Bad Boys Do (Donovan Brothers Brewery 2)

“Gee, thanks.” But even as Jamie fell back on his normal tone with his brother, his pulse sped with something far less cynical.

“If we were going to serve food here—if—then this would be a good idea.”

He didn’t like the way his pulse leapt with hope, so he tamped it down with a snarl. “Let’s not pretend you can change your mind that quickly, Eric. Let’s not pretend you could take one look at this portfolio and see the light.”

Eric arched an eyebrow, but Tessa was the one who answered. “We want to talk about it, Jamie. If you can give me some time to go through the numbers, if you can let Eric and I have some input, then—”

“No. I’m not going to let you lure me back here with scraps like a damn pet. You’re right. This is a good idea. It’s my good idea. And I’m not interested in having Eric smash it down until it’s safe enough for him. I’m not interested in giving up bits and pieces of it while you orchestrate a negotiation between us, Tessa.”

“We’re partners,” Eric snarled. “We all get a say.”

“You mean you get a say. You always get a say. When have you ever asked for my advice or permission?”

“I always run things by you—”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know the difference, Eric. You run things by me and Tessa on a fast train with no brakes. You keep us notified for courtesy’s sake. You don’t ask us shit.”

Eric leaned forward, his mouth opening on a response, but Jamie cut his hand through the air to stop him.

“If you deny it, brother, you’re a goddamn liar and we both know it.”

He watched the anger creep up Eric’s face in a tide of red. His hands turned to fists. But he didn’t deny it. He was too honest for that.

“If I come back—if—then this is going to happen.” He slapped his palm against the cover. “It’s going to happen my way, and I’ll be in charge of it. All of it.”

“Jamie,” Tessa cautioned.

“No, Tessa. No. I’m not going along this time. I’m not worried about keeping the peace. This idea is solid. It hardly requires any investment at all, and there’s no significant remodel. It’s a goddamn gift, is what it is.”

Eric huffed. “You can’t really expect us to make a decision like this on the spot.”

“Of course not. And the same goes for you. I meant it when I left here. If I’m coming back, then I have to be sure.”

Eric’s eyes slid to Tessa. They stared at each other for a long time. Finally, Tessa’s hand curved over his arm. “You’re serious? You’ll think seriously about coming back?”

“I will.”

“All right. Then Eric and I will go through this line by line. We’ll need at least a few days to consider it.”

Jamie recognized that tone. He heard it every day while Tessa was on the phone with suppliers or distributors. It was the voice she used when she meant business.

Suddenly, this was real. It wasn’t another family argument. There was a deal on the table. His deal.

“All right,” he said quietly. “Call me when you want to meet.”

Tessa reached for the portfolio and Jamie stepped back, nearly falling back into the chair.

“We’ll need to review it.”

“Oh, right.” His hands tightened on the rough texture of the cover. He hadn’t even seen it yet. Olivia had done this. His mind couldn’t figure out what he felt about that. “Would you mind if I take it to my office for a minute? I haven’t seen it like this yet. There were only loose pages before.”

“Sure. Of course.”

Jamie walked slowly to his sparsely furnished office and closed the door behind him. He collapsed into his chair before he finally let out a shaky breath. He’d stepped into a rabbit hole. None of this made any sense. Maybe he’d been thrown from his bike and was still lying up there on the mountain with a giant lump on his head.

Watching his own hands carefully, he slowly opened the cover of the portfolio and began to review it. She’d done an amazing job. That night at her apartment he’d barely been paying attention, but now every page stood out in vivid detail. It was all here, every idea he’d gathered. Every number he’d researched, plus some of the things he hadn’t gotten to yet. It was all there in full color on glossy pages. By the time he turned the last page, his hands shook.

Why had she finished it? More important, why had she given it to Eric instead of Jamie?