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Then I pull up the payment details for each of the guys and send it right away. Ninety seconds. Three payments.

Every cent I owe them.

I close the banking app before I can stare at what remains and start questioning the decision.

Then I open the group chat.

Cal

done. check your accounts

I put the phone down. Make more coffee. Stand at the window and watch the street do its morning thing—a woman with a dog, someone scraping a windshield.

My phone goes off.

Luca

cal

bro

BRO

are you insane, we literally just got the new deal, we don’t need yo money

Harrison

bro what is this

we said we were square

I’m grinning at the window. I can’t help it.

Then Eli calls.

“You absolute idiot,” he says, and his voice is warm in a way that means the opposite of what the words say.

“Morning.” I sip my drink.

“Cal, we’re getting our advance soon. We’re all gonna be fine. We don’t need⁠—”

“I know, but I said I would.” I lean against the counter. “That’s it, man. I said I’d fix it and I’m fixing it. The advance doesn’t change what I owe you. You waited for me. You all waited, and you didn’t have to, and I needed to make that right.” Fuck, my throat tightens up. “That’s all it is.”

“You’re such an idiot,” Eli repeats.

“Yup.”

“The biggest idiot I have ever—” He slowly exhales. “I’m proud of you. You know that? You went and did this stupid thing, and I was furious, and I’ve been—” Another stop. “I’m proud of you, Cal.”

“Don’t make it weird,” I say.

“Shut up and take the compliment.”

“Fine.”

“Good.” I hear it, the grin coming back into his voice. “Soooo. Summer. We writing again?”

“Summer,” I say.