“Want me to see if I can find him?” His suite was up a few floors, though somehow I doubted he was there.
“No. No. I just—” She pulled me into an embrace like it had been years instead of days that had separated us. Once she let me go, she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the sofa with her old vigor. “Tell me everything.”
“The new company is—”
“You know damn well I don’t want to hear about the new company. Mulaney. How’s it going? Has she warmed up a bit more?”
We hadn’t spoken two words to each other since the blowup yesterday, and we’d shared a lot of space. Tense, heated space.
I wasn’t sure what I was having a harder time coming to grips with: that she may have all but imploded Carter Energy or that she and my father— No, I couldn’t think of that now. Not in front of Mama. But Drew had implied she knew. In no universe did any of that make sense.
Why was Drew constantly trying to make me blame Mulaney? It was almost like he was the one hiding something. I couldn’t believe my own brother would do that. Then again, nothing was as it seemed.
“Honey? Are you all right?” Concerned eyes landed on me.
“Not really.” I slumped down in the cushions.
“She isn’t coming around,” she concluded.
I placed a hand on my forehead. “What would you do if Dad was cheating on you?”
“Is Mulaney seeing someone else?” Mama asked, alarmed.
“I don’t know.”
I shouldn’t have spoken the question. What kind of son planted a seed like that in his own mother’s head? Yet her first response was how it related to me.
She squeezed my knee. “We can figure it out. She can’t say no to me.”
I couldn’t help but return my mother’s sassy smile. Seeing her in such great spirits made me feel better too.
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to give you the grandkids you want,” I blurted. It was wholly on my shoulders, something my brother couldn’t do.
“Easton, I know I talk a lot, and I do want grandchildren, but I don’t want you to spend all your life trying to make Harris and me happy.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.” She gave me an unimpressed look. “Not completely.”
“Have I pushed you toward Mulaney too?”
I shook my head. “She’s not who I thought she was.”
Mama angled toward me. “If there is one person on this earth who what you see is what you get, it’s that girl. She’s a pistol.”
“Who are y’all talking about?” Drew sauntered over and kissed Mama’s cheek.
Dad followed behind him. “Mulaney,” he answered.
I bristled, searching for any kind of reaction from him just speaking her name. Drew waggled his eyebrows behind our father’s back. I pretended not to see, focusing on Mama.
“Should’ve known,” Drew said. “Hey, why are you two sharing an office?”
Dad flashed me a curious look, but Mama’s was knowing. “He’s doing what’s best for both of them,” she said.
“Son, I need a word with you.” Drew took a step toward the bedroom when Dad placed a hand on his shoulder. “I meant Easton.” Something unspoken passed between them I couldn’t read.
“Move so I can hang out with my best girl.” Drew took my seat as soon as I was out of the way. Mama swatted at him, but she was happy.
“Everything okay? She looks almost normal today,” I said as soon as we were in their bedroom.
“She’s had a fantastic couple of days. Gives me hope.” His shoulders sagged, a contradiction to the words he’d just spoken.
In front of me wasn’t a man with the promise of a bright future, but one who looked like life was getting the better of him.
“Do you need money?”
I nearly choked at the question. “Why would you think that?”
Dad paced toward the windows. He pushed back the curtains, revealing even more of the busy skyline. He stared out in the distance, hands in his pockets, for a long time before he turned around.
“I found a substantial number of withdrawals you made from the company accounts, but nothing matches up to the expenses.”
My heart rate kicked up. “That seems to be standard fare lately.” Accounting at its fundamental level was simple. The numbers always worked themselves out. They couldn’t be added or subtracted from one side without going to the other.
Yet the Carter Energy coffers seemed to be magical, figures disappearing all over the place.
“If anyone would know why that is, it should be you.”
Mulaney’s words came back like a gut punch. Now that the initial shock of the sale had worn off, everyone’s true feelings were coming to light. They blamed me for the failure. I blamed me too.
“I don’t disagree, but that doesn’t explain why you think I’m the one who made the withdrawals.”
Dad glanced away like he wanted to avoid the rest of this conversation. “Because your name is on them.”
I didn’t say a word. The financial stability of the company was on me, and I’d believed I’d done everything required to keep it solvent. I still couldn’t fathom what went wrong, and that didn’t work with my analytical mind. Add the confusion of Mulaney’s situation and Drew’s claims . . . and now Dad thought I’d been dipping into the company barrel too . . . I was close to losing it.
“If you were in trouble, I wish you would’ve come to me. I’m the first to admit it’s hard to ask for help, but your mother and I are here for you and Drew.”
That was rich. “You expect me to ask for help when you did this deal with SPE completely on your own?” My voice rose as the thin thread holding my temper in check stretched to the breaking point.
“I’ve explained it to you—”
“No. You really haven’t.”
“Why did you need that much money?” Avoidance in its finest form.
I stared at him in disbelief. My brother and father were my best friends. Hard to believe one of them had so little faith in me. No need to defend myself when he’d already tried and convicted me. Unreal.
“Is it too much to ask to see the evidence?” I forced calm into my tone when I was anything but.
