“Which is why it’s been so hard to find the right company. We’re renovating a warehouse into a social club, and it’s not a huge job, but it needs the right touch.” Tanner was a master at understatement, now that he’d gotten over his nerves about meeting my family.
“So I’m assuming the questions about my schedule were a way of seeing if I had the time?” Graham gave me a teasing grin. “So family’s the last on your list, huh? See if I remember you at Christmas.”
Then he turned that smile to Tanner. “On the other hand, alienating you around Christmas might be a bad idea. If you’re wondering, I’m a size SUV, not one of those stupid sports cars.”
Tanner barked out a laugh that had my mother smiling from across the yard. She’d made it clear the guys were all to be nice to Tanner. But I had a feeling begging for presents wasn’t what she was picturing. “I’ll remember that.”
It didn’t take long for Graham to get back to business, however. “I’d have to look at the scope of the project, but I can promise you we’ll be discreet. I’m not the cheapest, but we do quality work.”
“That’s all I ask. Since you’re family with Shane, I don’t feel bad about saying money isn’t my primary concern with this project.” Tanner laughed as we both glanced over at my mother.
“Yeah.” Graham looked back to him. “She’ll kill me if I take advantage of you.”
Tanner grinned. “She doesn’t hate me yet, so I’m going to use that to my advantage.”
Graham glanced at me, grinning. “I can see why you like this guy.”
Oh yes.
“You should see him when he’s making big deals.” Tanner was hot when he was on a roll.
Graham laughed. “I have a feeling that falls under the category of TMI, Cousin.”
Tanner groaned dramatically, but it was more to be the comic relief than embarrassment. “No TMI in front of family.”
“That’s what your friends are for, then?” I laughed when he threw a piece of roll at me.
“Be careful or your mother will think you’re being mean to him.” Graham’s teasing words had us looking guiltily over at my mother.
Thankfully, she was distracted and hadn’t noticed us. Turning to Graham, I tried to steer things back to business and away from my relationship with Tanner. If he thought I liked how dominant Tanner was, I wouldn’t say anything to break him of that notion.
It was safer than reality, even though I didn’t think Graham would care. He’d always done his own thing, even going into construction with some friends from high school when his father had wanted him to be a lawyer.
“When do you want to look at the warehouse?” That was a much easier topic for the time being. Eventually he was going to have some questions, though. He wasn’t stupid enough to buy the excuse that the meditation rooms needed to be heat proof.
Maybe we could tell him they were rooms for napping?
I’d seen some article recently about how good that was for boosting brain function. We might be able to pass it off as some kind of fad one of his partners was into. Putting that idea on the back burner for now, I focused back on Graham.
“I’m wrapping up a project this week, so it’s going to be some long nights.” He paused, looking like he was mentally checking out his calendar. “I know you guys probably have plans, but what about next Sunday afternoon? I only came by today because it was mandatory unless we were at death’s door.”
He turned to Tanner. “We’re trying to make a good impression, if you hadn’t guessed.”
Tanner grinned at me. “Your mother is hilarious.”
Until she drove him nuts about something, but for now she was going to be careful. Insanity didn’t show until she was more confident he was going to stick around. I figured I had a few weeks at most.
“Sounds good to me.” I looked at Tanner. “We didn’t have any plans, did we?”
Assuming we were spending next weekend together would have been forward, as my mother called it, but we’d spent the last two weeks living out of each other’s pockets, so it seemed safe to assume that wasn’t going to change.
“No. I’ll call the guys when we get home and see who can make it.” He turned to Graham. “How about four, or does it need to be later?”
“That should be fine.” Then he looked down at his watch. “Send me the address. But I have to run now. I’m assuming it’s safe for me to tell everyone I made a good impression?”
“Yes, especially if I like the quote.” Tanner grinned as Graham chuckled and walked off with a wave.
Turning back to me, Tanner smiled and leaned in close as he tried not to drop the plate he was holding. “I know that working with family can be hard, but it feels right.”
