Page 10 of The Fixer

A sigh escaped me. “Niles ran into financial difficulties years ago, and Dad bought him out. All but one percent, in case anything happened to him, they could still pay their bills. He kept him on the company’s name, kept him as his business partner to help run the place, but he owned all the rest.”

“Oh. Wow.” She rounded me, taking the other chair at the island. “He didn’t leave anything to Niles?”

“His record collection and…” I bit my lip, a grimace pulling at my face. “And the Thunderbird.”

Brooke flinched. “Ouch.”

“Yeah.”

My father’s record collection was a thing of beauty. He started it in college, back when he and Niles first met. The two had bonded over their love of music and finance and had been best friends ever since.

And the car…

“How did Niles take it?”

Brooke pulled me from the spiral my mind was dipping into. I gave my head a shake, then shrugged one shoulder. “He was helpful. Supportive, as always. He told me about the financial issues. I offered to sell him the company, but he doesn’t have the money. He said this is what my dad wanted, and he couldn’t take that away from me.”

“But how are you going to…”

“I don’t know.” Mr. Jingles’ bell rang again, and I peered up from the counter where my gaze had been stuck.

I wasn’t in finance. While I might have done well in my classes in college, my life had taken a different course, one where I was sure I needed to be: working at a women’s shelter to help women who’d been abused. I couldn’t turn my back on the people who needed me.

But I couldn’t turn my back on my dad.

Brooke’s hand covered mine and I leaned across the space between us, laying my head on her shoulder. “You’ll be okay,” she murmured before dropping a kiss to the crown of my head. “Niles will help you out. And maybe, I don’t know. Maybe Niles can buy you out, or you can find someone else to sell it to. Niles must know someone who can help you.”

“Yeah. I know. I’ll get there.”

“Just take it one day at a time.” The two of us said it together, then turned to one another and let out a laugh.

“There’s my beautiful friend. Chin up, pumpkin. You know I love you.”

“Thanks, Brooke. I love you, too.”

“You going to be okay tonight?” she asked, glancing at the clock above the stove.

“I will. You have somewhere to be?” She shrugged, but I knew by the smile that graced her lips why there was so much excitement dancing in her eyes. “You and Eric have plans, don’t you?”

Somehow, that smile grew. “Eric surprised me with a vacation. He’s taking me to the Bahamas for a week.”

“And you think you can do that? With the Gala coming up?”

Brook nodded. “He cleared it with Meg first. It was before…”

Before. Before my father died. Before I stepped away from my work in order to grieve and try to piece together my life.

I swallowed down my selfish worry, trying to be happy for my friend. “And she’s still letting you? That’s amazing!”

She nodded again, her wide smile tempered as she tried to assure. “I’ll be back in time for the Gala. Everything’s ready except for a few small things, and Meg was sure she could handle that on her own. It’s just going to be me and Eric, and a whole lot of sunshine and relaxation. He said I needed it, but I think he does, too.”

“You two are pathetically sweet. Too sweet, by the way. So sweet it kinda makes me sick.”

“That sounds like my Eric.”

“That sounds like you, too. Thank you for coming over to check on me.”

“Of course, sweetie. Anything you need, you just let me know.”