For her.
It was very rare that Elliot was impressed by wealth. He’d grown up dirt poor and understood the importance of money. Hell, he knew that the only people that said money didn’t buy happiness, probably had money. The Williams’s hadn’t been rich by any means, but they’d done okay. They’d taken him on vacations and sent him to college, and he’d learned to work for the things he had.
Hard work and solid ethic impressed the hell out of him and Julia had that in spades.
She also had wealth. A lot of wealth. And with that wealth, came a lot of nice things. They visited her Manhattan apartment and he’d been more than impressed, he’d been awed. It was all glass walls and tall windows, bright and open with every bell and whistle imaginable. It was the exact opposite of the house she was renovating now. It was filled with modern art—sculptures and paintings that looked very expensive. It was a showpiece, something that was meant to look expensive.
And while he appreciated the hell out of it, it was cold and sterile. He didn’t see anything that screamed that Julia Hawkins lived there.
They then went to her office where he felt her more vividly. Her logo, her brand, was everywhere. From the hustle of the staff on the floor, the men and women attached to their computers with a familiar glazed look in their eyes, to the people with their heads down, working closely together. The H-Surf offices were more Julia than anything else, a whirlwind of fast-paced ideas but also focused determination. He followed Julia and Kelsey, happy to hang back and get to see her world in motion. People waved at her as she walked by and she nodded at them straight-faced.
They might think she was cold or distant, but Elliot knew better. She was invested in these people, so very deeply. She cared enough to write their jobs, their livelihoods, into her selling contract. She’d refused to sign the company over without their futures secure. She cared for them, probably more than she’d ever be able to put words to, or voice. She nodded uncomfortably at them because she was unable to see herself through their eyes. She didn’t see her loyalty to them; it was a part of herself that she overlooked, too focused on things she couldn’t always control.
She’d been pushed down, knocked down her entire life for being different, for not feeling things the same way other people do. He’d be damned if he thought she was all that different from the rest of them. She hurt, just like they all did. When that court injunction had come in, she’d cried the same tears anyone else might have. She’d felt the same stab of betrayal and tasted the sharp tangy resolve of determination when she’d picked herself back up again. He liked that she’d done that, gathered her strength, put the pins back in her hair, and slipped that don’t touch me dress back on. She was utterly untouchable.
He couldn’t wait to pull her apart, bit by bit, when the sun went down. When she opened herself to him and let all those pretenses go. When she didn’t have to try to be anyone other than exactly who she was.
“Mr. Williams,” Kelsey murmured with a smile when they got to a room where she held the door open for him.
Julia had already slipped inside and he followed, discreetly standing against the wall behind her and surveying the people in the room. Across the table from Julia was a man about thirty; he was smiling broadly as she took her seat. He had a lawyer on each side of him and they screamed money. Hell, everyone in the room screamed money and when he considered his own suit, decided he kind of fit in. Next to Julia was a grizzled older man who looked like he ate nails for breakfast. His scowl was deep and fixed on his face as he glanced up when Julia sat next to him. Support staff bustled about, doing things like organizing food trays which no one even looked at, and taking notes. There was a photographer hovering about, snapping pictures of the entire event.
Julia was stone-cold focus personified, her face straight and hard. She didn’t greet any of them, save the man next to her and even he got a short, one word throwaway.
“Brian.”
Elliot felt a modicum of relief that Brian, the lawyer that would take care of everything, was nearing retirement age. The threat level on that front dropped to nil. The man had a scarred face, age and stress thrown in with some pockmarks, and Elliot suddenly felt bad for imagining grinding the man’s face into the dirt.
Elliot stood quietly watchful, awed by her presence in the room as the legal injunction was quickly discussed and dismissed with court orders to prove it. Bundles of paper were passed around, signed in triplicate and then all over again. Around and around they went, signing and witnessing, copying and notarizing as they went. It was fascinating, a look into a world he’d never really thought much of before. He’d always thought of big business and men in suits, making deals over cigars and golf games.
Julia was not any of those things. She was not a good old boy making side deals and schmoozing. She was in charge and everyone in the room knew it, including himself.
He had to talk himself out of getting hard over it.
Suddenly, the papers were distributed and people began to stand up, hands being shook across the table. Julia shook hands but her face stayed stone still, not a muscle moving in either direction as everyone smiled in triumph with each other.
“I’d like a word with Ms. Hawkins alone, if you all don’t mind. We’ll meet you at the press conference,” Jonathan Beyer said, that used-car-salesman smile on his face.
Not on his life, Elliot thought as Kelsey’s eyes cut to his. She gave him a small shake of her head. Yeah, he got the message loud and clear, not that he’d needed it.
“Mr. Williams stays,” Kelsey said as she ushered people out.
“I’m sure Julia can have one meeting without the muscle around,” Jonathan said with laugh. “I swear,” he held up a hand and sent a solemn look to Elliot. “I won’t lay a hand on her.”
“If you do, it’ll be one less hand you have to worry about,” Elliot growled.
“Elliot stays,” Julia confirmed with a nod to Kelsey, giving her permission to leave.
