A Guide to Being Just Friends(47)

It was a perfect segue for something he’d put off bringing up. Wes cleared his throat. He didn’t want to piss his brothers off but reality intruded. It was his job to look out for them. “It would be worthwhile, since you’re both living with women you love, to consider how tightly you want them tied to your finances in the future.”

Chris’s eyes popped open. He sat up straight. “Are you talking about prenups?”

Wes looked out at the yard where Hailey was bent over laughing at something Grace was saying. A warm buzzing feeling filled his chest. “Yes. As happy as you are, protecting yourselves and your assets, our assets, is just good business.”

Noah set his beer down with a slam, making it fizz over the top. “Screw that. Grace is it for me. I’m not asking her to sign anything.”

Wes rolled his eyes. “Could have called that one.”

Noah made a dismissive noise. “Whatever, man. If I mess things up and she leaves me, she can take what I have. Nothing matters without her. Least of all money. She wouldn’t want it but, as you said, we’re living together, so she’d deserve her share of it.”

Wes’s chest tightened. This right here is what love did to a person’s brain. It was this sort of thing that terrified him to his core. Would he gladly step aside from everything just to feel a chemical explosion of feelings? “Her share, absolutely. But not of our business. Would you really give up everything you’ve achieved, what you’ve worked for, what we’ve worked for, if your relationship ended?”

His father had made his mother fight for her share as a way to get back at her and, oddly enough, get her back. Of course, it didn’t work and things only became more toxic. His brothers would never do that to the women they loved.

Chris held up a hand. “Don’t get into this right now. You don’t get it, Wes. I understand what you’re saying. Noah, you know he’s looking out for us. His brain only operates on one setting and that’s smart business practice. But Wes, man. There’s nothing remotely businesslike about falling in love.”

His skin heated and he hoped his cheeks didn’t darken, giving away his frustration. Snapping his computer closed, he nodded, his jaw tight. “While I haven’t been in love, I do understand wanting to protect someone, which is what both of you want for your future spouses. That’s all I’m doing here. Watching out for people I love.” They didn’t see the parallel but just as they’d do anything for Everly and Grace, so would he, for them.

“Let it go. Grace was right. It’s Thanksgiving. Let’s put work away. How many holidays did Dad fuck up with work?” Noah shook his head like he was remembering something unpleasant.

“Too many. Either of you talk to Mom?” Chris asked.

“I spoke with Ari this morning. She was flying out to meet up with her from now through Christmas.” Wes hadn’t realized until he saw her face on the screen this morning how much he missed her. He’d enjoyed talking to her so much and wished she could meet Hailey. Wished she were here now.

“I’ll call her later tonight,” Noah said.

The women were heading to the porch. Grace went straight to Noah’s lap. Everly sank down beside Chris, nestled into the crook of his arm. Wes was happy for his brothers but he worried about their inability to separate the emotional from the practical.

“Hey,” Hailey said, sitting on the ottoman. Her happy gaze landed right on him and his heart muscles pinched. Not the same.

Fiona and Tilly went into the house while Tara took a seat in the rocking chair.

“It’s a bad sign when I’m tired from throwing a little ball around,” Tara said, leaning her head against the cushions.

“Getting your ass kicked is hard work,” Grace said. She took a drink of Noah’s beer.

“Why is it so serious up here?” Tara looked around at all of them.

Hailey met Wes’s gaze and his heart did that twinge thing again. It was uncomfortable and getting harder to dismiss but if anything, his brothers’ stubbornness strengthened his resolve.

“You okay?”

“We’re fine. Conversation got a bit heavy. Our dad’s being a pain in the ass.” Chris kissed Everly’s cheek and took her hand. She gave him a shy smile but even from where he sat, Wes could see her gaze was full of love and trust. Of course Chris would want her taken care of. Grace as well. Maybe his brothers weren’t all wrong.

“I hate lawyers. I hope we don’t need one,” Tara said.

Grace murmured something to Noah, who looked at Tara. “How’d it go with the landlord? That guy has an army of suits around him. It’s impossible to have a face-to-face conversation with him.”

Tara nearly snarled. It was strange given her typically even temperament. “I was face-to-face with him and didn’t enjoy it.”

Wes looked at Hailey, who was playing with the stitching on the hem of her shirt. “What am I missing here? Is this about the merchants’ meeting?”

Tara gave Wes a strange look. “Yes. Our rent went up twenty-five percent.”

“What?” Wes sat up straight. “That’s outrageous.”

“Isn’t that illegal?” Everly asked.

Noah shook his head, his forehead creasing with his deep frown. “No. Not for commercial real estate. He’s up to something.”