Downtown Billionaire

by Hannah Jo Abbott

  “Hey, Mom.”

  “Are you coming to the house for lunch today?”

  “Sure. What are you making?”

  “Pot roast, carrots, cream potatoes.”

  “Then of course, I’ll be there,” Andrew smiled. The three of them turned and walked into the church building together. Through the large wooden doors, the echo of voices carried up to the vaulted ceiling in the foyer. Andrew glanced around at the people in the room. Many families grouped together, some with children, and some with grandparents. But most of them couples. He was reminded again why he felt the need to leave Pine Haven to meet someone. A shiver ran over his spine as he remembered the disaster of attending the singles gathering. Nope, not again, he reminded himself. He walked to the large circular table in the middle of the foyer, it held a large floral arrangement. Around the table were bulletins for the church service, and he picked up three for himself and his parents. Just as he was about to walk towards the double doors leading into the sanctuary, movement on the other side of the table caught his eye. When he looked up, he almost gasped out loud.

  “Oh, hey,” Lacey looked back at him.

  “Hey,” he barely managed to say. She looked so different from the last couple of times he’d seen her that he had to remind himself not to stare. She wore a pink sundress and the sleeveless bodice showed off her tanned skin. Her shoulder length brown hair was down and framed her face.

  “I didn’t know you went to church here. I haven’t seen you here before.” She said, her voice cool.

  “Oh. Yeah, I didn’t know either.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “I mean I didn’t know you went here.”

  She tilted her head towards the sanctuary. “Usually I come to the early service, but I overslept this morning.”

  “Oh,” he said. “I usually come to this service.”

  “Mmhmm,” Lacey drug out the word when Andrew didn’t say anything else. “Alright, guess I’ll see you later.” She turned to go.

  “Wait,” Andrew spoke up, causing her to turn around. He watched her dress twirl around her knees as she turned. “Umm, I’ll probably be by the library this week.” Lacey raised her eyebrows waiting for more. Andrew shrugged. “Just giving you a warning.”

  She furrowed her eyebrows and said, “Okay,” before turning and leaving him at the table.

  He rolled his eyes instead of doing what he wanted to, smacking himself in the head. Just giving you a warning? He meant it as a joke, but he knew it hadn’t sounded that way.

  “Andrew,” his mother’s voice behind him startled him. “Everything alright?”

  “Yeah, just fine.” He shook his head to clear the incident from his mind and walked alongside his mom through the doors into the sanctuary. Once inside, a peace calmed him. Soft instrumental music played over the speakers throughout the room that seated close to three hundred people. Andrew had attended the church since he was an infant. His mom loved to tell how she would bring him as a baby and sit in the balcony with him, even though he was “a sweet baby who never cried”. He knew his mom was exaggerating, but he was thankful to have been brought up in church.

  Theresa made small talk about her week, telling him about her summer garden and how Andrew’s sister would be visiting in a few weeks with her husband and two sons. Andrew nodded at all the right places and agreed to eat dinner with them for his sister’s visit. All the while, he was resisting the urge to turn and look for Lacey in the sanctuary. He and his parents sat mid-way down the pews, so he couldn’t casually look back and forth without being noticed.

  “Andrew?” Theresa said.

  “Yes, huh?” He realized he had stopped listening to her. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  “I said, are you alright? You seem distracted.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be. I just have things on my mind.”

  “What things?” Her facial expression changed and she lit up. “Like a girl?” she asked excitedly.

  “No, no.”

  “What then?”

  “I don’t know.” But he did know, he just didn’t know if he could bring himself to say it out loud. “Just work stuff,” he only half-lied. Lacey did have to do with his work, after all.

  The music swelled and the worship leader motioned for everyone to stand as they began. Theresa patted Andrew’s hand and gave him a little smile as they began to sing.

  Andrew sang along to the words. He opened his Bible to the correct passage during the sermon, and he tried his best to pay attention. He took notes on the sermon outline and followed along when the pastor read the scripture. But when he bowed his head for the closing prayer, he wasn’t sure he had heard well. God, he prayed in his mind, why can’t I have a normal conversation without forgetting every word I know? Why do I make things awkward? For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted what my parents have, what my grandparents had, and what so many people around me have: Someone to spend my life with. But what girl wants to be with someone who can’t talk around them? Lacey’s face drifted to his mind, and he let it sit there. I admit that I’ve had a crush on Lacey for a while now. I don’t really remember her in high school, but she’s been around town, and I’ve noticed. He sighed and opened his eyes to stare at his hands. Why can’t I just talk to her?

  He didn’t have any answers, so when the pastor said “Amen,” Andrew repeated the word along with the congregation and tried to put it out of his mind. No use dwelling on something that just wasn’t going to happen. He smiled and greeted people on his way out, thankful that he only needed to say, “Hi,” and, “How are you?” and, “I’m doing fine, thanks.” Those words he seemed to be able to handle all right.

