His Reason to Stay

by Jennifer Hoopes

  “Not really,” she confessed. “Only that I think Maisie and Isaiah should be represented somehow and even our fathers and mothers, too, if possible.”

  Eli brushed a kiss at her temple. “Time to get creative, huh?”

  She chuckled as his hand traveled along her body and came around to rest on the small swell of her stomach. She no longer fought the feelings such a simple and intimate gesture brought. She’d accepted that would be what propelled her through the days when he wasn’t here. Those memories she would hold around her heart to keep it from shattering.

  “So when will we know?”

  “Know what?” she asked, ignoring the heat pooling between her legs. She didn’t think he was intentionally stoking the flame, more like her traitorous body coupled with pregnancy hormones providing spark to combustible tinder.

  “Whether they’re boys?”

  “Or girls.” She laughed. “Soonish. I think they could make a guess right now, but I asked Dr. Kitt not to mention it until he was absolutely sure.”

  “So you want to know?” He shifted and settled her more comfortably in his arms.

  “Don’t you?”

  He didn’t rush his answer, and Tabby tried to see it from his perspective. He’d really taken everything by the horns, as she’d predicted, but he’d also been respectful of her role, her place in this. Never quite stepping on toes or making outlandish demands. Well, except from her body last night and perhaps in regards to her well-being health-wise.

  “I can’t imagine not finding out, but it really is one of life’s true surprises, you know? Could we find out one and not the other?”

  She turned in his arms to face him and finally opened her eyes, soaking in his earnest expression. “No. I think it might be an all for one. And honestly, as much of a surprise as everything has been the past couple of months,” Tabby moistened her lips, giving her time to taste her words, “I really need to plan. To find a way through this change and be able to handle it.” By myself.

  “Hmmm.” He brushed her lips. “Do you think you could keep it a secret from the others?”

  “Why would we want to?”

  “Because I would love driving Sam, Lucas, and Caleb crazy with the not knowing.”

  “You’re evil.”

  “I can be.” He pulled her flush against his body.

  Tabby nipped his lip and said, “Do your best.”

  He did.

  …

  Tabby shut her laptop and laid her head down on her desk. The silence of her office should have been encouraging, but who was she kidding? Nothing was getting accomplished at the moment.

  If she’d time-traveled to the future and someone had told her the events of the past two months, she would have laughed maniacally and jumped back though whatever wormhole she’d traveled. Partnership had become a staple in her household. She and Eli, balancing each other, pushing each other to the best of what they were capable of. He’d dived headfirst into the company, learning everything he could to enhance her new role, and no matter how close she looked, how far she probed, she found no hint of resentment or that he was unhappy in being right where he was.

  It made her even more uneasy.

  She’d accepted everything in the beginning because she knew there would be an ending. It was what made her choice if not precisely easy then at least sensible. But the end wasn’t coming. And that was the problem. She needed it to come. She needed him to break her heart so she could move forward. This relying on him was too easy. Like it was meant to be. And that was a fool’s dream.

  No time to wallow any more than she was. She had made her bed, and lying in it she would do. Picking up a bright green folder, she opened it and flipped through the bottle designs sketched out from all angles. A small smile formed.

  This had been her idea. Sitting with Mr. England’s representative and her own marketing head, the idea for the frosted crystal bell-shaped bottle had popped into her mind. Adding Mr. England’s hotel logo in chrome slashes that attached the silver stopper, even she had to admit it was sleek and stylish while still retaining the essence of Brodie.

  She flipped through several more times and then initialed each page and slid the folder into a manila envelope and placed it in her outbox.

  “Reuben with lemon water, at your service.”

  A quick glance at the clock on her wall showed he was right on time. “Joining me today?”

  “Yeah, Mateo said he would have something for me to taste in about ten before I run back over to The Lodge.” He paused and steepled his fingers. “I’ve been summoned.”

  Unease punched a one-two. And the chip Tabby snagged from her carton scraped her throat raw as she forced it down. Why would he be summoned to The Lodge?

  “Any idea why?”

  He bit off a pickle and shook his head. “I’m sure I’ve done something to get under Sam’s skin. Apparently, my breathing these days is a problem.”

  Tabby had noticed the hostility pretty much from Eli’s return, but she’d yet to uncover just what his twin’s issue was. Maybe in the midst of a day where she had to schedule bathroom breaks, she could pop over and see if she could ferret out the reason.

  A knock had them both turning to the doorway. Mateo beamed and presented Eli with a flask.

  “Forty-year select.”

  Eli swished it, and Tabby was mesmerized by the reddish amber color. Her dad’s truly first batch. The first one her grandfather had trusted him to mix on his own.

  Her gaze dropped, and a tear hit the pile of reports below her lunch. It was the latest in simple things that set her off, and she imagined it would only get worse. Moments with the babies that her sister and brother-in-law would never see.

  “Tabitha,” Mateo said.

  She looked up, rubbing her eyes and fooling no one.

  “I saved some for you. You know, for after the babies arrive. Good toast.”

