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“Yeah, but maybe it’s time to take a new tack. She’s been much more positive about it from the start.”
“He won’t like it,” she said in a rush. “You know how much he likes to be in charge.”
“Well, I’m sick of this shit. I just want to get this contract signed, so we can start phase two.”
“Phase two?”
“Full western distribution. We’ve talked about this.”
Tessa felt slightly light-headed at exactly what was at risk here. Eric had a plan and it was lying in her hands right now, already dying, and he had no idea. “Right. Phase two,” she murmured. “I just didn’t know you had a name for it.”
“I’m going to call Monica,” he said, already moving toward his office.
“Wait,” she squeaked. Then she yelled it louder and scrambled out from behind her desk. “Eric!” She caught up with him as he was sliding into his chair. “Luke came by the brewery last night to talk to you, not me. You should call him.”
His hand had been reaching for the phone, but it froze as if she’d hooked him up to a live wire. “What?” he snapped. “Are you insane? You want to get me arrested for threatening a cop?”
“He had news about the break-in.”
Eric sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Damn it, Tessa. I’d rather the brewery be robbed a hundred times than let you be involved with a man who’s going to hurt you. So no, I do not want to talk to Luke right now. Or ever. Got it?”
This time when her throat closed, it was with tears instead of anxiety. Everything Eric did, he did because he loved them. He might be difficult and humorless and controlling, but he did it for his brother and sister and he always had. “Okay,” she whispered before stepping back. She didn’t go to her office, though. Instead, she leaned against the wall and held her breath as Eric picked up the phone. She heard him push the buttons. She even heard the faint chirp of the phone ringing on the other end.
Tessa held her breath and told herself that Monica Kendall wasn’t going to tell Eric what had happened. The woman was a businessperson; she couldn’t possibly explain what had gone wrong and still maintain her dignity. Still, when Eric started leaving a message, Tessa nearly sobbed with relief.
She walked toward the front room to grab Jamie and shake him. Unfortunately, there were two men at the bar, waiting for Jamie to draw pints. Before he could turn and see that she was upset, Tessa backed up and retreated to her office once again.
Hadn’t she just been congratulating herself? Now her life was spiraling out of control again, and she couldn’t even lean on Jamie. He’d been convinced from the start that Eric should know the truth. Idiot. She should go to Monica Kendall. Tessa should’ve done that from the start.
Before anyone came looking for her again, Tessa grabbed her purse and her phone, and headed for the door. The High West offices were near the Denver airport, but she could take the toll road and avoid traffic. And with the new awkwardness between her and her brothers, they might not open her office door for hours.
She drove toward the airport as if she were fleeing something. Not her family, not even Luke, but the weight of the choices she was making. The burden of hoping she was doing the right thing. She wanted it to be right, so she drove fast and hard, playing music so she wouldn’t have to think. She rolled the windows down so she couldn’t hear the thoughts the music didn’t drown out.
The air changed from crisp and cool in the shadow of the mountains to heavy and warm on the plains north of Denver. She could tell a storm was coming long before she saw the black clouds rolling up from the south. She’d get a nice lightning show on the drive home.
Thinking about the weather got her the rest of the way to the High West office, and Tessa walked in without thinking what she would say. The desperation of this act told her everything she needed to know about her chances, but Tessa merely smiled and stopped before the receptionist.
“Hi, I’m Tessa Donovan of Donovan Brothers Brewery. Is Monica Kendall in?”
“She’s at lunch at the moment—”
The door whooshed open behind Tessa, and she turned to see Monica Kendall walk in with another woman. They were laughing, seemingly carefree, and Tessa felt a sharp jolt of dislike for Monica. Her black hair bounced as she walked, her head was thrown back and her Hollywood-white teeth glowed as she laughed. How could she be so damned happy? Surely she knew the problems she and Jamie had caused.
Tessa was happy to see Monica’s smile falter when they finally locked eyes.
“Oh,” Monica said. She waved her friend on, and stopped before Tessa.
“Hi. Can we talk?”
Monica shrugged. “Why not?”
No, Tessa didn’t like her at all. She’d met her before, but it had been in an organized setting, and all Tessa had registered was Monica’s model-like thinness and sharp beauty. Now she saw that her beauty wasn’t the only thing sharp about her.
She strode down a hallway without another word, so Tessa followed, admiring Monica’s pale gray linen suit despite herself. A glance down at her own outfit made Tessa wince. Working in a bar, it was easiest to come across as the girl next door, but now she wished she was wearing heels and a dress. Another reason to resent Monica Kendall.
As they walked into a big office, Monica took a seat behind a huge mahogany desk. “What can I do for you?”
Tessa took an uninvited seat in one of the brown leather armchairs and decided there was no point beating around the bush. So to speak. “Your father is ready to walk away from this deal. We both know why.”
