Page 27 of Forever Only Once
“Maybe. I’m still at the stage where it’s not ready for eyes.” I had locked the door behind me, and he didn’t have a key. Nor did I have a key to his studio. That’s how it had always been. This was our art, and it was personal.
I didn’t know exactly why I didn’t want to show him. It just felt like something of mine, and I didn’t want to share it.
Or maybe I was being paranoid.
Hell, that was just one more nail in the coffin, wasn’t it?
“I see,” Chris said, his voice smooth, if a little icy.
What did he see?
Chris continued. “I won’t keep you, then. Have fun with your brothers. Wish me luck with this client.”
“Is this the project you’re hoping to make a lot of money on?”
“Oh, that’s another one, but that’s already on the line. Don’t you worry, I’ll be raking in the cash soon. You’ll wish you had joined me.”
“I’m doing just fine, Chris.”
“And that’s your problem, Cross. You’re always just fine.”
And on that note, Chris walked out, leaving me to close up the rest of the building. I didn’t mind as it was something I did most days. But hell, he was really good at putting me in a shitty mood.
I got into my car and made it to my house, thankfully before my brothers got there, and quickly pulled out the lasagna I had made that morning. I shoved it into the oven, not bothering to preheat the damn thing, knowing that likely wasn’t smart, but whatever. I really wasn’t in the mood. And Arden was the better cook. I just followed her directions and used the sauce that she had put in my freezer.
The doorbell rang, and then Prior walked in, Macon and Nate with him.
I shook my head. “At least you rang the doorbell.”
“You know us. We walk where we’re not wanted,” Macon said, a mock growl in his voice.
“Oh, shut up. You know you’re wanted. I was just surprised that you rang the doorbell at all.”
“We do have manners,” Prior said, grinning. “And we brought beer and bread.”
Nate moved to the kitchen island. “And I brought Italian salad fixings. You know, with the homemade dressing that Arden made for us that tastes just like the Olive Garden kind?”
“Hell yeah,” I said, smirking. “You know, I’m sure Mom would want us to have wine with this, but I could really use a fucking beer.”
“It was in the cooler in the car, so it’s still cold,” Macon said, uncapping one and handing it to me. We each took a beer, clinked bottles, and I chugged half of mine as the others stared at me after they’d taken their sips.
“You want to talk about it, big brother?” Prior asked.
“I fucking hate my job,” I growled and then went to the oven to check on the lasagna.
“Chris is a douchebag. You need to dissolve the partnership. You don’t need him.”
I looked at Nate. “I might not need him for the clients I have, but a lot of our reputation is tied up in the two of us.”
“I don’t know if that’s true,” Macon said, frowning. “You guys have completely separate client lists at this point. Most of the time, you have to explain the Chris part of your Chris Cross company name,” he added.
I shook my head. “I just don’t know. I have a bad feeling.”
“Come and help me with the salad, and then cut up some bread and finish your beer. Then, you can have another, and we can figure this out.”
“You know, given all our jobs, I just wish one of us was a fucking lawyer,” I grumbled.
Macon shrugged. “Sorry, big bro. We all decided to do our own things.”