The light on the porch was on, and both his brothers’ vehicles were parked in the drive. He walked inside and found them in the kitchen, platters of cold turkey, bread, and a bunch of condiments spilled over the counter. Suddenly the shake didn’t seem enough.
He tried to grab a platter. “Hey, where’d you get the turkey?”
Cal slapped his hand back. “Me first. Morgan picked it up for us. She’s out with Sydney.”
Tristan finished stacking the meat on his bread, adding the perfect measured amount of mayo. He’d set aside his potato salad on a separate plate. The guy was a bit OCD when it came to his food. Mom had told them that as a toddler, Tristan used to scream when different foods touched on his plate. He denied it, of course.
“Haven’t seen you in a bit. How are things going?” Tristan asked.
The leftover turkey was finally passed to him. He’d always gotten screwed at dinner because he was the youngest. By the time it was his turn, most of the food was gone.
The memory of his mother hiding pieces of garlic bread and whipping them out just for him made him smile. It was still a pang, but he liked to think of the good things, rather than the ending.
Anything but the ending.
“Been busy working on the job at My Place. I’ll be able to do the cabinetry you need for the Cummingses’ place. Did they decide on the materials?”
Cal shoved his sandwich in his mouth and chewed with joy. “Walnut. They decided to make the cabinets larger, though, which threw off all our figures. Brady was pissed, but not as much as me.”
Dalton shook his head. “They signed off on the final contract.”
Tristan gave a snort. Even rude noises sounded elegant coming from the middle Pierce brother. He still wore his three-piece suit and sharp red tie, and smelled like he’d just showered and shaved instead of spending the day in the office or running around to sites. Unbelievable. “Problem is we want them to be completely satisfied. As long as they know it’ll cost more, we’re smart to accommodate the additions or changes.”
“Spoken like a true company man.” Dalton took a seat on a bar stool and stretched his legs out. “I like to give them as few choices as possible because I always know best.”
“Spoken like a true egotist,” Tristan said.
“Don’t forget to get Sydney the invoices for the job at My Place—that’s a nice profit.”
“Sure. I told Raven she could pay in installments, though.”
Tristan and Cal stared at him. Ah, crap, here we go. “You allowed her to finance?” Tristan asked in astonishment.
Cal raised his voice. “First off, you know that’s the number one rule we rarely break. Once we deliver the product, we get the money. Lesser companies have gone bankrupt. I swear, Dalton, keep your fucking love life out of Pierce Brothers.”
Dalton half rose from the stool and choked on his temper. “Don’t treat me like some lackey rather than a full partner,” he shot back. “Think I’d offer that if I thought for one second she wouldn’t pay? I pushed her for more work, knowing I could get both the money and the marketing from her bar. She’s too damn proud to miss a payment, and already said she’d pay it off early.”
Slamming his ass back on the stool, he glared at both of them. “Now, don’t piss me off any more than you have.”
Silence descended. He brooded, ate his turkey, and the tension finally calmed.
“Fine. I’m sorry,” Cal offered. Tristan nodded in agreement.
“Let’s forget it,” Dalton said. He fought fiercely with his brothers, but in the past year there had been one unwritten rule they all abided by: no more grudges. Their tempers might burn hot, but they forgave easily. It worked for all of them.
“How’s Raven?” Cal asked. “Morgan really wants her to come to dinner. I think she has a girl crush. She’s always saying Raven this or Raven that. It may be the cocktails. Or the tat.”
Dalton grinned. “I have my own crush, and I don’t need any competition.”
“Still no play?”
His grin disappeared at Tristan’s question. “It’s not like that. She’s different.”
“Didn’t look any different when I caught you walking from the shed. You both had guilty looks plastered all over your faces.”
“Just a kiss.” The memory of her lips opening under his shot a bolt of electricity through his body. “I’ve never felt like that before.”
Cal regarded him steadily. “Meaning you want her long term?”
He blew out a breath. “She wants long term, but that’s not my thing. Doesn’t mean we can’t have a deep, satisfying relationship for however long we’re both happy. For now, I’m trying to be her friend. Learn more about her. Figure it out.”
“Good luck with that,” Tristan said. “I’ve never been able to figure a woman out, so now I don’t even try.”