Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
ELI
“You gonna eat that or just rearrange it?” Chase pointed at my plate with his chin.
I shrugged, not putting much effort into the motion. “Not super hungry, I guess.”
I leaned back in my chair as I surveyed the cheery turquoise walls of Braden’s pub on a Sunday afternoon. Across the table, Chase was demolishing his fish tacos with surgical precision. I picked at my own club sandwich.
“Uh-huh. Since when are you not hungry?” He set down his half-eaten taco.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’ve got a lot on my mind, okay?”
“Like what?”
“I think…” The words stuck in my throat.
Chase’s gaze sharpened on me. “You think what?”
I ate a fry, then whipped my head back and forth. “Nah, forget it.”
“Eli, what the hell is eating you? Whatever it is, it’s recent. You weren’t like this last weekend.”
“No, I wasn’t.” I took another swig of beer for liquid courage and looked him in the eye. “I think I’m falling for Jules.”
Chase’s eyebrows shot up. “Huh. That’s not what I expected.”
“Yeah, well, join the club.”
“I take it the scuba lessons are going well, then?” He looked like he was trying not to laugh, damn him.
“She’s…” What? What exactly was Jules?
“I thought you two hated each other.” He finally started laughing and I threw a fry at him. That only made him laugh harder.
“Well, things have changed.”
“Damn, you must be some scuba instructor.”
I smiled smugly at him. “That goes without saying.” Then my face fell. “But Jules has surprised me a lot. I think she’ll be a great diver.” Unlike Chase’s sister, who I had serious doubts about.
“Right. So you’re not torturing her with her nickname? She’s been forbidding me to tell you about it for years.”
I snorted. “I did a little at first. But she explained it, and… I dunno. It was like she revealed a side I never knew existed. But you’re still a dick for hiding that from me.”
“Caught in the middle, bro. Nothing I could do about it. But you and Jules are getting hot and heavy?”
“No. At least not yet.” I laughed, but it turned into a groan. “God, I’m such an idiot.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I almost kissed her the other night, but instead, I bolted like a scared teenager.” The memory made me cringe. “I literally chickened out, too afraid of rejection.”
My whole reaction had been weird. Stepping in at Salty’s to protect her hadn’t been something I’d even needed to think about.
Then, while walking her home, we’d had by far the most insightful conversation ever.
Yet I couldn’t seal the deal at the end.
The funny thing was, I was pretty damn sure she wanted me to kiss her. She was giving off that vibe for sure.
Chase’s expression softened. “I admit, that’s not your usual move. This clearly means something to you.”
I nodded, my chest a tight ball. “Maybe. I’m still trying to figure it all out.”
I’d been sitting on a bar stool when I saw her on the dance floor and was stunned at how her hair was loose, how free she looked.
I froze in place, unable to look away. First, the sight of her had made me want to slide my fingers through those silky tresses, then it had made me want to grab a double handful, yank her head back, and kiss her until she melted into a puddle.
“Did you two go out?”
I shook my head. “Friday night I decided to go to Salty’s. I was tired and wanted to be invisible. Salty’s is a good place for that.”
Chase nodded. “Go on.”
I explained about the asshole and how seeing that Jules was clearly not into him had made me go full-on caveman. I’d been so full of testosterone, I’d been ready to punch the guy into the next county.
Chase listened intently, his hazel eyes thoughtful. When I finished, he leaned back, a slight smirk playing on his lips. “You know, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you this worked up over a woman before.”
I rolled my eyes, but my stomach did a little flip. “Come on, man. It’s not like that.”
“Isn’t it?” Chase challenged, his voice gentle but firm. “Eli, you’ve been my best friend since we were kids. I’ve seen you with plenty of women, but never once have I seen you this… contemplative. You’re actually concerned about her feelings. That’s new for you.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I took another swig of beer, buying time as my mind raced. Was Chase right? Was Jules different?
The thought didn’t please me.
I didn’t want different. I liked my superficial, fun relationships with no strings.
I stared at the condensation dripping down my beer glass, memories of my parents’ bitter divorce flooding back.
Mom’s tear-stained face as Dad packed his bags.
Her thunderous silence in the weeks that followed.
The way Mom had retreated into herself, becoming a shell of the vibrant woman she’d once been.
It had taken all of us as a family to pull her out of that, while we were dealing with our own pain over the fallout.
