A Guide to Being Just Friends(88)

“I’m good here. How are you guys? I had brownies and coffee with Everly and Grace today. I met Grace’s friend Rosie.”

Both of his brothers shook off some of their moods and engaged with Hailey. It made him happy they all got along well.

“The patio around the pool is just about finished. We’ll have a BBQ when it’s all done,” Noah said. “You guys can stay over.”

Wes nodded. That would be great. Hailey looked at him questioningly. He smiled at her but answered Noah. “That sounds good.”

He didn’t know where to start. Clearly his brothers were here for a reason but he didn’t want to get into his own confessions with Hailey here. Not yet. Plus, he wanted to see if she was really okay about Ana.

Chris and Noah exchanged a glance. Of course, it was Noah who threw the bold statement at them. “I’m guessing you two are serious?”

Hailey’s gaze widened.

“Goddamn it, Noah. Have some tact. We’re not doing this now.”

“What’s going on?” Hailey’s voice was nearly timid. It didn’t suit her.

Noah stood, gesturing back and forth between them. “I’m not waiting. This isn’t about tact, it’s about honesty. What the hell, Wes?”

To his credit, Chris winced, shrugged an “I’m sorry” at Wes, but he stood, moved next to Noah.

“You guys know.” Son of a bitch. He should have just told them.

“Know what?” Hailey asked, looking at him.

“There’s construction going on at your place?” Noah asked Hailey.

She nodded uncertainly. “Yes. The new owner is remodeling. I think she’s planning on a huge apartment or something. I’m not sure. Tara always knows more than me.”

Noah and Chris looked at Wes. He set his beer down on the coffee table, refusing to squirm under their censure. He opened the patio door, stood by it for a minute.

“Wes? What’s going on?”

He turned and looked at the three of them.

Noah shook his head. “If you wanted it that bad, fine. Why go behind our backs?”

“That’s not what this was, Noah. We decided it wasn’t right for SCI. But I felt strongly about it.”

“Should I go?” Hailey reached for her bag. His brothers looked at him, brows lifted.

Wes gave a deep sigh. “You should stay but know, you’ll likely be mad at me by the time they’re done.”

Her fingers gripped her bag and she pulled it onto her lap like it was security. “Okay. You’re worrying me.”

“I know the owner of your building. My brothers decided not to invest.”

Her shoulders sagged with what seemed like relief. “Oh. Okay. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you guys. It would have been nice to have your meeting space just upstairs.”

Chris’s mouth tightened. Noah smiled at her. “We’ll probably still do that.”

Hailey looked at him. “What am I missing? I don’t like games. What’s going on?”

One more reason to like her: she didn’t like games. She didn’t play them and looking at this from behind, he could see he’d made a pretty big mistake.

“The new owner is our mother.”

If she hadn’t been firmly planted on her butt, she looked like she would fall over. “I don’t understand.”

Wes shoved both hands in his hair then tugged at his tie, pulled it off, and tossed it on the kitchen table. “It wasn’t the right investment for our company but I still felt strongly about the space. So, I spoke to my mother, asked her to weigh in. She’s been thinking about moving to California or at least having a place here. I mentioned the area above the shops. Sent her some pictures. She loved it.”

“You let Mom invest her money in something we agreed wasn’t a good investment,” Chris said. His brother’s tone was disappointed. It felt like a kick in the gut.

“Not a good investment for us. But for Mom, it is. She’ll have more space at a better price than if she’d bought a condo. She’ll be finishing the two small apartments that have been empty for months because of the cost. We can have the meeting area; she even said she’d charge us for it. Plus she’ll have rent from the shops. It works for everyone.”

Hailey sucked in a breath. “Wait.” She took a deep breath. Like sucked in for a full five seconds, then released it. She met Wes’s gaze. “Did you suggest your mother buy the shops to help me with the rent?”

He continued to stare at her, unwilling to regret making her life easier. It was a good move for everyone. “That was a factor in my decision, yes. But that doesn’t mean she would have purchased them regardless. She’s thrilled. It’s a good investment. I wouldn’t put my mother in a bad situation.”

Hailey stood almost as if in slow motion. “That’s good to hear. But, if I’m understanding correctly, what you would do is go behind everyone’s backs, including mine, to make sure my rent was reasonable.”

He shoved a hand in his hair. Everyone always told him he was too black and white, too literal. Now he understood. What he’d done was in the gray area. Technically, what she said was true but it was more complicated than she said. “We would have lowered it if we’d bought it.”

She nodded, pursed her lips. “But you didn’t buy it. Why would an owner move in and lower the rent?”