Laugh out loud. We’re still invited.
Hailey
Sounds good. Also, did you seriously just type out LOL?
Wes
I don’t like acronyms
Hailey
YASAD
Wes
????
Hailey
You. Are. Such. A. Dork.
Wes
If you’re not familiar with acronyms, they can be bothersome to decipher.
Hailey
TWSS
Wes
Okay, even I know that one.
Hailey
Do you?
Wes
That’s what she said?
Hailey
Yup. Acronyms can also be a shorthand with people you’re close to. Like secret coded messages!
Wes
How do you make everything fun?
Hailey
IAG
Wes
I have no clue
Hailey
It’s a gift
Wes
You have many.
Hailey
I should go.
Wes
GNH
Hailey
???
Wes
Goodnight Hailey
Hailey
Did you just make up an acronym for me even though you hate them?
Wes
I didn’t say hate and yes. Some people are worth adjusting for. Your turn. You make one for me.
Hailey
IAU
Wes
Hmmm … It’s not I owe you
Hailey
Which should actually be IOY not IOU
Wes
Agreed. I give up
Hailey
I adore you.
Wes
Damn. You win. GNH. IAYT.
25
“Why are we doing this on a Friday night?” Noah asked.
Because for some inexplicable reason, Wes needed to take his mind off the fact that Hailey was on a date. They let themselves into the space above Tara’s bakery with a key she’d given them.
“We won’t be long and you didn’t have to come.” Wes turned on the lights.
“Shit. I knew it would be perfect. We need to push him on this,” Noah said, hands on his hips as he turned in a slow circle.
“It’s this space, three apartments that he overcharges for, and the shops below,” Wes said, remembering what he’d dug up on the Vanderben property.
“We’d own the lease on Tara’s and Hailey’s shops.”
Which meant they could lower the rent. “That’s fine. It’s a great investment if we can get him to sell.”
“I have some news on that,” Noah said. He pulled up his phone, scrolled through something, then passed his phone to Wes. “It’s an email from a friend of a friend.”
The email talked about an investment opportunity that had come up. One of the names on the list was the landlord of this particular building.
Wes looked at his brother. “So he used this place as collateral to invest in a deal that didn’t work out as well as he hoped.”
“Now he’s stuck. He’s invested in the other property, which has been put on hold. He’s paying a high mortgage on that one but not getting any income from it. He’s using these shops to cover the cost of the deal that went south.”
Shit. That complicated things.
“What does Chris say?”
“That we can push it forward but we’ll lose money.”
Wes swore, passed the phone back, and walked through the space. Right now, it was fairly bare except for a couple of long meeting tables, some chairs, and an empty watercooler.
Was he being too emotional about this? He couldn’t push and he’d never made a decision that impacted him personally as well as professionally.
“We’ll make up the loss if we buy him out, even if we overpay as incentive for him to do the deal. I’m positive. Tara’s and the vintage shop are pulling in nice little profits, they’ve been here awhile. Those are stable. We lower the rent on those apartments, get people in them, use this space as our office.”
Noah was saying all the things he was thinking. Wes turned to meet his brother’s gaze. “You don’t think it’s risky to put him on the spot?”
Noah shrugged. “He’ll tell us to go to hell or he’ll be happy someone is throwing him a rope. He saves face, we get what we want. Is this about Hailey?”
“Not entirely,” Wes said. His brother knew him too well. “I just want to make sure I’m not making a financial decision based on personal reasons. I’d really like for the rent to drop for her sake and Tara’s. Hell, and the other shop owners. It’s hard enough to keep things going in an ever-changing economy. They don’t need some so-called businessman raking them through the coals because he wants a piece of a bigger pie.”
“Doesn’t sound like you’re being too touchy-feely about it. It’s okay for some of our investments to have a personal connection.”
Wes strolled to the window. He really liked the openness, the high ceilings, the windows that looked out onto the street. “That goes against one of dad’s cardinal rules.”
“And he’s sitting in an ivory fucking tower, three weeks to Christmas with not one person who loves him at his side. What’s going on with you?”
“Let’s go get a drink,” Wes said.
Noah shrugged. “Sure. I know a place.”
Wes forced himself to think about nothing as he watched the palm trees whip by from the passenger’s seat of Noah’s SUV.
The space above Tara’s felt right. It was exactly the kind of space they were looking for. What they were proposing, giving Vanderben above his asking price, wasn’t unethical. Financially, the cost would work out in their favor. He had zero doubt about that. You wanted the space before you met Hailey. Before you knew she existed. Did he want it more because he knew it would benefit her, and if so, how was that different than what his brothers wanted for their one-day wives? If he was all about protecting them and their investments, was this the most sound route for all of them? He’d been able to tell himself these confusing feelings when they texted, talked, or hung out were innocent. Simple. For the first time in his business history, Wes was questioning his own motives.
When Noah pulled up to a valet, Wes didn’t even register where they were until they got out of the vehicle. Noah threw his keys to a kid in a black T-shirt. The emblem on the shirt was barely visible but Wes read it just as the kid said, “Welcome to Finnegan’s.”
Noah had come around the hood of his SUV to walk beside Wes but Wes wasn’t moving. “Let’s go, man.”
“I thought this place was hard to get into,” Wes said, looking around.
Noah laughed as a couple moved around them, went through the massive, open, double glass doors. “Maybe for dinner. But not for a couple drinks. The little bungalow Grace and I bought in Laguna was sold by the owner. He said I could drop in anytime. What the hell is with you? You look like you swallowed something gross.”
Wes swallowed, walked through the doors with Noah. It was a big place. It would be fine. “Nothing.”
Noah gave him a brotherly shove on the arm. “When was the last time we had a hard time getting in anywhere?”
Wes glared at him. “We aren’t in New York. No one knows us here.”
“Why the hell are you whispering?” Noah’s gaze was dancing with brotherly I’m-going-to-make-whatever’s-bugging-you-worse humor.
“Hailey’s here.”
Noah looked around, his head whipping side to side almost comically. A tall brunette in skyscraper heels, a black turtleneck, and a black knee-length skirt approached them.
“Gentlemen. Do you have a reservation?”
Noah pulled his wallet out, flashed a card that Wes figured was from the owner. “Just here for drinks if there’s room at the bar.”
The woman leaned closer to the card. “Mr. Finnegan’s guests are welcome in the VIP area of the lounge. Let me show you the way.”
“Where do you see Hailey?” Noah whispered.
“I don’t. She’s on a date.”
Noah’s eyes widened. “Oh. Shit. Is that awkward for you? We can go.”
He nearly tripped over his own feet. He’d told his brothers time and again they were just friends. “Why would it be awkward?”
The woman turned when she realized they weren’t following. “Gentlemen?”
Noah’s jaw tightened and he gestured, not very subtly, for Wes to get moving. “I don’t know. You’re the one acting weird. I just want a drink.”
Wes lowered his chin, hoping that Hailey was tucked away somewhere in a far corner booth with a view of anything other than Wes arguing with his brother.
“Let’s go,” Noah said.
They followed the hostess past tables, up a small ramp to a lounge area. Everything was sleek, black and chrome. Soft lighting and folk music added nice touches. In one corner of the lounge, slightly removed from the rest of the tables, was a circular bench seat. The hostess led them there and said someone would be right with them.
Before she walked three steps, her look-alike took her place and asked for their orders.
“I’ll have a martini. Dry please,” Noah said, his charming smile locked in place.
“Vodka tonic, please,” Wes said, scanning the groups and couples sharing meals on the floor in front of them. Their seat was like balcony seating at a play. They had a view of everything.