  As he drove to his parents’ house, he was alone again with his thoughts. Just like so many other conversations he had regretted over the years, he spent time trying to think of what he could have said. “I like your dress,” he practiced. “That color looks pretty on you. Is that too forward?” He wondered. He tried something else. “How was your weekend? Do you have any big plans this week?” He swallowed hard when he thought about how the last question sounded, like he was preparing to ask her out. He felt sure he would botch that if he ever tried.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Listen…I know…yes, I did hear you…Yes, I was listening, but you’re not listening to what I’m saying.”

  Lacey’s voice carried in the hallway of Town Hall. Even though he had told himself he shouldn’t listen, Andrew felt trapped. He was inside the meeting room, and she must not have known anyone was in there when she stopped right outside the door and took a phone call. He didn’t know who she was talking to, but her tone told him she was frustrated.

  “I already told you, I can’t come get you.” She gave a heavy sigh. “Alright, alright. I’ll send you some money. Yes, I’ll put it in your bank account…Alright fine, just send me the new account number. I’ll do it tonight. I’m about to walk into a meeting, I’ve got to go, Mom. Bye.”

  Andrew froze, he didn’t know whether to pretend he didn’t hear, but when he looked up, he saw Lacey walk in the door and by the look on her face he knew he couldn’t hide that he heard. She stopped when she saw him, her eyes wide. But he could see the stress on her face, even at this distance.

  She cleared her throat and made her way to the table. “Hi, I didn’t know anyone was here yet. I thought I was early.”

  “You are early,” Andrew said. “On time is early right?” He smiled, but when he saw her bite her lip to hide a grin, he realized his mistake. “I mean, early is on time,” he grimaced.

  “Yes,” she said, “That’s right.”

  “Is everything all right?” he asked

  “Yeah, sure.” She shrugged and barely looked his way.

  Please God, help me say the right words. “Okay. I just, umm, I couldn’t help but hear you in the hallway. You sounded a little stressed. It’s all right if you don’t want to tell me.”

  Lacey looked at him, as if considering the idea. Finally she sighed. “It’s all ri
ght. It’s just my mom. She gets herself into bad situations and then calls me and my siblings until she finds somebody to bail her out or rescue her.”

  “I’m sorry. That can’t be easy on you.”

  “No, it’s not.” Lacey straightened her shoulders and met his gaze. “But I’m used to it. I can take care of things.”

  “I’m sure.” Andrew said. He hoped it sounded the way he meant it. Others began to file into the room and he didn’t press her to talk anymore.

  * * *

  Lacey tried not to look at Andrew for most of the meeting. She wanted to kick herself for blabbing so loudly in the hallway. If she had taken the call outside or down the hall, he wouldn’t have heard her. Ugh, that’s all I needed was for him to think I’m a stressed out, emotional wreck. I can take care of myself. Although, I do have to say that’s the first time he’s said more than two words to me in the same sentence. She looked up now as he spoke about the financial projections for the buildings, but she couldn’t quite process the numbers while she was busy talking to herself. Besides, it didn’t matter much, she didn’t care what the numbers said. She still wanted to save the old library building.

  “Thank you, Mr. Hartley,” the councilman said as Andrew took a seat. “We appreciate your hard work on this. We will take a committee vote, but I would just like to say that as much as we might care about the older library building, the finances are a big part of this project, and we should take into consideration the amount of additional cost fixing the old building will include.”

  Lacey couldn’t wait a minute longer. “Mr. Ramsey, we need to talk about the historical standing of the building.”

  “Yes, Miss Franklin, I know you are concerned about the building.”

  “I’m not concerned, I’m saying this is a legitimate historical town building, and unless you want to go against the town ordinance, you cannot tear the building down.” She said the last sentence with her eyes locked on Andrew, spitting out each word.

  “What are you talking about?” Andrew said.

  “According to the town laws, you cannot tear down a historical building.”

  “Yes, but this isn’t actually a historic building. It doesn’t even belong to the town. It’s just an old building, that doesn’t make it historical,” Andrew said.

  “Yes, but under the town bylaws,” Lacey plopped a heavy reference book on the table, “it can be deemed a historical landmark, and thereby be protected by the historical preservation statues.”

  Andrew shook his head. “But that doesn’t apply to private property.”

  “But if the building has been used as a public entity for as long as this building has, it can be considered a public place.” Lacey tilted her head and raised her eyebrows in challenge.

  Andrew seemed at a loss for words. He looked from Lacey to his notes and then back at Lacey before appealing to the councilman. “Mr. Ramsey, is this true?”

  The councilman rubbed his forehead. “Honestly, I’m not sure. We will have to look into the matter. So let’s table that, and let’s just assume for now that the building is not a historical landmark, and we can proceed as we see fit.”

  Lacey opened her mouth to protest, but Mr. Ramsey held up his hand. “I will look into the matter with the utmost care. But for the purpose of our meeting tonight, we will proceed with a discussion including both options.”

  Lacey crossed her arms and sat back in her chair. She couldn’t, no she wouldn’t, look at Andrew for the rest of the meeting. She was sure a smug smile hung on his lips. From the corner of her eye, she could see that he had leaned back in his chair with his own arms crossed over his chest. She assumed that, unlike her angry, frustrated, crossed arms, he was leaned back in a posture of happiness and gloating.