Jonathan looked a little put out and Elliot took a sick pleasure in ruining his little plan, whatever it was.
“We’ve known each other a long time,” he started off saying. “I’m sure we could manage to have one unsupervised conversation.”
“Is there something else you had to say?” Julia asked, cutting the bullshit.
God, Elliot loved that woman.
Jonathan leaned forward, elbows on the table, trying to look more approachable.
“When we were making this deal, I originally broached the subject of a more permanent venture between the two of us.”
Elliot didn’t like the sound of that, and he sure as hell didn’t like the way Julia leaned back, like she was trying to get some distance from the guy.
“You told me then that you’d think about it. I know you’ve got some issues, Jules, but between your business and mine, we could make something big here. We’ve both got big names in this town…” he hesitated for a second. “You could take your old name back. Go back to Louzier, and you and I together could get something big off the ground.”
“You can do that all on your own,” she reasoned, not saying no and making Elliot’s back go up. “You don’t need me. And at this point, I have nothing to put on the table for this little deal.”
Elliot crossed his arms over his chest and drew Jonathan Beyer’s gaze. Whatever the man saw there in Elliot’s eyes made him sit back farther.
“Where did you find this guy? He looks like he could crush granite between his hands.”
“That’s physically impossible,” Julia noted. “I already turned down your proposal the first two times, Jonathan. What makes you think I would take it now?”
He shrugged. “I’ve always liked you, Julia. From the first time we met, I knew you were something special.” Julia looked skeptical. “You’re smart and have always had big ideas. Great ideas.”
“You want me to come work for you so you can have my ideas?” Julia scoffed and it was the closest thing Elliot had heard to
a laugh from her.
“No,” Jonathan argued. “I know you don’t need to work. I was just thinking if we stuck together, we could brainstorm new ideas. New ventures. Make a life.”
Even Elliot was confused as to what this guy was proposing. It sounded half like a business proposal and half like a marriage proposal.
“I have a life,” Julia explained, pushing out her seat. Elliot pulled it out for her and when she turned, there was distinct humor in her eyes. Elliot merely grunted in annoyance. “I have no intention of selling any more companies to you, Jonathan, and with any luck, you’ll have your hands full here and make us all a lot more money.”
“Your grandparents want the company to stay in the family,” he rushed to say as he stood too. “They thought we’d be a good match and it could stay part of their legacy if we got married.”
Julia froze, her hand on the back of the chair turning white as she gripped it.
“Married?” she murmured, the word sounding foreign on her lips. Like she had no idea what it meant.
Jonathan, for what it was worth, looked deflated. He knew the idea wasn’t going to fly and that there was no way Julia was going to get on board with it. Resigned, he half sat on the table and explained himself.
“It wasn’t my idea. Your grandparents got to my parents and it snowballed from there. I told them you wouldn’t be interested, that you would never go for it, but you know how they get. None of them would listen to me, so I told them I’d at least put it out to you and see where you stood. I think you’re great, Julia, smarter than anyone I’ve ever met and I respect the hell out of you. If you ever want to work on another project, I’m your guy, no strings attached.”
“She won’t,” Elliot said cuttingly, having heard enough.
“Excuse me?” Jonathan said, his eyebrows lifting.
“She won’t want to work on a project with you and you will never, not ever, be her guy.”
There was no threat there as it was totally unnecessary. Just the hard, unvarnished truth about the future of Jonathan Beyer where Julia Hawkins was concerned.
Jonathan looked between Julia and Elliot.
“You're sleeping with the security guy?” he marveled. “I did not see that coming.”
“He’s not a security guy,” Julia corrected.
“Hired muscle?”
“Not hired, no.”
“Just muscle,” Jonathan said with a laugh. Julia just shrugged. “Not hired muscle. Not security. Just what is Mr. Williams to you, Julia?”
She looked at him and their gazes caught, tangling together and staying that way. Her dimple puckered a little and she caught her lower lip in her teeth.
“Everything,” she said quietly. “He’s everything.”
12
Cole’s truck was parked in the front of Julia’s house when they got back to Troy the next morning, and she assumed that he and Tucker were working. Elliot had driven them back to Connecticut in one of her cars, finally taken out of storage. It was a cute little silver Audi and he didn’t seem to mind driving it. She left her bags in the car and went inside, Elliot on her heels.
“Hello?” she called out and only heard the faint sounds of shuffling upstairs in return. “Hello?”
When she got to the top of the stairs, she was surprised at how much things had changed since she’d been gone. It had only been a week but the entire structure of the floor plan had changed. Now, instead of the original four bedrooms and bathroom, there was an open hallway with a sitting area at the end and two doors on either side of the hall.
“Hey!” Cole stuck his head out the door of the guest suite with a wide grin on his face. “You’re back!”
It still seemed foreign to her that someone cared when she came and went, but they did. Cole seemed genuinely happy to see her, glad she was home again, and it made her chest unexpectedly tight for some reason. When he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, she felt compelled to hug him around the waist, surprising even herself.
