Everywhere and Every Way(82)

She dragged in a breath. “I told him about a house that needed renovation and said he should buy it. I agreed with him, Cal. I felt as if his strengths weren’t being used to his advantage. He seems to have a gift with redesigning and conversion.”

Cal cursed under his breath. “Morgan, you don’t know what’s going on. He needs to keep his focus on projects that make money fast.”

“Dalton and Tristan have different interests, which should make Pierce Brothers stronger as a whole. Not every job needs to have a short-term profit. They’re thinking on a grander scale, and they’re back to help you. I think it’s wonderful they wanted to come home and try again to be part of the business. I’m sure they were devastated by your father’s death.”

He averted his gaze, and her Spidey sense tingled. Why did he suddenly look guilty? The waiter came by with their ravioli, and Cal concentrated on his bowl like it held all the answers. She was missing another part of the puzzle but didn’t want to push. Did they even have that type of relationship? Should she respect his space and privacy, even though she ached to share every last secret claiming this man’s past?

Suddenly he spoke. “They don’t want to be here with me, Morgan. I never told you about my father’s will.”

She reached across the table and grasped his hand. The hard lines of his face hurt her heart. “Tell me,” she said softly.

His fingers squeezed hers. “My father put conditions on retaining ownership of Pierce Brothers. We have to live together and run it at a profit for one full year.”

She nodded. “Okay. I know living together is a challenge, but, Cal, I rarely see your brothers at home. We only ate with them a few times; it’s almost like your house is a ghost town. It’s not like you’re all stuck in a close space.”

“True.”

“Plus, you’re already running the company at a profit. That won’t be a problem.”

His wince told her differently. “We started at ground zero. Meaning that all profits before the will went into effect were void. It’s like starting a new business from scratch.”

The full situation finally struck her. His original reluctance to build the house for her. His visit to her hotel to bargain for terms she thought was like a game. This project was much more than a healthy dose of money in their account or a way to build clientele. If they didn’t hit the projected deadline and deliver, Pierce Brothers would fail. She’d forced his hand by removing all of his other clients so he’d be forced to work with her. And if he didn’t succeed, Cal would lose Pierce Brothers.

And it all hinged on her.

She leaned back, removing her hand, and tried to process. Her pulse skyrocketed in a bit of a panic. She didn’t want this. Didn’t want an emotional stake in a business deal that was supposed to be cut-and-dried. Dammit, that was the reason she avoided relationships on the job—the stakes were way too high.

“You’re getting spooked again,” he said drily, taking a sip of beer. “This has nothing to do with you, Morgan. This is about me.”

A mess of emotions roiled and rose. “How can you say that? I had no idea this house was a make-or-break deal. Oh, my God, and I put pressure on Jet McCarthy to decline your bid! I played a game to win, not realizing what was going on. I’m

sorry.”

Sparks shot from his eyes. His jaw clenched, and he lowered his voice to a commanding tone that still gave her shivers. “Stop it. Don’t you put this crap on yourself. You protected your clients to get the best deal, and that’s your job.”

Guilt tinged her tone. “I know, but I was ruthless about getting what I wanted.”

His lips twitched. “Tell me the truth. Even if you’d known about the will and I declined your project, would you have played your hand differently?”

She thought about it hard. And as much as she hated to admit it, Morgan realized she would’ve done the same exact thing. “No,” she said miserably. “I still would’ve bribed Jet and forced you to build my house.”

He grinned. “Good. That’s the right answer. There’s no blame here, Morgan. I told you for a different reason.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to tell the truth to someone who gives a shit.” He gave her raw honesty without flinching or sugarcoating it. “Because you mean something to me, and I don’t want to hide stuff from you. That’s all. I don’t want pity or rage or for you to solve the problem. I just wanted you to listen.”

In that moment, something shifted within her. A need to give him everything and anything he wanted surged inside, crashing through her like a tsunami until she closed her eyes, fighting to keep control. He was a proud man. A good man. A strong man. Sharing the details of the will allowed her entry into his secrets and his motivation behind the tension with his brothers. They chose to stay for Cal, but the resentment still beat in their blood. She didn’t know how it would end with them. Would they stay? Move on without a glance back? Make peace with each other?