends what you’re avoiding.”
Before she could answer, Graham’s truck entered the lot.
Tommy saw it.
His shoulders stiffened.
Graham came through the door moments later.
Stopped.
The two men stared at each other from three feet apart.
Cassie had never seen her father look afraid of another person.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
“Graham.”
“Tommy.”
Neither moved.
Tommy gave a humorless smile.
“You got old.”
“So did you.”
“Not as gracefully.”
“Never were pretty.”
Something broke.
Not completely.
Enough.
Graham pointed toward Tommy’s cup.
“You drinking that?”
“Apparently.”
“Then you need real coffee.”
Tommy nodded.
“Coffee would be good.”
Within an hour, the clubhouse filled.
Hank arrived first.
He walked through the door, saw Tommy, and stopped.
Then crossed the room quickly and wrapped both arms around him.
Tommy held on longer than either man seemed willing to acknowledge afterward.
Maria came next.
She stood in front of Tommy.
“You look terrible.”
“So do you.”
She hugged him.
Then punched his shoulder.
“That’s for fifteen years.”
“I probably owe more.”
“Yes.”
Members continued arriving.
Some knew Tommy well.
Some knew only the story.
Some had joined after he left.
Derek arrived last.
The room quieted.
He removed his gloves slowly.
Looked at Tommy.
“Didn’t think I’d ever see you here again.”
Tommy nodded.
“I didn’t think I’d come back.”
“So why?”
Tommy looked toward Cassie.
“Heard Graham’s daughter was writing about the club.”
Derek’s face hardened.
“So?”
“Made me realize your history includes the parts you’re embarrassed by.”
“That supposed to be wisdom?”
“No.”
“Just the truth.”
Derek stepped closer.
“My father died believing you betrayed this club.”
Cassie’s pen stopped.
Tommy did not look away.
“Bull believed I betrayed his version of the club.”
“Same thing.”
“No.”
Derek’s jaw tightened.
Tommy continued.
“Your father and I loved the Iron Wolves.”
“We disagreed about what loving it required.”
“What does that mean?”
Tommy looked around.
“In the early 2000s, guys started coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.”
“Younger than us.”
“Same look.”
“Different war.”
“I’d see them at veterans’ events.”
“Some were okay.”
“Some were drowning.”
Graham looked down.
Tommy continued.
“I wanted the club to build an outreach program.”
“Nothing fancy.”
“Rides.”
“Mentorship.”
“Help getting connected to services.”
“Somebody to call at three in the morning.”
Derek said:
“So we were supposed to become social workers.”
Tommy’s expression hardened.
“That’s exactly what Bull said.”