by B. B. Hamel
“I’d be lying if I said I knew it would work out the whole time,” he admitted.
“I can’t believe you gambled it all like that.”
“Honestly, I don’t think I gambled. I think I convinced Ron to move faster than he wanted. Otherwise, that would’ve taken months, at best.”
“Can we really transfer that much money so fast? I mean, we have the money, but it’s a lot of cash.”
“I have no clue,” he admits. “Who cares? The contract’s signed. We’ll start the transfer today and just tell Uncle Ron if there are going to be any delays.”
“I really can’t believe this.”
“I know. But it’s real.” He laughs and hugs me again, hugs me tight.
“When can we get started?” I ask.
“We still have to close this deal. I’m not sure exactly what the laws are, but…” He trails off and shrugs. “I bet we can get the keys as soon as he’s got his money and go from there.”
“So in theory… tomorrow.”
“In theory, but don’t get too excited.” He grins at me. “Let’s just play it by ear.”
“All right.” I take a deep breath and let it out. I smile so big I think my face might fall off. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
“You’re doing this,” he says. “I’m just along for the ride.”
I kiss him one more time then take his hand. “Come on, take me to the bank. Let’s go pay my stupid uncle.”
“Sounds good to me.”
We head off down the hall and I can’t stop grinning.
14
Dean
The money will take a few days to transfer, which annoys Ron to no end.
“You said it would arrive yesterday,” he says over the phone the next afternoon. “You said it would all arrive yesterday on time.”
“I didn’t know there was a delay on transfers this large,” I say. “And we’re not interested in paying any fines or fees to make it happen faster.”
“You said it would appear yesterday. What am I supposed to do about this now?”
“Nothing,” I say. “Sit tight. You’ve got the receipt already. The money’s coming.”
“Yes, $1.6 million, less than I had originally wanted. I settled in order to get the money faster, you see what I am saying? Now that deal doesn’t look so good.”
“Are you talking about backing out?” I ask him.
“I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind. Really, Dean, You’re a businessman. You understand these things.”
I clench my jaw. I know what this asshole wants. He thinks he can call me up and try to shake me down for more money after we’ve already closed a deal, just because of some bullshit delay.
“Listen, Ron,” I say. “The deal is done. The papers are signed. If you want to break the deal now, while the funds are still in transit, I invite you to try and explain that to a judge. I suspect she’s going to want to know why you need the money do desperately fast.”
“That is none of your business,” he snaps.
“No, it’s not, I agree. But the court won’t see it that way. The court will want to know why you need so much cash so quickly.”
He’s quiet for a long moment. “If this is the sort of business you learned from your father, I now understand why he’s so despised around town.”
I flinch but don’t rise to the bait. “If you’re finished, I have work to do.”
“I’m sure,” he drawls. “Oh, by the way. Did my niece invite you to the manor tomorrow?”
“She didn’t,” I say, frowning.
“Ah, of course not. Well, the family is having a little… get-together. I think you should come. We can smoke, talk cars. I’ll forgive you if you’re willing to listen again.”
“I can do that,” I say, not sure why. I don’t need to suck up to this guy anymore. I’m not trying to close another deal.
Well, not trying to close a deal with him, at least…
“Good. Come by around three tomorrow afternoon. See you then.” He hangs up the phone.
I kick my feet up on my coffee table and lean my head back.
I’m not sure what the hell I’m doing here. I don’t know what I just got myself into. I never wanted to buy a warehouse and open some kind of indoor fun park. That’s my not idea of a solid business. This whole thing is Lora’s plan, Lora’s dream.
But I couldn’t keep toiling away for my father. I’ve been wanting to make a new move for a while now. The way he spoke to Lora was just the last straw.
Now that I’ve done it and quit, I feel unmoored. I feel adrift. Lora’s leaning on me, counting on me to know the business side of things, to come through for her. I’m going to, no matter what I have to do to pull it off, but still. Just last week, I had a steady job, a sure thing. I had a future.
That’s been pulled away.
Maybe for the best.
I text Lora a few minutes later.
Me: Just spoke with Uncle Ron. He tried to push me into paying more, but I took care of it.
Lora: That asshole!! Are you serious?
Me: He’s mad the money isn’t coming through fast enough.
Lora: Of course. What does he need that much money for so fast, do you think?
Me: Gambling. Unless it’s drugs. But I’d guess gambling debts.
Lora: Oh, god. That makes sense. My dad would give him any money he needs, but if he’s in debt to some gangsters or something…
Me: Exactly. Doesn’t want to go to your parents. I wonder how much he owes.
Lora: I bet you it’s two million.
Me: Ha, I bet you’re right. Oh, by the way, I’ll see you tomorrow.
Lora: Excuse me?
Me: Ron invited me to your little family gathering. It seems he still likes me.
Lora: Excuse me?
Me: Three tomorrow afternoon at the manor, right?
Lora: No.
Me: Oh, yes.
Lora: Dean, seriously. You don’t want to come. It’s not even my immediate family, my siblings won’t even be there. It’s all extended family. It’s the absolute worst.
Me: See you tomorrow.