“You don’t get it, Chase,” I said quietly. “Commitment changes people. Look at what happened to my folks. One day they’re a steady force in my life, the next they’re done. He’s gone. And Mom never recovered from that. She just… gave up.”
I could feel Chase’s concerned gaze on me as I stared at the table. “That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen to you, Eli.”
I shrugged, trying to shake off the heavy memories. “Maybe. Maybe not. But why risk it? Things are good now. Jules and I are finally getting along. For the first time ever. Why rock the boat?”
But even as I said the words, I knew they rang hollow. Because deep down, a part of me—a part I’d been doing my best to ignore—wanted to rock that boat with Jules. Wanted to rock it like hell.
Before Chase could respond, a whirlwind of light hair and enthusiasm burst into the pub.
“Uncle Eli!” Finn exclaimed, bounding over to our table with a grin that could outshine the Florida sun. “Guess what? I’m on a super important mission!”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh yeah? What kind of mission, buddy?”
Finn puffed out his chest, clearly relishing the attention as he bounced his gaze between us. “Mom asked me to bring this to Uncle Braden, and it’s very delicate.” Pronouncing the last word carefully, he held up a small electronic device. “It’s for the sound system, I think. Pretty cool, huh?”
“Very cool,” Chase agreed, ruffling Finn’s hair. “You’re quite the responsible little man.”
I watched their interaction, struck by how natural Chase was with kids. Finn had taken to him practically from the moment he could walk.
My nephew looked at him with more than a little worship in his eyes. “Have you built any more skyscrapers lately?”
Chase laughed, a warm, rich sound that filled the brewpub. “Not lately, bud. Not since that big one in Fort Lauderdale.”
“Whoa,” Finn breathed, clearly impressed. “That’s so awesome! Can you teach me?”
“Maybe someday,” Chase said with a giant grin and pointed at the sound card. “For now, better finish that important mission of yours, huh?”
Finn nodded seriously, cradling the device against his chest. “You’re right. Gotta get to it. Bye, Chase! Bye, Uncle Eli!”
As Finn scampered off, I turned to Chase. “Speaking of building things, I didn’t ask you here to talk about my love life. We need to talk about the resort. The family has been talking about getting a formal consult on which repairs and renovations to prioritize.”
“That’s a solid idea.” Chase tapped his chin. “What do you have in mind?”
“We want to hire you officially. To get your take on what we need to focus on first. Maybe some structural assessments or whatever else you think might be necessary.”
He nodded slowly, contemplating my words as he swirled the dregs of his beer. “I could definitely do that. Sunset Siesta has so much potential, you know? That Old Florida charm is worth preserving.”
I leaned forward, excitement rising in my chest. “Exactly! And with the right updates, we could attract more guests and keep the resort afloat. It’s just, I want to make sure we get it right.”
Chase gave me an encouraging nod, his eyes steady as he listened intently. “This means a lot to you.”
“Yeah, well…” I shifted in my chair as I glanced around the pub again. “It’s not just about business. It’s our home. Our family built this place from the ground up.”
Chase tapped his jaw as he considered my words. “It’s a lot to think about. Anyplace specific you want me to start?”
“Since you’re here now, could you take a preliminary look around? Maybe check in with Harper first for specifics?”
He barked a laugh, shaking his head. “Nah, I’ll just start. She’s got enough on her plate.”
“What do you mean?”
“Come on, Eli,” he said, a teasing smirk creeping onto his face. “She’s the general manager of a resort and a single mom. I can handle the resort priorities without putting any more work on her.”
“She lives for chaos. Always the calm harbor in the storm, that girl,” I replied, but my mind was already moving on to the upcoming week.
“I’m looking forward to a Monday morning for once.
I’m leading a group tomorrow. No classes.
” My heart took off at the thought. Leading dives made me forget all my worries.
“It’ll be choppy. A storm is supposed to hit, but not bad enough to cancel the dive. ”
“Should keep things interesting,” he said. “You love it when it’s challenging.”
“True,” I admitted, already picturing myself beneath the surface, surrounded by vibrant corals and swaying sea fans. The way light filtered through water was like magic. The sunbeams formed stained glass in my own cathedral.
He stood up. “I’ll poke around a little and get a sense of what the immediate priorities are. But don’t expect my report right away. If the resort is officially hiring me to consult, I’ll do a thorough job.”
Folding my arms, I grinned up at him. “You’re such a Boy Scout. Fine, I’ll be the slacker for you. Don’t worry, I’ll think of you when I’m enjoying myself tomorrow.”