“Nice. Cal made you pay for that stuff?” He turned and shot his brother a look. “You couldn’t even give it to her for free, dude?”
Cal shrugged. “It’s business.”
Morgan laughed and walked out of the kitchen. “Wouldn’t want it any other way,” she called out.
She strolled out with a light heart and a promise to come clean with Cal.
Soon.
Cal took his coffee out to the front porch and sat down in his favorite wicker rocker. The dogs dropped by his feet, their heads resting on each ankle, and he gazed out over the sprawling acres of lawn spreading as far as he could see.
He was in love with her.
Should’ve probably told her. He’d been a bit caught up in the sex and the need to mark her. Then she collapsed into sleep so fast, he didn’t feel like it was the right time. He’d tell her, though. She needed to know. Cal wasn’t sure if she was ready to say the words back to him. The woman kept her emotions tight, but the way she had looked at him last night and confessed she didn’t want him to hurt gave him a clue.
He had three months left. To build a house. To make her stay. To get her to fall in love with him.
“She’s cool.” Tristan dropped in the chair next to him with a matching mug. Some of the tension had eased between them since last night.
Cal nodded. “Yep.”
“Did you tell her why we were at the bar last night?”
“Yep.”
“Things good between you both?”
“Yep.”
“Thanks for the heart-to-heart, bro.”
Tristan started to get up, but Cal shot his arm out and grabbed his brother’s. He let out an aggravated breath. He wasn’t used to sharing, but it was time he got used to having his brothers back in his world. “I’m in love with her.”
Tristan jerked back. “Didn’t expect that. She feel the same?”
“Not sure. I haven’t told her yet. I’m afraid she’ll make things more complicated than it is.”
“She’s a woman for a reason, dude. It’s her job.”
They shared a grin, and Tristan leaned back in the rocker. They sat in a comfortable silence that men understood and women bitched about. Within the silence, emotions worked their way out. “You really gonna try to take the company from me?” Cal finally asked.
Tristan waited awhile before answering. Just sipped his coffee and considered. “I’m not doing it to hurt you. I just feel it’s best for the company to incorporate flipping houses and real estate. I think it’s smart to have Dalton run the woodworking part, even though he sometimes goes nuts with his creative crap and pisses customers off. He’s still the best.”
“He is one talented son of a bitch.”
“Makes his ego even bigger than it should be,” Tristan said. “At first I didn’t want to stay here. I had my own life in New York, and I liked it. But being back in Harrington, building houses again, working in the company, things started to stir. Now I want to stay. This is my home, but I can’t continue as a lackey, Cal. I can’t be ignored. And if I have to fight you to take control of the company to make my voice heard, I will.”
Cal listened to the calm explanation and waited for the rage to hit. But it never came. He actually understood what his brother was saying. Oh, hell, he didn’t like it, and he intended to make his own points known, but Tristan had never gotten the shot he always craved. His father had refused to let him have his dream. And the company was called Pierce Brothers. Founded by his mother for all three sons.
Not just Cal.
The acceptance was hard. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, and there’d be a mess of pitfalls and stumbles, but Cal wanted to try. Because last night in the bar, with his brothers, he’d found a happiness he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
“I’ll try.”
Tristan gave him an assessing look. “Don’t patronize me.”
“I’m not. When Dad refused to listen, and you took off to New York, I was sick. I felt like I had let you down. I told myself I was doing what was best for all of us, but the bottom line is I never fought for you. I don’t think I wanted to. I liked being the one to call the shots. And even though Dad was hard to work with, there was a payoff being the only Pierce brother here. Makes me feel like shit, but I’m being honest. Maybe it’s time we try again.”
“You’re open to letting me flip and do real estate?”
Cal nodded slowly. “We have to go slow. And we have to do everything possible to make sure Morgan gets her perfect house and we turn a profit by end of year. After that, yes, I’ll work with you.”
Tristan gazed at him for a look time. “You’ve said this before and things didn’t change.”
“I want to try again. Give me another shot.”
His brother sipped his coffee. “Okay.”
It was the best they were gonna get. Cal was satisfied. Nothing was guaranteed, and their promise could explode before they even got close, but steps had finally been taken.
For the first time, Cal felt like they had a true chance.
chapter twenty
Let’s cancel the party. Stay home alone. In bed.”
Morgan ducked as Cal dove for her, throwing her hands up to ward him off. The sexy gleam of mischief in his eyes told her he’d hunt her down and ravish her. “No!” she said. “It’s been a few weeks since we’ve all been in the same room together. It’ll be fun.”
“I see my brothers enough, thank you very much. They just want a home-cooked meal. They’re spoiled.”