  CHAPTER NINE

  “What do you think about this one?” Andrew stood on the sidewalk in a neighborhood just outside the main part of town and faced a house with a “For Sale” sign in the yard.

  “Looks nice to me,” Hudson said. “How many bedrooms?”

  “Five,” Andrew said, a little too quietly.

  “Five? Really? Hmm.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing, that’s just a lot of bedrooms for…” Hudson’s voice dropped off.

  “Go on, say it.”

  “It’s nothing.”

  “I know, it’s a lot of bedrooms for a single guy with no prospects.”

  “I wasn’t going to say that,” Hudson said. Andrew gave him a look that said he didn’t believe him. Hudson smiled. “I was going to say that’s a lot of bedrooms for you to fill up with kids.”

  Andrew laughed. “I think I’m missing a key ingredient for having kids.”

  “Yeah, but maybe not forever.”

  “I don’t know, man. Things aren’t looking good in that department. I’m getting close to thirty, and I can barely talk to a girl who isn’t my mom or my sister, unless it’s business related.”

  “But why? You’re a good guy. I’m sure there’s a girl out there who would fall for your brand of genius.”

  Andrew rolled his eyes. “Let’s go look inside the house.” The two men walked up the driveway through the immaculate lawn and to the front door of the two-story brick house. The real estate agent was already inside. She showed them a few features of the house, and then said she would let them look around. “It is pretty big,” Andrew said, walking from the kitchen into the formal dining room. He couldn’t imagine when he would need a room like that. “Maybe this is pointless. I’m happy in the guest house and it’s perfectly sized for one person.” He stopped and stared out the window as a family of four strolled down the sidewalk together, laughing and smiling. His heart twisted in jealousy. He whipped around and headed into the living room. It was bigger than the entire guest house. “This is ridiculous,” he said out loud. “Just because I came into money doesn’t mean I need to buy a house right now.”

  “What did you say?” Andrew didn’t know Hudson had followed him.

  “Uhh, nothing.”

  Hudson narrowed his eyes at him, but then shrugged, “Okay.”

  Andrew gave in. “I said I came into money.”

  “Like how much money?” Andrew told him the amount his grandparents had left him, and Hudson let out a low whistle. “Man, I had no idea! Why didn’t you say anything before now?”

  Andrew shrugged. “I didn’t really want to tell anybody. I don’t want to become just about money.” He quickly looked at his friend. “Not that I think you’re just about money.” He hung his head. “Sorry, I should have said something. You, of all people, would have been cool about it.”

  Hudson smiled. “It’s fine. Remember, I moved here from New York to get away from the life where people thought I was only about the money. So I understand. It doesn’t have to change who you are, unless you let it.”

  “I know.” Andrew smacked his forehead. “Which is why it’s dumb that I’m here looking at this house. There’s no need for it. I don’t have anyone to share all this with.”

  “Is that what you want?”

  Andrew sat down on the couch that was even less comfortable than it looked and dropped his face into his hands. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted.” He sighed. “My parents are great, and they’ve been happily married for a long time. And you met my grandparents, there have never been two people more in love than they were.”

  “I think everyone in town could see that.”

  Andrew nodded. “Growing up, I just thought I would meet someone and it would be just like that. You know, when you ask little kids what they want to be when they grow up, and they say something like a doctor or a pilot or something?”

  Hudson laughed, “Yeah.”

  “I would say I wanted to be a husband and a daddy.”

  Hudson’s face was serious. “Man, that’s a good thing. And trust me, if God gave you that desire then, He will be the one to make it happen.”

  “I just don’t know.” Andrew shook his head. “I’ve been waiting a long ti
me. And I’ve started to think that this town is just too small for me to meet anyone.”

  “I don’t think the size of the town is important. You don’t need to meet a bunch of girls, just the one girl.”

  Andrew thought of the one girl he’d been thinking about a lot lately.

  Hudson seemed to notice. “There’s someone you like, isn’t there.”

  “It’s never going to happen,” Andrew let his face fall into his hands again.

  “Why not? Who is it? Come on, tell me.” Hudson’s voice filled with excitement.

  “No, no, I can’t, it’s no one.” Andrew shook his head.

  “Come on, I know that’s not true. Just tell me.”

  “All right, but I still don’t think it’s going to happen, so it doesn’t matter. But it’s Lacey.”

  “Mallory’s friend Lacey?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hmm.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “No, you’re thinking something, what is it?”

  “I’m just a little surprised. She’s very…” Hudson seemed to be looking for the right word.

  “Outspoken?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I know. I wish I could just say what I think like she does. I’m too busy analyzing every word, or just freezing up with nothing to say. She just says it.”

  Hudson smiled. “Yes, that’s true. So what’s the problem? Ask her out.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not? That’s how this works. You like someone, you ask them out, you spend time together and get to know each other to see if you really really like them.”

  “I can’t even talk to her. I trip over my words and forget what I want to say.”

  “Hmm,” Hudson rubbed his chin. “You said you can talk to people better if it’s about business, right?”

  “Yeah, if it’s not personal, I’m better at it.”

  “So to get past the awkwardness, why don’t you treat it like business? Could you ask her to meet you for an appointment?”