Cole, in turn, wrapped her in his arms. “You okay?”
“I’m glad to see you,” she admitted.
He smiled down at her. “I’m glad to see you too. We’re almost done the guest rooms. Want to see?”
She let him give her the nickel tour of the revamped old master bedroom which would end up as the guest room. The original wood floors had been refinished to perfection, dark and gleaming. The windows had been replaced with new energy efficient models and the trim had all been replaced and painted. New crown molding lined the ceiling and the chandelier she’d picked hung from the center.
“It’s perfect,” she murmured as she looked around.
“Check out the bathroom.” He beamed that charismatic smile and Julia knew he had a surprise in store for her.
She hurried to the bathroom. “Oh, Cole!” she exclaimed as she looked around the finished bathroom. “How did you guys do all this so quickly?”
“Well, it’s not totally finished and there’s still some work to do in your bedroom, but we’re just about ready for you to move in here while we wrap up the new master.”
“I can’t believe it. It’s exactly what I wanted.” She sent Cole a grateful look, bolstered by her weekend with Elliot and feeling so free. “I won’t ever be able to tell you how glad I am that I ran into you at the grocery store that night.”
Cole walked up to her and tucked her under his arm again. “You’re just saying that because you’re sleeping with my brother.”
She could tell he was joking but she was not. “No. I’m saying it because aside from Kelsey, you’re the first person that’s treated me like a real friend. I really enjoy having you in my life.”
Cole’s mouth dropped open and he held her at arm’s length to inspect her. “Who are you and what have you done with my Julia? My Julia is prickly and moody. Who are you, imposter?”
Julia just stood, letting him look at her.
“What did Elliot do to you?” He eyed her for another second and then pulled a face. “On second thought, I don’t want to know the answer to that.”
Tucker and Elliot came strolling in, chatting about what had been done in their absence and what was still on the agenda.
“If Elliot had been here, the master closet would be just about finished. He has a lot of catching up to do on the built-in woodwork, but he got pulled away at the last minute,” Tucker joked, handing her a few scraps of paper and a greeting card. “Some more ideas on the software and a card. From us. Congratulations on your deal.”
Julia just looked at the card in her hands, unsure of what to say. No one ever got her cards. Not ever. Not even for her birthday.
She looked back up at them and nodded, uncomfortable.
“I have to get back to work.”
Elliot spent the night at his cabin while Julia stayed at her house alone that night, catching up on some work she’d let slide. It was strange being by herself after spending just a few days sharing a bed with Elliot. He had such a presence in her life now, that his absence was felt severely.
She spent the night ensconced at her desk, deep into the new contracting software programming. Mostly putting final touches on the proposal and drafting emails and other correspondence. If all went well, within a few weeks, months at the most, they’d have an offer on their program, and she and the Williams brothers would make a few bucks. She took a moment to close her eyes and crack her neck.
“Good morning, Shorty.”
Julia’s head popped up, startled to see Elliot sitting in front her desk.
“Did you work all night?” he asked.
“How long have you been here?”
“I parked out back and came in the kitchen door a few minutes ago.” He reached across the desk and took hold of her hand. “Did you work all night?” he repeated.
She’d tried to sleep, but it had proven impossible. The combination of sleeping in that tiny back bedroom on top of being alone had made her feel restless. She’d finally just given up.
“Mostly,” she admitted.
“Come on.” He tugged her hand and urged her to stand. “You need to eat.”
He sat at the island while she gathered something for herself, offering him a bowl of fruit salad and a fresh cup of coffee. He nodded his thanks as she sat next to him and they sat in their comfortable silence until his brothers trooped in the back door like a herd of bulls. Cole dipped his fingers in the bowl of fruit salad and helped himself.
“Morning,” he garbled around the piece of fruit in his mouth.
Elliot scowled at him.
“Whose car is out front?” Tucker asked.
Julia’s head swiveled toward the front door, her brows bunched in question.
“Do you think it’s the press?” Elliot asked, presumably ready to throw them off the property. She’d been hounded relentlessly when they’d been in city and he’d hated every second of it. There wasn’t even a small chance he’d let that happen in her own house, she knew.
The front door clicked open and a knock sounded. An accented voice called down the hall. “Jules? This you, love?”
Elliot stood forcefully, his stood scraping the floor, but Julia grabbed his arm, stopping him as she got off her chair.
“It’s my father,” she explained before calling out. “In the kitchen, Dad.”
She immediately wondered what in the world her father was doing at her house. She’d just seen him last week.
When he strolled into the kitchen, a wide smile splitting his face, she knew exactly why he’d shown up. Dressed in his beat-up jeans and leather jacket, she saw Cole’s mouth drop open and heard Tucker’s coffee mug hit the counter in recognition. Elliot stood stock still next to her, watchful.
“There’s my girl,” her father exclaimed at the sight of her and took her in his arms. “Which one is he?” he whispered while he squeezed her.
She pulled back from his embrace. “You came here to snoop,” she accused.
“Of course,” he admitted unapologetically.
Elliot: The Williams Brothers Page 17