Chapter Twenty-Eight
ELI
I heldmy breath as Mom’s gaze swept around the table, a lifetime of shared history evident in her softening expression. “This whole process has forced me to face a lot of fears I preferred to bury. It brought up a lot of old trauma, but the last few months have shown me other things too. That my kids are all adults now. How trustcanbe rebuilt, even in unexpected ways. And most of all, that maybe clinging to old fears is hurting us more than taking a calculated risk with someone who is nearly a son to me too.”
A smile rose on her face as her gaze settled on Chase.“We’ll need to hash out the details, of course. But… welcome to Sunset Siesta, partner.”
The room erupted in cheers and laughter. I whooped, pulling Chase into a seated bear hug. “You sneaky bastard. Why didn’t you tell me?”
He grinned, clapping me on the back. “And ruin the surprise? Where’s the fun in that?” Then he flushed, that shy look coming over him again. “I told you I’ve beengetting itchy feet at my current job. The more I thought about it, investing in Sunset Siesta seemed like a perfect first job for Ashworth Architectural.”
I nodded. “Nice name.”
He laughed. “That just popped into my head. I’ll probably change it three times before I actually hang out my shingle. God, now I sound like Lacey.”
Harper had reached over and touched Chase’s hand. Just a gentle touch, fingers barely brushing the back of his hand, but Chase’s head whipped around, his entire focus suddenly laser-locked on her. Just like that, I might as well have been wallpaper.
“Thank you,” Harper said softly. “I hope you know what you’re getting into.”
His cheeks took on a tinge of pink. “All kidding aside, I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I’ve got money to invest, and a big project would really help get my new firm off the ground. I know all of you, not just Helen, were reluctant to go into debt. This arrangement works for all of us.”
Harper’s eyes swept around the happy room, and she barked a laugh. “I have a feeling something new is starting in this room.”
Chase continued his now very credible imitation of a ripe tomato. “So do I. I can’t wait to get started.”
After darting my eyes to Jules, I drummed both hands on the table until everyone quieted and looked at me. “One other thing. Once we’re established and the bottom line is looking less crimson, our accountant here is more than overdue for a new computer. The museum called and wants that one back.”
Still smiling, Jules cocked her head at me as Harper nodded firmly. “Absolutely. You’ve been more than patient, Jules. We’ll make sure it happens.”
The conference room buzzed with energy as Brenna handed me a piece of cake, then passed out more to the rest of us. We broke into smaller groups to chat. Braden was already pitching potential craft beer collaborations to Chase, while Austin and Ben quietly conferred with Mom, probably discussing logistics. I made my way over to Harper, who was positively glowing.
“So,” I drawled, “how long have you and our new business partner been cooking this up?”
Harper’s eyes widened. “What? No, I had no idea?—”
I cocked my head to one side. “Really? You two looked chummy. Let me remind you that he’s my friend, not yours.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, keep your fat mouth shut or you’ll chase him away and he’ll change his mind.”
“Not a chance,” I said with a wide grin. “Chase is one of those guys who means what he says. He’s kind of like a dull, boring rock like that.”
She just stared at me. “It is an absolute mystery to me how you have any friends at all.”
“Aw, you’re just jealous.” I laughed, relief from the meeting coursing through me. “Besides, I don’t need to worry about you poaching him from me. I told him years ago that I’d kill him if he went near either of my sisters. He’s a man of his word, my Chase.”
I went to grab a glass of sparkling cider from the bottles that had appeared out of nowhere and caught Jules’s eye across the room. She was beaming, her eyes sparkling with a mix of professional satisfaction and personal joy. I wanted nothing more than to sweep her into my arms and kiss her senseless.
Instead, I mouthedthank youto her. She gave me a small nod, her smile softening. For the first time in weeks, Ifelt like we were on the same page, moving forward together.
I made my way over to her, weaving through my celebratory family members, and handed her a glass of cider. “So, accountant extraordinaire, think we might actually pull this off?”
Jules lifted her glass, her eyes dancing. “Well, Mr. Coleridge, I’d say the odds are looking better than they were a month ago.”
I bowed. “High praise indeed.”
“Chase coming on board is a great idea.”
“The old boy is full of surprises, isn’t he?”
