Eli’s face filled with satisfaction. “That’s the Jules I know. Plan A and Plan B both in effect.”
I grinned. “I had this vision of Lacey changing her mind at the last minute, and there I’d be, stuck wearing some hideous taffeta monstrosity. Fortunately, we’re all still on track.”
Eli’s smile was warm. “You’re a good friend, Jules.”
I shrugged, feeling oddly vulnerable. “She’s been there for me. I’m happy to be her maid of honor.”
Talking about Lacey brought her brother to mind. “Any idea what Chase is cooking up for this meeting next week?”
Eli’s playful expression sobered slightly. “Your guess is as good as mine. But knowing him, it’ll be thorough.”
I nodded, my accountant brain kicking in. “We’ll need to be smart about balancing the renovations with our budget constraints. Prioritize areas that’ll give us the biggest ROI.”
“Look at you, all business. You’re right, though. We can’t go overboard.”
I chewed my lip, thinking. “The dive shop could use an upgrade. Hell, so many things do.”
“Yeah. There’s the rub.”
“Who else is coming?” I asked, curious about the family dynamics at play.
Eli ticked off names on his fingers. “Me, you, Chase, Harper, Ben, Braden. I invited Brenna and Austin, but they couldn’t make it.”
I nodded, noting the absences. “What about Helen?”
Eli’s expression turned sheepish. “Ah, about that…” He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it further. “I may have deliberately left her off the invite list this time.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Bold move, Coleridge. Any particular reason?”
He sighed. “She wants to step back from the day-to-day. But you know Mom—she’s having a hard time actually doing it.”
I knew Helen well and understood she had mixed feelings about updating the resort. “And is that the only reason?”
Eli shook his head. “Chase is working hard on this, and I don’t want him cut off at the knees before he’s even started. This is just a preliminary meeting. We won’t make any decisions without her full input.”
Which brought back that she would likely not be pleased about Eli and me seeing each other. I certainly felt guilty about that. So was I agreeing to keep our relationship secret so we could delay the inevitable? Or as an excuse to avoid getting close?
Except I am getting close.
I couldn’t deny that. We’d been together nearly a month now and I still couldn’t get over how two people with such different personalities and outlooks could mesh so well.
Eli picked at a loose thread on the blanket, suddenly fascinated by the worn fabric. The silence stretched between us, broken only by the gentle lapping of waves against the shore. “I almost called you the other night, but I chickened out.”
I cocked my head, trying to hide how shocked I was at his admission. He was so confident! “Why?”
A flush crept up Eli’s neck, but he recovered quickly, flashing me that trademark grin. “What can I say? I’m a coward when it comes to beautiful women who can eviscerate me with spreadsheets. Or rejection.”
My heart did a little flip at thebeautifulcomment, but I pushed the feeling aside and smiled back. “I’d say we’ve moved past the rejection part.”
“Ah, but how am I supposed to know that?” he replied with an arched brow. Then he placed a hand against his chest. “Can you imagine? Me, the charming beach bum, completely crushed by your indifference?”
“You are nothing if not melodramatic,” I teased, matching his tone, though my heart fluttered at what he’d said. His admission lingered in the air, pulling at something deep within me. Did he care more than I thought?
“Hey, I’m serious,” he continued, the casual bravado slipping just a notch. “It takes guts to reach out when you’re not sure how the other person feels.”
I reached out and stroked his hand, absurdly touched. “Well, for future reference, I would have answered. I would have been happy you called.”
Eli’s smile softened, and for a moment, vulnerability flashed in those dark-blue eyes. “Noted.”