  She smiled at her new master distiller, her thanks caught in her throat.

  “Might have to drop a word into Sam’s ears when he berates me later today about this.” Eli took another taste. “Major perks of working for you, Brodie. How much of this will you have?”

  “Two thousand cases will go out,” she said.

  Eli whistled. “Select seems appropriate.”

  “Don’t forget to approve the bottles for England,” Mateo reminded.

  “Already done.” She tapped the envelope. “Thanks, Mateo.”

  Her new master distiller tapped the frame and left.

  “What’s this about bottles? I thought Brodie’s were distinctive. Never changing anything but the label.”

  “Tsk, tsk, Eli. And here I thought you’d paid attention to the deal you made.”

  He arched his eyebrow. “Someone distracted me when I got home.”

  He stood and slammed her office door shut with his foot. One snick of the lock and Tabby found herself drowning in a gaze so full of heat that it was a wonder she wasn’t a puddle of hormones at his feet. Eli crooked his finger, and she willingly pushed back and crossed over to him. He touched one finger just under her chin, tilting it up and brushing her lips with his thumb.

  “Now who’s distracting who?”

  “Complaining?”

  “Not. At. All.”

  Hands moved, bodies engaged, and a minute later Tabby straddled Eli on the chair. No clothes were shed, only the friction of their bodies driving them up the mountain. Nips and moans. They swallowed as much of the sounds as they could until eventually they breathed for each other.

  She dropped her head against his heaving chest. His heart echoed the thumping rhythm of hers.

  He planted kisses on her head and whispered, “That was a first.”

  She peeked at his face. Peaceful, relaxed. Happy. “Me, too.”

  …

  “You wanted
to see me?”

  Sam looked up. “You’re late. Shut the door and have a seat.”

  Eli bristled at the command, but for the sake of at least trying to get through this conversation, he rolled his shoulders and did as he was asked. Besides, his lateness had come from a very good reason.

  Plopping in the chair, he crossed an ankle on his knee and steepled his fingers. He might have acquiesced to the command, but he would be damned if he made anything easy for Sam.

  “When are you leaving?”

  Eli rolled his eyes. He should have known. The lecture on Tabby. On how he always ran. Well, while actions were the path he chose to use with Tabby, words—heated ones—would be for Sam.

  “I’m not.”

  Sam sighed so heavily Eli wondered if he was auditioning for the stage. He sat back in his chair and tapped his pen along the edge of the desk.

  “Hasn’t the charade gone on long enough?”

  “Charade? You’re the one acting like you’re the lead in some damn soap opera. What am I doing that’s so damn wrong?”

  “You’re leading Tabby on.”

  Eli rose and leaned over the desk. “I cannot believe you think so little of me that you would believe I would do that to any woman, let alone Tabby. What happened to us? Why are you so against me now? What did I do?”

  “You left.” The words were raw. Angry and tortured. “Every time you ran off to do your thing, you left us here to carry on, never looking close enough to notice that maybe others needed you. I needed you. Mom and Dad needed you.” Sam hauled in a deep breath and whispered, “Did it ever occur to you that maybe someone else needed to leave, too? That someone else might have wanted something different?”

  Eli collapsed back into the chair under the weight of the question. He couldn’t voice the answer. The answer they both knew. All these years he’d worn blinders, unintentional or not. Money and other family members didn’t fill a void when someone wasn’t there. He’d thought they’d understood, that Sam had understood. And Sam had, even more than Eli had known, because apparently Sam had felt the same way. How could one make up for such a mistake? How could one ever get back lost moments?

  Sam continued to stare at his desktop, and Eli couldn’t ease any of the pain and anger his brother carried. Not right now. Not with Tabby his priority.

  “I’m not leaving her, Sam.”

  He left his twin in the same position and the unsettled problem between them sucking the air from the room. Guilt propelled him through the halls of The Lodge until he stumbled out onto the porch.

  Eli searched for someplace to go. He didn’t want to see anyone right now. Talk to anyone.

  Except.

  Ten minutes later, he was on the paths to the graves. Better to unburden and question everything when the participants couldn’t answer back. He carried two bouquets of flowers, both scavenged from the fields beside the road. Wildflowers in the Smokies were incomparable, and it was the perfect time of year for them.

  He stopped in front of his mother’s grave first and laid the small vibrant flowers at the base of the stone.

  “Hey, Mamma. Brought some mountain laurel. Scent always reminds me of you and our walks.”

  He settled on the ground and rested his arms on his legs.

  “Sam and I are at it. And as much as I’ll deny saying this, he has a point. I do what I think is best for all concerned, but there’re consequences to that. You always told me to follow my heart and dreams, but there are always repercussions and ripples.”

  He laid back and stared through the canopy opening. Several birds crossed the path above as he remembered the first time he’d hiked with his mother and became fascinated with the animals they’d seen. She’d encouraged it. Bought him his first camera. After she’d passed, he’d hiked several times with his dad who, while not as openly enthusiastic, had still pushed Eli to do what excited him.

  What excited Sam?