Dad moved to his briefcase, the one he’d had for as long as I could remember. It was weathered, but my grandfather had given it to him and he refused to get a new one. He’d also struck a geyser the first week he’d had it, and the briefcase had become his good luck charm.
He’d given Drew and me briefcases when we’d started with Carter Energy, a tradition he’d said. That moment had deepened our connection on another level, one I’d taken for granted that we’d do again when I had kids of my own. If I ever had the opportunity to do the same, it wouldn’t be the day they went to work for our family business, but somebody else’s. Having that choice taken away stung.
“Here.” He didn’t immediately let go of the flash drive. “I’d give up everything I have for you, including Carter Energy if that’s what it took.”
A chill crept up my spine as I palmed the drive. I cleared my throat as it squeezed closed. “Mama and Drew are waiting.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Mulaney
“After you tour the other school, meet me at the office—what the hell are y’all doing here?”
I halted in the opening to the living room. Holly stopped beside me, and Gabriel clutched her hand, sticking close to her. I didn’t blame him. There were a whole bunch of Jacobs already here.
“That darlin’ boy, Easton, sent us some help so we could spend an extra few days up here.” Ruby got to her feet. Once she was in front of me, she pointed to her cheek, and I kissed it.
Darlin’ boy, my ass. He’d promised Stone he’d take care of getting some help at the ranch if everybody wanted to go to Paris some time. Guess he’d done it behind my back for this trip.
“What a gem,” I finally muttered, hugging my grandmama’s petite frame.
“Baby, you look so pretty
,” Daddy said, almost like he’d never seen me before.
I glanced down at my dress and heels and realized he hadn’t seen me like this very often. “Thanks.” I kicked off my shoes, past done with them for the day. “You remember Holly, don’t you?”
At some point or other, everybody had visited me at the office in Houston, but never at one time. She appeared a little shell-shocked too.
“We do, but I don’t remember that big fella,” Granddaddy said.
“I’m Gabriel,” he said, stepping out of his mother’s shadow.
“Nice to meet you, son.” My grandfather stood and held out his hand. It was so much bigger than Gabriel’s when they shook, but the boy didn’t seem intimidated anymore.
Stone pointed at my feet. “Put those shoes back on. We were just about to head upstairs.”
“Holly and I need to go over some things—” Mama’s look stopped me dead. “Let me wash my hands.”
“Where’s everybody sleeping?” I tugged on Stone’s sleeve, speaking low as we rounded up the back of the herd.
“We got it all finished up today.”
“But there were no beds,” I protested.
“There are now. Don’t mention it to Muriella. She’s been running around all day in a panic.”
“Did you know Easton was doing this?”
“You act like you aren’t glad to see your family,” he said easily.
“I am, I just—” Familiar laughter floated from the kitchen. “Anything else you forgot to mention?”
“Nope.” Stone strode toward Muriella, who was tending to something on the stove. He kissed her forehead and murmured something in her ear. The traces of stress on her face dissipated.
I’d never have that. Hell, I’d never wanted it before. A piece of me craved it something fierce now.
I pulled my gaze away, but where it landed was no better. Easton was watching me take in the exchange with a frosty expression. Where a few days ago there would have been warmth, a bitter cold was directed at me. That was what I’d wanted, right? No, I wanted things to go back to the way they were, where we were friends and damn good at working together.
Even as the thought formed, I recognized the lie. My hip burned at the memory of his fingers digging into my flesh, refusing to let me go the other night. I hated him for the way he made my firm grasp on control slip. He made me desire the impossible. But not right now. Now it looked like he hated me. Where had that come from?
“Vivian, you got any whiskey in this place?” I’d take a crutch of any kind.
“Damn, Mulaney, we haven’t had supper yet.” Mitch pulled me in for a side hug.
Gabriel approached and held out his palm to Mitch. “A dollar please.”
My brother looked quizzically at the boy even as he pulled out his wallet. “What are you going to buy with a dollar?”
“It’s for the cuss jar.”
Mitch’s cheeks tinted a pale shade of red. “Sorry about that, man.”
“It’s okay.” He clutched the money as if it were worth a lot more. “Mama, I know what I want to do with the cuss money now.”
“What’s that?”
“Let’s have a party.” He looked around the room. “When we get enough saved, will all of you come?”
Good Lord, this kid. If somebody said no, I’d deck them myself. Gabriel was extraordinary. He should feel intimidated by all these unfamiliar adults in this strange apartment in a strange city. But he just kept taking everything on his small shoulders as if there was nothing awry.
“I like the way you think.” Mr. Carter winked at Gabriel.
“We could do a theme,” Mrs. Carter chimed in.
“Puppies?” Gabriel asked hopefully.
“If you like.” Mrs. Carter beamed at him.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Holly said, reeling him in. She scruffed his hair, but it was almost done in nervousness. “We’ve got a long way to go before the jar is full.”
“Miss Jacobs, you owe seven dollars.”
“Seven?”
He nodded. “You said a bad word seven times on the way here.”
“That’s all?” Stone ribbed. “Hell, it had to be more than that.”
“A dollar, please.” Gabriel had one hand held out to me and the other to Stone, who winked at me as he reached for his wallet.
