He held up a finger because he had a feeling everything was so far from okay that she was about to get her heart broken.
“Seems your lady friend’s debt-to-income ratio is way off. At least that’s how the bank explained it,” Jack said. “She said she was going to call the bank and straighten things out but it sounds like things couldn’t be straightened out. Her score is so low, I don’t even think she would have qualified for one of my smaller rentals.”
Colin ran a hand down his face. “I’m really sorry if I put you in a bad situation, and I understand you have to do what you have to do.”
“I need you to understand this isn’t personal, it’s business,” he said. “I’m just not a big company. Hell, I only bought that strip in downtown because my retirement guy told me to diversify. As much as I’d like to, I just can’t absorb the renovation cost and the possibility of lost rent.”
“And you shouldn’t have to.” Colin looked up and noticed Frank was nowhere to be seen. “How much are you in for?”
Jack told him a number that had Colin’s head pounding. The man must be damn near done with all the renovations. “And this is where it gets a little uncomfortable. As her cosigner, you and I still have an agreement and I’m going to need to hold you to it.” Jack sighed. “At least until I can find someone who’s looking for a commercial kitchen to take the place off your hands. And you have my word, I’ll start looking tomorrow.”
That painful thump worked itself behind his eyes and down to his chest. “I gave you my word. I won’t leave you high and dry.”
Which meant Colin would be left high and dry. And the only way to make things right was to use the money his parents had left him. Which meant he was not going to be able to open his practice anytime soon. Cross FurGet Me Not off his plan. Hell, his whole plan needed to be scrapped.
He should have seen the writing on the wall the first time he caught Maddison sneaking out. Everyone in his life was so busy sneaking around, it was near impossible to lock down a plan.
He disconnected the call and looked at Teagan, who was looking nervously back.
“Is Jack reneging?” she asked. “Because I’ll never find a place that perfect again.”
“Actually, the problem is on your side. Seems your debt-to-income ratio is higher than expected.”
“He needs to call the bank again,” Teagan said. “After he called me, I reached out to Frank’s finance guy, and he assured me it would be handled.”
Frank’s finance guy.“Do you think that when you learned there was a problem, you should have come to me, your cosigner?”
“You don’t know our financial history, and I didn’t want to worry you.”
Frank? Our?What the hell was happening?
“The fact that you didn’t come to me is what worries me. I hoped you would know that no matter what goes wrong, I’m your go-to.”
“I do know. And you are.”
“I don’t know if I can say the same.”
“It’s not like that. When Bread N Butter went under, I paid off the debt so my mom wouldn’t have to, and no one had to file for bankruptcy. I may not be cash heavy, but I own my car and this beach house outright. Besides a few low-limit credit cards, I have no debt. So when Jack said there was a snafu with the credit check, I called Frank’s guy.”
Frank groaned and everyone turned his way. “I’ve been meaning to tell you about that. I kind of relapsed a few months back.”
Teagan froze. “How? You were in rehab. How do you relapse in rehab?”
“It was a voluntary rehab and I kind of snuck out.”
“How do youkind ofsneak out?” Colin turned the full force of his anger toward Frank, who was drinking one of Colin’s beers. “You either did and screwed Teagan over or you didn’t, which would mean that call from Jack was a screw-up.” Colin stalked toward him, and the coward actually brought his knees together, using his kids as a damn shield. “Which was it, Frank? Did the bank screw up or did you?”
“I wouldn’t go as far as to say I ‘screwed up’ but there is a good learning lesson to the story here,” he said as if the situation were an afterschool special and he was delivering the takeaway.
“What would you say? I really need you to clarify things right now,” Teagan put in, and Colin could hear the quiver in her voice.
“Loans or liens can really be confusing.” Frank chuckled.
Every adult in the room groaned, except Frank. He sat, with his daughters on his lap, looking for all the world like the victim. And those kids—damn, those kids—they were staring up at Colin as if he’d morphed into a big, scary monster.
“Poppy.” He got down on a knee. “Why don’t you take Lily to my office. I’ve got a tablet on my desk with that princess game you like on it.”
Poppy leaned back into her dad’s chest, arms crossed, shaking a big N.O. Lily followed suit. Teagan was busy staring at her ex, mouth gaping open, her eyes heartbreakingly glistening.
