“I hope so. I shouldn’t have let Benny Jr. get under my skin.”
“Ah, but he’s so good at annoying the shit out of people. Why take away what he’s good at?”
I chuckled without real gusto and glanced at the clock.
“Go get her. You don’t have to sit around here with me. Go tell Bee how you’re feeling before she thinks you aren’t coming for her. Do something big and exciting. Hopefully, you used the Hookup Hut to its full capacity, but I never understand the younger generations anymore.” She patted my hand. “Oh, don’t look so shocked. That cabin has been there as long as the tram, if not longer. Every generation thinks they invented being wild.”
“Okay, well, this is getting dangerously close to things I never want to think about, so I will go.” I stood, my butt already half asleep.
The intern from last night poked his head in the door, paling slightly when he spotted me. Hard to think that it wasn’t even twenty-four hours ago when I had been here. I felt like a totally different person.
“Mr. Campbell, uh, sir. The billing admin has a question. I guess your payment?—”
I cut him off before he could say anymore. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I spoke with slow emphasis, giving him plenty of time to backtrack and get out.
“They just want to make sure you meant to pay through February.” I gave him a look that should have melted his face, but he wasn’t the brightest bulb.
I sighed and pinched the area between my brows. “I’ll be right there.”
I thought maybe she’d let it slide, but just when I crossed the threshold to leave, Ivy said, “I know you aren’t thinking about taking another step without explaining what that was about.”
Shit.
“It’s nothing,” I said, not meeting her gaze. “Just a clerical mix-up. They must think I’m your son.”
“Boy, sit your butt in that chair and tell me why you’re paying my rent.”
I scrubbed at my short hair, scratching my palms. I went to the chair and sat back down. I would have to tell her sooner or later. Maybe I should have told her a while ago. I held her gaze and explained the horrible truth as I held her hands. “I’m so sorry. He took the money from your account and hasn’t been back since. As you know.”
“What about the cards he sent?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.
I cleared my throat. “I-I sent those too.”
“I thought it was weird that he finally remembered my birthday.” She sat back and blew out a low whistle through her crepe-skinned lips. “You know, sometimes I wonder if he resented me because I gave so much to my students. Or maybe he just took the personality of his father. Shame.”
“I shouldn’t have lied to you. I’m so sorry. I just didn’t want him to hurt you anymore,” I said, feeling smaller than a GP.
I wasn’t prone to violence. That much was obvious at this point.
But I could sic Bee on her son.
“You’re telling me you’ve been paying my rent for over six months?”
“I-I’m sorry. We don’t have to make a whole thing out of it. After everything you’ve done for me.”
“Sometimes, I think you are an overlooked secret genius, and then other times, you don’t seem to have enough common sense to find your own nose,” she said.
“It wasn’t that I expected a thank you, but I wasn’t expecting to be insulted.” I blinked at her.
“You insulted me first.”
My jaw dropped.
“You think I’m dumb enough to let that numbnuts of a kid have full access to all my accounts?”
I blinked, slouching back. “What am I missing here?”
“Everything, apparently. The account I gave Jonny access to only had enough to cover my bills here. He’s been scamming me since he could walk. I’m not saying it’s his father’s fault, but … anyway. I knew he would take advantage of my age the second he thought he could. I would never be stupid enough to give him access to all my money.” She rubbed her forehead and blew out a long breath. “No wonder you’ve seemed so damn stressed lately.”