“Cover mine. I left my purse downstairs.”
“Don’t that beat all? She’s got more money than all of us put together, and I get stuck paying her bills.”
“Shut up, Stone.”
“That’s another dollar.”
Everyone snickered.
“What was the verdict on that whiskey?” I needed something and fast.
“Is this suitable?” Daniel held up a bottle of Balcone’s.
“Good man having this around,” Daddy said with approval.
“How many glasses do we need?” Vivian asked as she opened a cabinet.
“Fifteen,” I answered automatically, accounting for all the adults in the room.
“Will you take yours in a champagne flute?” Vivian held one up to me.
“I’ll have it any way I can get it.”
Daniel poured while Vivian and Stone dispersed. She handed a glass to me. “Take that to Easton, would you?”
“Give me another one for Mr. Carter,” I grumbled.
I delivered his, gave a quick kiss to Mrs. Carter, and dropped Easton’s drink in front of him, some of the amber liquid splashing onto the center island counter. “I see your mood hasn’t improved.”
“Not much reason for it.” I glanced past him to his mother, who seemed much better. “Not many,” he amended.
“Good thing I didn’t hold my breath for an apology from you.” I picked up his glass and slung back some of the liquor.
“Sometimes you have to go first, Heartbreaker.”
I didn’t care for the way he spoke my nickname. There was none of the affection or respect it usually held.
“You accused me of sinking the company,” I hissed. Mrs. Carter’s brow slightly rose though she pretended not to listen. I lowered my voice, leaning closer to his face. “If that’s not something to be sorry for, I don’t know what is.”
“I think there’s something else you’ve made abundantly clear you regret.”
I tensed. We’d managed to avoid it this long, and now wasn’t the time and place. Yet again, his attitude toward me had turned in a direction I didn’t like.
“Let’s go outside. Get this over with,” I said. Something had crawled up his ass and died, and it was more than this shit with the company.
“Haven’t you gotten in enough shots at me?” His knuckles were white as he gripped the glass and took a sip.
“I’m tired of these innuendos and games.”
“That makes two of us.”
“Don’t you just make the most stunning couple?” Vivian smiled sweetly at Easton and me.
“I’m glad you think so,” Easton said, locking his gaze on me. “Especially since Mulaney is my wife.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Mulaney
Seven Months Earlier
“We’re supposed to be here,” I said, thrusting the GPS at Easton. I was fed up with the useless piece of shit after it had led us in circles for hours.
We were out in the blazing heat of the Nevada desert on a wild goose chase, searching for some property I’d wanted to check out as a potential solar and wind-power site.
“I put in the coordinates, but this can’t be it,” I grumbled. He shifted his gaze from the screen to me, an amused smile on his lips.
Instead of flat ground, we were at the base of a mountain. One I couldn’t put a solar panel or windmill on without it becoming very costly.
He spread out my map on the hood of the Yukon and ran his finger along it. “We’re here. We have to be.”
“No need to even get out my anemometer. I don’t think a stitch of wind has ever blown here.” It was dry, hot, the sun cooking anything
within reach of its rays. “How are you not frying in that jacket?”
He still had on his suit and tie from the meetings we’d attended that morning. We’d come to Las Vegas for a conference of the leading energy companies, but I’d heard about this property and hoped it would be a good place to continue our sustainable energy projects. Aerial maps had indicated a mountain, but I’d totally missed the mark on this one.
“You’re not impressed by my ability to endure the heat?”
Sweat dotted his brow, while my entire body was misted, my black dress concealing it was soaked through.
“Terribly.”
He tilted his head to scan the mountain.
“This place might not be so bad.” He was the money man, but his instincts were sharp. I consulted him often when prospecting for new projects.
“The problem is getting the energy we harness somewhere it can be used. Until we perfect our storage methods, this isn’t feasible. There’s no infrastructure out here. The price of that alone makes it cost prohibitive.”
“Sounds like you need to light a fire under your research team.” He folded the map.
While seeking out oil was my first passion, I wasn’t so shortsighted I couldn’t see the bigger picture. There was more to sustaining the earth with responsible solutions than taking hydrocarbons from the ground. Carter Energy could capitalize on those alternatives, like wind, solar, and battery power.
Easton opened the passenger door for me, ushering me inside. He handed me the GPS and the map, which I tossed recklessly in the back.
I watched him stride around the front of the car. The man wore a suit better than a GQ model.
“Ready to go?” he asked, cranking the SUV and turning the A/C to max. The kind of wind I’d been hoping to find outside blasted me in the face, and I leaned toward the vents to get more.
“Not sure if this thing will be any use getting us back to Vegas.” I held out the GPS, and he programmed it to route us to the city.
“Here’s the plan,” he said as we went back down the rocky dirt road we’d traveled to get here. “We’ll go to the hotel to clean up. I’ll make my speech. As soon as I’m finished, we’ll get out of there. Find a place to get a good steak and drink whiskey. Then we’ll go play poker. Hustle some high rollers. Pretend you don’t know shit about it, like we did that time to the Danvers boys. With our winnings, we’ll buy the best bottle of whiskey we can afford. And from there, we’ll see what other kind of trouble we can get into.”
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