I smile and toss my phone aside. It vibrates a few more times but I don’t bother checking it. She can tell me in person tomorrow whatever she’s saying right now.
I know what I’m doing. Maybe I’m a bit out of control, or outside of my comfort zone at least. Maybe I’m doing things I never quite pictured I could do.
But here I am and I’m not stopping. It’s because of her, because of Lora. Before she showed up, I was on autopilot, moving through the days without thinking. She’s making me wake up, making me step up.
That’s better than anything else.
I show up at the manor the next day, despite the annoyed texts from Lora warning me not to come. I buzz the intercom on the outside gate and the butler answers. “Yes?”
“Hello, this is Dean Ashman,” I say. “Here for the gathering.”
“Ah, yes. We were expecting you. Come on in, Mr. Ashman.”
The gate slides open and I drive on up with a smile on my face. I park the truck among a bunch of other cars, mostly high-end luxury models, although there are a few classics scattered in the bunch. Staff is all over the place and wearing their best clothes, and as I climb out, I realize that I don’t know a damn thing about Lora’s family.
I spot her up near the front door. She’s standing there, glaring at me, hands on her hips. I smile widely as I approach her. “There you are,” I say. “I was worried I’d have to go looking.”
“Dean—”
I stop in front of her and cock my head. “Yes, darling?”
She glares at me for a long second then sighs. “Come on. Might as well introduce you to everyone.”
I laugh as she leads me into the manor.
Turns out, her extended family is huge. Most of them are related through her mom’s side, though some of the family is related through Uncle Ron’s wife, Louise. I spot her
wearing an absurd Gucci pant suit, gesturing with a drink in her hand, and laughing louder than anyone should at something that’s probably not very funny.
“Okay, so,” Lora says as we walk through the group of people. “Those are the Cardiffs, they’re related through Louise, Ron’s wife. They’re a little… loud.” She makes a face and shrugs. “Mostly everyone else is related to my mom. She’s one of eight kids, so her extended family is huge. We don’t see them much, though.”
We go through a barrage of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Despite just having told me that she barely knows them and doesn’t see them much, she knows every name, every detail, and seems perfectly at ease. I wonder for a second if she really is closer than she realizes with these people, but I understand that it’s just her personality.
I’ve seen it time and time again. She has this way about her. She makes people feel comfortable, even when she barely knows them. It’s in her smile, the way she leans in to listen, the way she puts a hand on an arm. People are drawn to her, always have been. Hell, I’m drawn to her, and can’t help myself. Now that she’s grown up, it’s like her magnetism’s been turned up to eleven.
“Okay, and I’ve saved the best for last,” she says as we walk over to a little bench under some shade trees. A guy about my age is sitting there, tall and broad, wearing a flannel shirt and jeans. Next to him sits a younger girl, though she has a generally similar look to him, just smaller and pretty. “This is David and this is Maggie. They’re my mom’s brother’s kids.”
“Nice to meet you guys,” I say, shaking hands.
“Man, good to see someone we’re not related to,” David says with a laugh.
“Seriously. I always forget how many there are.” Maggie frowns and looks around. “I mean, where’d they all come from?”
“I have no clue,” Lora admits. “I feel like I barely get to see you guys, though. What have you been up to?”
“Not much,” David says. “Just hanging around. You know me.”
Maggie rolls her eyes. “He’s being modest,” she says. “He just got the assistant coach job at USC.”
“Football?” I ask.
He nods. “Yep. I’m a sports nerd.”
I laugh. “That’s amazing. Congrats.”
“Ah, thanks. It’s no big deal.”
“You’re young to be an assistant coach at a program like that.”
“Youngest ever.” He grins and shrugs. “What can I say, I’ve been lucky.”
“What about you, Maggie?” Lora asks.
“Unfortunately,” she says, “I’m not as impressive as my older brother here.”
“Don’t listen to her. She just graduated from Harvard.”
“Damn. You two are way cooler than I am,” Lora says with a laugh.
“That’s not true,” I say. “You just bought a warehouse.”
David grinds. “A warehouse?”
“Sounds weird, I know,” Lora says. “But it’s this empty warehouse I plan on turning into an indoor fun park. This town is sort of… well, boring. I want to give young people something to do that isn’t meth.”
Both cousins laugh. “Well, if you need help, ask me,” Maggie says. “I’ve got nothing else going on.”
“We might take you up on that,” I say. “I got roped into this project.”
“Please,” Lora says, grinning. “He quit his job and dove in head first.”
Maggie raises an eyebrow. “Really? That’s bold.”
“I believe in her,” I say.
“Oh, sappy.” David laughs.
“It’s not like that,” Lora says, blushing. “We’re business partners.”
“Oh, right, sure.” Maggie grins and gives her brother a look. “Just business.”
I laugh but don’t try to correct them as Lora blushes a deep, dark crimson. I want to make a joke, but I spot someone walking over toward us. I turn and freeze as Sylvia Lofthouse breezes over.
She’s wearing a long, flowing dress, modest but expensive, with a wide floppy sunhat. She smiles at us and tilts a head.
“I see you made it,” she says to me. “And you’re meeting the troublemakers already.”
