CHAPTER 10
Micah was feeling unusually relaxed when he went into town the next day. He’d been willing to blow off their morning run, but Tessa had nagged him into getting his ass into gear. Hell, he was either getting old, or he was worn out from exercising in the most pleasant of ways all night long with Tessa. He was pretty sure it was the second option, since it had been a while since he’d had sex. With a smirk, he realized he’d made up for lost time last night.
After their run, they’d showered and had lunch, then he’d gone to the rink with Tessa. Dropping her off, he told her he needed to run back to the guesthouse on the Peninsula to get some clothing. But he made a stop first, one he wasn’t looking forward to making.
He stopped in front of Sullivan’s Steak and Seafood when he saw that the place was closed. Glancing at his watch, he realized they’d be open for dinner business very shortly. Micah’s eyes scanned the chipped paint on the outside of the building, wondering when it had last been painted. Between the salt water and the humidity, the exterior had taken a beating.
Putting his hand on the door handle, he turned it and then pushed hard on the door, surprised to see that it opened.
Doesn’t anybody lock their doors here?
He’d had to remind Tessa to lock up every time he left Randi’s old house. She did it, but she rolled her eyes at him every single time, reminding him that he wasn’t in New York. Hell, maybe he was paranoid, but he’d never been in a town where half the people never locked their doors.
He entered the restaurant and closed the door quietly behind him.
As he headed for the kitchen, where he was hearing some chopping sounds, he looked around the small restaurant, noting the ragged chairs and slightly tilting tables. The walls were lacking some chips of paint just like the outside of the building. Strangely, with all of the nautical décor, it looked almost normal for the place to appear somewhat old and tired.
“We’re closed.” Liam’s voice sounded from the order window.
“I know,” Micah answered as he strolled over to the kitchen door and entered without an invitation. Now, face-to-face with Tessa’s brother, he added, “I wanted to talk to you.”
“I said . . . we’re closed. Get the hell out of here,” Liam answered stubbornly.
Micah shook his head, resting his hip against the counter as he crossed his arms, staying several feet away from Liam. “I can’t. I have a business proposition to make.”
“I don’t need anything from you, Sinclair,” Liam growled as he went back to what he’d been doing before Micah had entered: removing lobster meat from the shell and slicing it. He tossed the cut pieces into a plastic container, probably in preparation for all of the lobster rolls he’d sell later.
“I think you might,” Micah drawled, watching Liam as he worked.
He had to admit, Liam knew his lobster. Tessa’s brother was making short work of his task in a hurry.
“Doubtful,” Liam answered, chopping a little bit harder at the seafood than he needed to.
“I want to form a partnership, invest money into refurbishing your building, equipment, and whatever else you need.”
Liam stopped working and glared at him. “What the hell for? I don’t need you. Why are you here, anyway?” He cocked an accusing brow. “Stay away from Tessa.”
Micah grinned. Liam was a little late for that warning. “We’ve already been together. A lot.”
He stopped smiling as Liam lunged for him, grabbing the collar of his polo shirt. “Did you touch her?”
Jesus! This guy is uptight. And I thought I was bad.
“It’s none of your damn business what we did. Tessa is an adult,” Micah growled as he dislodged Liam’s hand from his apparel. “Keep control of your damn temper, and keep your hands off me. I’m here to talk.”
Tessa’s brother turned red with rage. “She isn’t a woman that you can use and then toss away. She’s been there, and doesn’t need to do it again. She might be old enough to know better, but she has an impulsive streak sometimes.”
“I know,” Micah answered as he straightened the collar of his shirt. “And I have no intentions of tossing her anywhere. I care about her.” Too damn much!
Liam let out a disgusted male snort. “Whatever. Just take your ass back to where you belong.”
Micah ignored his comment. “I want to put the money into the restaurant, get it fixed up.”
“Why?” Liam was eyeing him suspiciously.
“The locals love this place, and it’s worth renovating.”
“I can do it myself.”
“Then why is Tessa busting her ass to find the funds to fix this place? She counts every damn penny she earns.”
“Our parents left us their house, which is paid for, and a decent sum of money,” Liam snarled at Micah. “The last thing I need is your money. I’ve told Tessa before that we have funds. She just refuses to even look at our joint account. Says she wants me to have it.”
“So she doesn’t need to work her cleaning jobs?”
“Hell, no. If she wasn’t so stubborn, she’d see that we have the money. But she won’t look. Mom and Dad left us a nice inheritance. We do very well with the restaurant, and I do some consulting on the side. I live rent-free and I put money away. Most of my problem is time. It’s hard to close the restaurant for renovations, but I’ll do it in the winter.”
“What kind of consulting?” Micah asked curiously.
“I worked in TV and films doing special effects and some stunt work,” Liam answered in a graveled voice. “If they need advice, I consult. I used to patent products I made for my line of work. I make a lot in royalties. The last thing I need is more money.”