“We…” I faltered, then pushed forward. “The other night, she came over here to discuss an issue we’re having with the pipes in Room Block One. Something happened between us.”
Eli didn’t blink, didn’t move. His silence compelled me to continue.
“We kissed. Well, a lot more than that.” I didn’t elaborate, knowing Eli wouldn’t want details. “It wasn’t planned, but it happened. And I can’t stop thinking about her, Eli.”
I braced myself for anger, for the protective brotherly rage I’d feared. Instead, Eli remained unnervingly calm, studying me with a perceptiveness I rarely saw from him. “You and Harper? Huh. At least you both got some action.”
“I was half-expecting you to tackle me,” I ventured, uncertain of this measured response.
Eli picked up his glass again and took a deliberate sip. “Would it make you feel better if I punched you? Because I could do that if it helps.”
The deadpan delivery made me choke on my bourbon. “No, that won’t be necessary.”
“Good, because I just had my nails done.” He flexed his fingers dramatically. Then his expression became serious, the joking façade dropping away. “Listen to me very carefully, Chase. Harper isn’t just another woman. She’s been hurt before. Badly. Finn’s father walked out when she told him she was pregnant. Didn’t even stick around long enough to see his son born.”
I nodded, absorbing the gravity in his tone.
“She had to rebuild her entire life around being a single mom. Everything she does, every decision she makes, is with Finn in mind. That kid is her whole world.” He leaned forward, his eyes locking with mine. “If you’re just looking for something casual, or if you’re not sure what you want, you need to walk away now. Harper and Finn deserve stability, not complications.”
“I’m not looking to hurt her,” I said quietly. “I honestly don’t know what this is yet, Eli. It caught me off guard. But I respect her too much not to treat her right.”
Eli studied me for a long moment. “You know, you two are a lot alike. You’re both responsible to a fault, both put everyone else first.” He shook his head. “Your timing sucks, though. Even worse than mine and Jules’s. Congrats.”
“So… you’re not going to kill me?”
“Not today.” Eli picked up his glass again. “Harper’s a grown woman who makes her own choices. I don’t get a vote. But she’s also my sister, and Finn is my nephew, so I get to say this once—if you hurt her, I will absolutely make your life miserable in creative and painful ways.”
“Understood.” That leaden weight lifted from mychest, even as a new one settled in its place. Eli’s blessing came with expectations—to be worthy of Harper’s trust, to consider Finn in any decisions I made.
“Besides,” Eli added, “you two are some of my favorite people. If you can make each other happy, who am I to stand in the way? Just… be careful. There’s a lot at stake.”
“I know.” I swirled the remaining bourbon in my glass, watching the ice shift. “I’m going to talk to her, figure out what we both want.”
“Good.” Eli nodded, then reached for one of Jules’s cookies. “Now can we please talk about something else? I’m gonna need you to spare me the sordid play-by-play of you and my sister. I guess that might become a new rule between us.”
I laughed, relief washing through me. “Fair enough. How about those Hammerheads?”
We fell into an easier conversation after that, discussing everything from the upcoming dive season to my latest projects. By the time he left a couple of hours later, things between us felt mostly normal again—our friendship intact, if somewhat altered by this new dimension.
I remained on the deck after Eli’s departure, nursing a third bourbon and staring into the darkness. The night had descended fully around me. Crickets and distant waves provided a soundtrack to my thoughts.
Eli’s reaction had been better than I’d feared but brought with it a deeper responsibility than I’d anticipated. His understanding wasn’t permission to pursue Harper. It was a trust I couldn’t betray. I thought about her, about Finn, about the complicated path ahead if we decided to see where this attraction led. And we needed to consider not just our own feelings but the potential impact on Finn, on the renovation project, on the complex web of relationships that connected us.
