But the grant was going to Covert Pier.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Hope
It was Hope’s turn to give the moral support. She had come to Nora House with a Domino’s Pizza. There were times a girl didn’t want to cook. Also, Domino’s world headquarters was in Ann Arbor, that qualified as local.
J.J. was headed to Nora House in a bit with wine, but Hope wanted to do this next deal before their third friend arrived. She suspected she’d have to twist Libby’s arm.
Though Libby was generous, and never once did anything that made Hope feel awkward about accepting that generosity, it had been weighing on her. How could she stand on her own two feet if Libby was propping her up?
They sat on the expansive back porch of Nora House and watched the pontoons float by in the evening sun.
“I’m so grateful for all you’ve done, given me, inspired me to do here.”
“Wait, wait, nope, you better not be breaking up with me.”
“What? No, no that’s not it.”
“It’s just, I settled my divorce, and I’m clear of all those obligations. And I want to buy the cottage from you.”
“You don’t have to do that! I know I put a lot on your plate when I brought you here. Part of my end of the deal was a free lease on a restaurant and place to stay.”
“And it was what I needed, yes, but what I need to make this my life is one hundred percent autonomy.”
“I understand, and I respect that. I’m amidst that same push and pull with Aunt Emma, to be honest. So what do you propose?”
“I’ve got a cash offer for you. Sixty thousand, today, no contingencies for the cottage.”
Hope knew the property had the potential to go for three times that. She prayed she wasn’t insulting her friend with the offer.
But she also knew that Libby was overwhelmed with things to renovate and the stewardship of Nora House, as Aunt Emma called it.
“You’re giving me more than it’s worth,” Libby said. “It’s an eight hundred square foot 1950s cottage that needs a new roof, doesn’t have heat, and hasn’t been updated since, like,The Dick Van Dyke Showwas on primetime, first run.”
“I’m giving you half of its worth if that. It’s charming, and you know it. It’s clean and well-built and is right on the water. Taking sixty thousand, you’re losing money.”
Libby was making the deal sound terrible, the opposite of her normal negotiating strategy.
“No, I mean, that thing was given to me, just like all this stuff Aunt Emma put on my balance sheet. This would be one less thing to renovate, rent, or tear down, are you kidding me? I’m in your debt.”
“It is all I need. Actually, it’s exactly what I need. Everything here, from the restaurant to finding my Sandbar Sisters, this has changed the trajectory, you know?”
“I know. I hear you like the neighbor too,” Libby teased.
“Stop. I’m recently divorced. I need to stay in the shallow end of the dating pool for a bit.”
“I understand but are you really sure? I am just carrying the bare minimum on insurance for that place, and I can keep doing that until you’re more settled.”
“I’m very sure, but I’d be open to half now, half after we get next season at the restaurant under our belts.”
“That’s kind of nice to hear, that you’re planning to be here for another season.”
“Yes, I am. We’ll close in the fall, and open in May and in between I’m not sure what. Maybe find a heater for the cottage.”
“Yeah, you’ll need it.”
“Libby, no one but Patrick Tate knows this, but I gave Archie everything, our house, our cars, and I signed away alimony.”