  Had Sam wanted something else? Was being the head of Ellis Industries not his passion? Of course, he would have never expected to be the head, with both their father and brother around, but he’d always seemed to enjoy working for the company.

  Then again, Eli had never asked.

  Eli sat up and smiled at his mother’s marker. Pushing up, he moved down to Maisie and Isaiah. Dropping the other bouquet, he thanked them for the blessing of their babies and apologized for not being there.

  “But I promise to be here for Tabby and your children. They’ll know love and encouragement every hour of every day.”

  Finally, he moved back up to his father’s grave. Brushing a few leaves off the top, he rested his hand on the cool marble.

  “You should be here. You all should, but you the most. You were our lynchpin, Dad. I can’t be you.” His chest tightened painfully. “No one can, really, but I think you knew I never could. And that it had nothing to do with not loving you or our family.” Eli blew out a breath. “But maybe the rest of us combined can be you. Or a close enough second that the company thrives. Sam’s doing great, but he’s trying to do it alone, and it’s time we reminded him how strong the Ellises are—together.” He looked at the engraved letters. “Maybe you could send him a little sign to encourage family cooperation.”

  The loud screech of a hawk echoed across the woods, and Eli smiled.

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “What about this one?”

  Tabby looked over to see Eli gliding back and forth in a rocker. She shook her head. “The arms aren’t padded.”

  He sighed and got up. They’d been shopping all day, and his frustration mounted. She wanted to remind him that he was the one insisting on getting a head start, but now didn’t seem like the time.

  She didn’t know what she wanted the nursery to look like, and if she was being brutally honest, she didn’t want him to help. There were many memories of the past weeks that she relished and would pull out when he left, but to have to raise the children in a room that he’d helped pick out and design seemed a little masochistic. She couldn’t hide from it and tuck it away if it was too much, and she wouldn’t want the babies to be in anything less than a safe, peaceful, and loving environment.

  And somehow she knew, given enough time, he would create the perfect place. He knew her that well.

  “Maybe we should concede defeat today?”

  Eli came over to her. “Are you feeling well? Too much?”

  She placed her palm on his cheek. “I’m fine. But we’re not making any progress. Maybe try again when I have a better idea?” And you’re not here to stamp your essence on it.

  He searched her face a bit more than nodded. “Probably be easier once we know what they are?”

  “They’re babies, Eli. Not much more to know than that.”

  “Yeah, but the whole blue/pink thing.”

  She stopped him with her arm. “I may not know what I want, but I guarantee you neither blue nor pink will figure into it. Maisie hated those colors.”

  Eli swallowed whatever his argument was and motioned for her to proceed. The drive back to the cabin was quiet, but just as they turned past the far malting house, Eli broke the silence. “I can do it.”

  She drew her gaze from the tree line. “Can do what?”

  He shifted the truck into park. “The nursery.”

  Weariness flooded her system to the point that she couldn’t even manage the seat belt. She was so tired of fighting the emotional battle and a bit angry at having to do so. She’d allowed him into the cabin because she thought it preferable to the knock-out-drag-out-fight to get him gone.

  Mistake number one.

  Then she’d allowed him to worm his way into all aspects of her life. Work, home, her bed, and even baby planning. Sure, he was a co-guardian, but no one, his family included, seemed to think that was a position he intended to activ
ely participate in.

  Mistake number two.

  “Thank you, but I have it.”

  The atmosphere grew chilly, and she knew if she glanced over, his arms would be crossed and his face harder than granite. She popped the release on the belt and opened the door. She made it as far as the porch before his door opened and his boots hit the ground. Could she make it into the cabin and lock him, and the impending argument, out?

  “Why not?”

  She should have gone for it.

  “Because I’m more than capable of handling it.” She turned to face him, mustering up all the conviction she desperately needed. “And you’ll be leaving soon.”

  “Kicking me out?”

  “No, of course not.”

  He stepped closer. “Found me a new job?”

  She stood her ground and crossed her arms. “Don’t be ridiculous. We both know what your job is.”

  Another step brought him to the bottom of the steps. “Too stubborn to accept any help?”

  “Now you’re being an ass. I think the past few weeks have shown I’m more than capable of accepting help.”

  “Then why the hell do you keep bringing up my leaving? Have I mentioned it? Told you I’m bored? Given you any reason to suspect I’m less than happy with helping you? Being here with you?”

  She shook her head. Her worst fear was pouring out of his mouth. Help. Obligation. Support. Valid reasons in his book to put his life on hold. Not valid reasons for him to be with her. Rubbing in her face all he was doing and she wasn’t.

  “Then stop bringing it up,” Eli said.

  He pushed past her and into the cabin. She glanced over her shoulder at the open door. Pulling it shut, she moved back down the steps and toward her truck. She couldn’t be near him right now. Smell him, see him, be pulled in by her love for him. So she went to the one person who might help her get him gone.

  “Sam, you have to help me make Eli leave.”

  Sam looked up from the book in his lap and frowned. “Why?”

  Tabby plopped into the patio chair beside him and sighed. “Because he doesn’t belong here.”