Cal turned off the music and waited. His brother stopped his sanding motions and turned his head. Messy blond waves framed his face, giving him an angelic look that always startled an onlooker, especially women, urging them to trust his charming words and lopsided grin.
“You just couldn’t keep your dick in your pants, could you?”
Dalton unfurled himself from his kneeling position, stretching his arms over his head with a lazy lion’s grace. Wariness crossed his features, but he showed no weakness. Another lesson well taught under their father’s tutelage. “My dick in trouble again, bro? What’d I do now?”
Rage flicked at his nerve endings, but Cal swore he’d be an adult. He would not punch his brother today. He would be calm, and controlled, and not act out on the need to communicate in a physical manner. “I had a meeting with Zach Griffin today.”
“Yeah. For the framing, right?”
“Right. He said we need a structural beam for the main living area.”
Dalton frowned. “I thought Brady redesigned the plans. Sydney filed them with the inspector’s office. No beam is needed.”
“That’s what I said. Imagine my surprise when Zach told me about his daughter Ashley and her so-called relationship with you.”
The light went on in his brother’s blue-gray eyes. Oh, yeah, the bastard knew what the real problem was. “Ashley? The pretty blonde with the curves? That’s his daughter?”
“Yep. Not that you waited to know much about her or her family when you tumbled her for a night, then dumped her.”
Dalton threw his hands up. “Slow down, dude. Ashley and I met at the tavern and hit it off. I never promised her anything long-term.”
“Funny, ’cause she thinks you did. Unless her idea of long-term is an actual date, and you ditched her after you got into her pants.”
Dalton crossed his arms. “Why are you so obsessed with my sex life? I like women. Women like me. When I take one to bed, she knows exactly what the deal is, and most of the time comes back for more. Ashley and I met at the tavern, hit it off, and went back to her place. I told her I’d call but didn’t say when. How was I supposed to know her father would get involved? Besides, that’s unprofessional. Get another inspector.”
Cal ground his teeth. “There is no one else. Zach made sure of it. And if you paid attention to anything but wood and women, you’d know to keep your damn hands off anyone related to my business!”
“Our business. Pierce Brothers. My personal life has nothing to do with work.”
“Oh, yes it does. When it affects this project and causes problems with our deadline, your personal life is very much my business. If we don’t get Zach back out here pronto and make him feel better about this situation, we’ll lose two weeks, which we can’t afford. God, when are you gonna grow up, Dalton?”
Fury leaped into his brother’s eyes. Like a pissed-off stallion, he practically reared up and snarled, getting in his face. “When I’m treated like a partner and not some annoyance. When I’m finally respected and asked questions rather than told by a fucking drill sergeant when my projects are due. When I’m invited to business meetings instead of to the bar after work.”
“You don’t think I want that?” Cal tunneled his fingers through his hair and held on to his temper. “Dude, that’s my dream. I don’t want to do this alone. I thought we were going to be a team, but Tristan is still off tinkering with real estate, and you’re taking on odd jobs to work on cabinets, and I’m stuck building this house that we only have four months left on. I’m going to lose everything if this house isn’t done. I’ve been waiting for you to step up, but if I keep waiting, hell’s not just gonna freeze over, it’s gonna turn into the Arctic!”
Dalton began to pace the woodshed, his body vibrating with tension. “We’ll lose everything, Cal! Not you—us. I may not want to be here, but this is Mom’s company, and no way do I want to lose it. I’m tired of asking you to treat me like a full partner. You’re so used to doing everything alone, I don’t know if you’re truly capable of letting us help anymore. You block us at every turn.”
Cal glowered. “What are you talking about?”
“Tristan and I both tried a bunch of times to be on the site. You tie him up with suppliers and accounting, then double-check everything he does. When Morgan and I decide on aspects of the cabinetry, you want to sign off on it first. We know how to build, Cal. Instead, you depleted your team and have us doing errands to suppliers a competent office assistant can handle. You give us this big lecture about being a family and helping each other, but you’re still a one-man show.”