“Hello, Aunt Sylvia,” Maggie says.
“Hi, Aunt Sylvia.” David gets up and kisses her cheek.
“Hello, David. Congratulations on the job.”
“Thank you,” he says, smiling a wooden smile. He sits back down next to his sister.
They’re both being perfectly peasant and polite, but I can hear and sense a strange undertone to the moment. Both of them are wooden and awkward, almost like they’re afraid of her.
“Dean,” she says, looking at me. “May I have a word?”
“Mom, if you want to talk to him, we can—”
She gives her daughter a perfectly calm look, but Lora stops talking.
I step around her and put a hand on her arm. “It’s fine,” I say. “I’d love to talk, Sylvia.”
I see Maggie wince out of the corner of my eye when I say Mrs. Lofthouse’s first name.
But she doesn’t bat an eye. “Come along then, Dean.” She turns and sweeps off.
I give Lora a look. “It’ll be fine,” I say, and hurry after her.
Sylvia leads me through the party and I get more than one strange look. I suspect more than just the siblings back there are afraid of Mrs. Lofthouse. In fact, everyone seems to shy away from her just a little bit.
From what I know, I can’t blame them. She’s considered the power here, even if she did marry into the family. She has a sort of gravitas about her, a strange and hard to explain weight. Every time she looks at me, it’s like she’s staring through me, reading my mind, weighing my flaws.
We step inside and she removes her hat with a sigh. “I burn so easy,” she explains. “And I have a higher risk than average for skin cancer.” She shrugs as if to say, what can you do?
I smile. “It’s a very fashionable hat.”
She laughs, light and easy. “Thank you, Dean. You always seem to know what to say.”
That phrase seems loaded, so I don’t reply.
She leads me into a sitting room just off the main living room. A staff member pokes his head in and Sylvia asks for tea. He nods and leaves as she gestures at a chair. I sit down and she sits across from me, a small round table between us.
“So, Dean,” she says.
“Thank you for allowing me to come today,” I say.
“Ah, that wasn’t my choice.” She tilts her head, a little smile on her lips, and I suspect that it actually was.
“Still, I appreciate your hospitality.”
“Dean, what are you doing with my daughter?”
I frown at her, surprised. “I’m sorry?”
“I don’t think that question is ambiguous,” she says, and frowns at me. “But I can be more direct, if that’s what you need. Although you don’t seem like a slow man to me.”
“No, I just—” I clear my throat. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“What did you expect?” She frowns a little. “Why else would I call you back to speak in private?”
“I don’t know,” I admit.
“Meaning, you didn’t think about it. Next time, Dean, please think about it.”
I sit back, surprised and not sure what to say, when that same staff member returns with a tray. There’s a teapot, two teacups, and a small assortment of hard cookies. He places the tray down and Sylvia thanks him before pouring the tea. She sips her cup and smiles. “Very good,” she says.
The staff member smiles and leaves without a word.
“Go ahead,” she says. “Taste it.”
I pick up the cup. “I’m not much of a tea drinker.”
“Try it anyway. You might find you like it.”
I hesitate but take a sip. It’s bold and flavorful, not at all like the tea I’m used to. I frown a little. “Huh. This actually is good.”
“I import it myself,” she says. “Direct from a small grower in India.
I have a contact there, you see. It costs a fortune, but,” she shrugs, “I have a fortune.”
I smile a little. “Thank you for sharing it with me.”
“Of course. I’m glad you like it.” She puts down her cup. “Now, you still haven’t answered my question.”
I nod once. “I’m working with her,” I say.
“Yes, I know that.”
“I’m helping her. We spoke of this before, I just—”
“Dean,” she says, interrupting me. “She’s not here. She won’t know what you say to me, and what you say to me now will be very, very important.” She gives me a flat look.
I nod slowly. “I’ve known Lora for a long time,” I say.
“Yes, you have. In fact, you’re one of her oldest friends, if I’m not mistaken.”
“I’d do anything for her,” I say. “We lost touch, and I always hated that… but it’s like we’re picking up right where we left off.”
“Why did you lose touch?”
“She went to California for school. I stayed here and worked for my dad. We were in two very, very different worlds.” I shake my head. “I never felt like I belonged.”
“Do you belong here, at the manor?” She doesn’t sound like she’s accusing me of anything.
“More than I ever have,” I say. “But not quite yet.”
“Yes, I think that’s right,” she says. I should be insulted, or even hurt, but I’m not. It’s just a statement of fact coming from her. “But you’re trying to fix that, aren’t you?”
“Maybe,” I say. “Helping her with this warehouse deal is a start.”
“Interesting.” She frowns. “And is that it, just… business?”
I clench my jaw for a moment. I don’t want to lie to her, but I also don’t know what to say. Yes, we’re fucking? Yes, I love touching her, kissing her, holding her? I don’t even know if we’re more than just friends with benefits right now. Things are confusing and strange, and we haven’t tried to define what we’re doing.
I still feel like I don’t belong in this world. It’s all so new to me, so different. But I’ve thrown myself into it, because I want Lora. And I’m going to have her, one way or another.