Page 27 of Worth the Chase

He’d called our other brother. This was either going to be brilliant or a total clusterfuck—I wasn’t sure which.

When Thomas hung up the phone, I gave him a narrowed look. “What are you up to?”

“You’ll see.” He only grinned wider.

“Can you give me a hint?” I shrugged.

He shook his head. “Nope. Wait for Patrick.”

“Isn’t he a little busy with the new builds?” I asked.

Patrick was overseeing the plethora of new bungalows we were building to go with the newly completed wedding barn. It was going to be a huge hit, and we all knew it.

“He can spare twenty minutes,” Thomas answered.

I tossed my head back and stared at the ceiling, pretending to be annoyed, but it wasn’t like I had anything else to do anyway. Blowing out a breath, I started counting the beams when Patrick waltzed in.

“What’s—” He stopped short. “Matthew. What’s up?” Patrick asked.

“Close the door,” Thomas directed.

Patrick shut it before sitting down in the chair next to mine.

“Our little brother here hates social media,” Thomas said as soon as Patrick sat.

“I didn’t say I hated social media. I said, I hateddoingthe social media for the resort,” I clarified.

Thomas waved me off. “Same thing.”

“So, why am I here?” Patrick wondered out loud, his eyes looking between me and Thomas.

Thomas leaned forward, his elbows on top of his desk. “I have an idea,” he announced, and my heart started to pound. “Hear me out before you say no.” He said the last sentence while looking right at me.

I swallowed, my throat thick with anticipation.

“Here’s the thing: I don’t like interacting with the public and our disgruntled guests if I don’t have to,” Thomas announced.

Patrick and I both started laughing.

“You don’t say.”

Thomas shot me a look. “But for whatever reason, there’s always been this unspoken rule that I’m supposed to take over as general manager when Dad retires.” He thumbed toward our dad’s office.

I straightened up in my chair, my attention completely piqued. “You don’t want Dad’s job?”

“Hell no,” he said with a breath. “I love what I do. I do not love what Dad does.”

Patrick threw up both hands. “I sure as hell don’t want to do it,” he added.

Patrick was superior at building and fixing things. It was his jam.

“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” I asked slowly, part of me still in disbelief.

“If you think I’m suggesting that we talk to Dad together and you start training to take over as GM of the resort, then yes,” Thomas said in a tone that sounded like this wasn’t some kind of huge deal when it absolutely was.

“You’d be so much better at it than Thomas would,” Patrick said with a laugh.

“You’re good with people. Everyone loves you. You’re definitely the most charming of the three of us.” Thomas continued selling me on… well, me.

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