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“It’s a no-brainer. That van is her sole means of transportation.” Would she really trade in Berta? I believed her when she said it had sentimental value. I heard the quiver in her voice and saw the shine of tears in her eyes.
Ryan shook his head. “I remember her grandmother toiling around in that van. It will be a sad day when I don’t see it running on the streets anymore.”
I gave him a look. “Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you?”
“We can fix this for her. She’s a fellow shop owner. We should be helping her.”
“We’re not a charity.” I knew I sounded like an asshole, but Ryan had no idea what I really thought about Lily.
“This is good publicity for us. We’re in the Shops on Main group, but in a lot of ways, we’re outsiders. We’re not within the historical area of Annapolis. We’re not located on Main Street or even close to it. We can’t contribute to most of the groups’ fundraisers since we don’t sell food or products.” Ryan’s hands moved in time with his words.
“Well, yeah. We’re in the service industry,” I said stubbornly, even though I understood what he was saying. Wewereoutsiders. Other than Max, who owned Max’s Bar & Grill, everyone else owned a store.
“This is the one thing we can do.”
“You’re not wrong.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to place myself in Lily’s world. I didn’t think I could resist her pull. If we got involved and I acted like I usually did with women, I’d fuck it up eventually. I’d ruin it, and where would that leave our business? Our reputation? It wasn’t worth risking it.
“Where’s your reluctance coming from? Your fear of change or trying new things, or is it something else?” Ryan lowered his voice as if he knew he was getting into personal territory.
He’d been my friend since childhood. We knew each other’s history, and we’d been there for each other through everything. But I couldn’t admit that I was attracted to Lily. It was easier to blame it on my usual issues. “I’m not saying no. I just like doing things in my own time.”
Maybe I could hold him off.
A muscle in Ryan’s jaw ticked. “You’re afraid of screwing things up like your mom did.”
His accusation sucked the wind out of me. “What are you talking about?”
On a good day, I didn’t think I was anything like my mother, but on the other ones? I wasn’t so sure.
Ryan squeezed my shoulder with his hand just hard enough to get my attention. “You need to work through your issues so our business doesn’t suffer.”
“I’m doing just fine.” I’d never admit that I worried about my ability to hurt people like my mom had. It was just easier to keep most people at arm’s length.
“If I’d been mired in my old way of doing things, I wouldn’t be with Hailey. I’d still be a lonely asshole like you.”
“First of all, Hailey’s my little sister. I don’t want to hear personal details.” My bluster was mainly for show. Ryan was good for Hailey. As long as she was happy, which she was, I wouldn’t come between them.
Ryan shook his head. “You need to deal with your issues or get over it. You’re turning into a grumpy old man.”
This time, I had a feeling Ryan wouldn’t let me get away with my same old shit. I needed to deal with it soon or he’d take matters into his own hands. Even if he was dating Hailey, I didn’t want him working with Lily. I wanted to be the one who revitalized Berta, who saw the excitement in Lily’s face when she saw her fixed up.
A pit formed in my stomach. Maybe I did need to make some changes. I couldn’t let my inability to make decisions hurt the business. It wasn’t just me who’d suffer.
* * *
The reason I’d stopped in for dinner at Hailey and Ryan’s was because Ryan mentioned how good it was for Corey to have same-sex role models. If he said it was for Corey, I was there, and Ryan knew it. Plus, I picked up Nana so she could have an evening out of her house with someone else cooking her a meal.
There was a standing invitation for me to go to dinner at Hailey and Ryan’s house anytime I wanted. I appreciated the home-cooked meal but tried to keep my visits to no more than once per week. I was okay with Hailey dating my best friend and business partner, but it was still weird to see them together.
I’d been protective of Hailey since our mother abandoned us to our grandmother when we were kids. Even though Nana was our caregiver, we had a special bond. No one else had gone through what we had.
In high school, I told her to stay away from troublemakers like me or Ryan. I was right, because Ryan had gotten a girl pregnant at eighteen. Surprising everyone, he’d stepped up, following the mother, Tiffany, around the country, until he got custody of Corey and moved back home.
I knocked on the door, and Ryan’s son, Corey, answered. At fifteen, he had earbuds in his ears and was nodding in time to whatever beat was playing on his phone.
I slapped a hand on his shoulder and flicked the ear bud out.
“Hey,” Corey said as he grabbed for the falling piece.
