Page 53 of Sail Away
“Let’s stop pretending we like each other when no one is around,” Reid said.
“You’re still mad at me for last night.” Preston poured two large mugs of coffee and snagged a chocolate muffin. He pointed to the lounge chairs by the hot tub where he must have been earlier since his computer and a few folders were on the table.
Reid’s mood had gone from mildly okay—but only because Darcie had been in close proximity—to completely foul in a matter of seconds, and he didn’t see it getting any better. “Of course, I am.”
“I was wasted. I’m sorry.”
“You lied to me. And that wasn’t when you were drunk.”
“I didn’t want to burst your bubble,” Preston said. “You were so excited about the fire department and a potential deal with them, I didn’t want to ruin it. I finally had my old partner back. I hadn’t seen that side of you in years. I didn’t want to let him go. But then Darcie showed up and it’s like you can’t think straight again.”
“Darcie isn’t the problem.”
Preston crossed his legs at the ankles as he broke off a small piece of muffin and placed it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed as if he were eating a million-dollar meal.
Or maybe his last meal.
That would be nice.
“Maybe not. I have no idea. All I know is that I have been working my ass off for the last year trying to save our company, while you have been doing nothing but pining over a woman who isn’t worth it. And what’s worse, before that, you checked out while dating Darcie. And evenbeforethat.” Preston waved his hand dramatically in the air. “You had to go and have feelings for my sister. Well, Darcie isn’t half the girl my sister was.”
“Is that what this is about? You don’t like Darcie because you think she replaced Erin or something?”
“No. This is about you fucking up and me having to make decisions, and now you want to come back in and change things, and I’m not having it. We are moving in a new direction. My direction.”
“What does that mean, exactly?”
“It means we’re moving out of the safety-only business and moving into the money-making business.”
“Oh, please. We make a lot of fucking money at what we do. Or do I need to remind you of your salary?”
“Nope. But think about what we could do with Hans if we mass-marketed more of our extreme safety equipment like our line for snorkeling.”
“That was the dumbest thing we’ve ever done,” Reid said.
“Because we didn’t do it right. Hans can help tailor each of our products that are for the extremists or for stunt doubles and make them for everyday people. That’s where the real money is.”
“But we were never about the money. We were always about safety, and this flame-resistant suit for the firefighters could be a game-changer. It’s what we built this company on.”
“No. I was never on board with that direction, and it could also bankrupt us. It will never be a product line that even breaks even. I’ve been crunching the numbers. It’s not worth pursuing outside of the stunt business or the extreme sports world.”
“We have enough money to give back. We could do the deal with the fire departments if the suits are viable.”
“No. We can’t. The testing alone will kill us. Again. I’m the one who has been doing all the data accumulation and research while you’ve been dealing with a broken heart over a girl who didn’t give a shit about you.” Preston sipped his coffee and glanced around. “I heard she had an affair with the captain of this vessel not a month ago, and he’s engaged to someone else.”
“And where did you hear that?” Reid couldn’t believe he was having this conversation. It was as if they were two teenage girls in middle school.
Worse, he now had to accept the absolute worst about his business partner.
And friend.
Who had never truly been his friend to begin with.
“The crew on this boat likes to gossip.”
Now that was really funny because the deckhands didn’t. Or at least they didn’t seem to since they appeared to have a lot of respect for Darcie. Reid couldn’t imagine any of them talking shit about her behind her back.
The interior, while he could see that they could be catty, he still didn’t buy it.
