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“It was worth a shot. I’ll be happy just to ride in it. Beckett, are you coming for the ride?”
Again, Pavel laughs. “There are only two seats in the car, Cormac. Beckett would have to follow us.”
Cormac grins at Beckett. “Sucks to be you.”
As the three of them head out, I grab Beckett’s arm. “Hang back a second.”
He nods, then says after the other two, “I’ll catch up. Go on without me.” They leave, and he asks, “What’s up?”
“This isn’t what I want.”
“What are you talking about? This is everything you argued for. Your design and your architect. Ever since you thought Pavel was available, he is all you talked about for a month.”
“Yes, I am aware of that, but I don’t want to work with him anymore. Elsie’s designs are better, and I want to continue to work with her.”
His eyes widen. “Are you kidding? Do you know how much work Cormac put into this? How much I helped?”
“And I am grateful to you both— I swear. If things were different, this would have been the most incredible gift you two had ever gotten me. But her designs are better. They will take the resort into the future. Pavel’s half-measures are just that. He’s got a foot in the past and the future, and that won’t cut it. I won’t work with him… unless we have no choice.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“If Elsie’s father needs more care or something, if she has to ditch on the project…” I gulp. “But only if she is the one to say she’s out. It has to be her choice. Not because Cormac hired Pavel behind her back.”
He frowns. “I thought we were helping.”
“And I get it. Under normal circumstances, this would have been great. But this could make things so much worse for Elsie right now. Shelovesher work. If she gets fired from this project while she’s already dealing with everything with her dad, this is—"
“Oh. Shit.”
“Exactly. And I’m worried she has already heard about the Pavel situation, but I don’t know because I don’t have my phone.”
“Here, man, take mine.” He passes me his phone after he unlocks it.
“I don’t know her number. I programed it in after her boss gave it to me.”
“So, call him.”
“Right.” I call Walter, who gives me the number, and I hang up before he can ask too many questions. Then I dial her up. One ring. Two rings. More, until it goes to voicemail. “Hey, Elsie. It’s Beau. This is Beckett’s phone. I just figured out mine is missing. Uh, call us or send a text to let me know you’re okay.”
I stare at his phone for a minute. “Why isn’t she responding?”
“Give her a break. She’s probably dealing with her dad.”
“Yeah.” I huff at myself.
“You’re wound pretty tight over this.”
“I am. This is a lot of pressure for her—"
“For her or for you?”
I blink at him. “What do you mean by that?”
“The resort is the biggest thing you have ever done in your life, Beau. And you ditched us all to go help the architect on the project with a family matter.” He runs his fingers through his dark hair to stall. “I’m not saying her family matter isn’t important. But I am saying it’s unlike you to ignore the biggest thing in your life for someone who amounts to a business acquaintance. Is there something going on between you and Elsie?”
Unfortunately, I don’t lie to my brothers. Okay, I lie to Cormac sometimes because he can be a bit of a prude, but not Beckett. Never Beckett. “Keep it to yourself, yes?”
“Always.”
