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I thought of the shuttered stores, the empty hallways. The metal security gates that closed off entire sections of the once-thriving place, which would never see customers again.
“No,” I admitted. “No, it’s not.”
“Well, word finally came down a few weeks ago,” said Jay. “The sweet old landlord wasn’t just apologetic, he was actually tearful.” He shrugged sadly. “But the ball’s already rolling. Aegean’s got less than two months left, whether Tyler refuses to accept it or not, then the whole place gets bulldozed.”
I swore incredulously, beneath my breath. “You mean he doesn’t accept it?”
“At times he seems to,” said Jay sadly. “But other times he tells me its all a rumor and refuses to talk about it. Or he outright lies about some kind of extension, and talks about an outside development deal in the works that will save the entire mall.”
“Nobody’s saving that mall,” I shook my head.
“No shit.”
“He’s just going to have to move, then,” I offered. “Open up somewhere else. Do you know how many empty strip malls there are nearby?”
Jay nodded. “Tons.”
“Aegean’sold. It’s got a huge following! Thousands of loyal customers. Tyler would kill it in another location, all he has to do is—”
“Jenna, he can’t afford it.”
Jay closed a big hand around one of the glasses of water on the table. Tossing the already-soggy paper straw aside, he downed half of it in three great gulps.
“Do you know how much it costs to move a pizza kitchen?” he asked. “I’ve looked into it. The ovens alone are more than Tyler could ever afford. And those ovens — along with his foster father’s recipe — are what makes Aegean so much better than everyone else.”
A measure of silence stretched out between us. Jay was staring back at me soberly, his handsome face uncharacteristically somber. I on the other hand was lost somewhere else, my brain a million miles away.
“The truth is, Tyler’s about to lose his businessandhis home,” said Jay, “and we need to do something to help him.”
“Why are you telling me all this?” I asked. “Why not tell Tyler?”
“I did tell Tyler. He won’t listen to me.”
“Jay, you’re his best friend. If he won’t listen to you—”
“But he’ll listen toyou,” Jay cut me off. “Jenna, trust me. Tyler practically worships you. Or in the absence of you, he worships your memory. It’s one of the main reasons none of his other relationships worked out. No matter which girl he was dating or for how long, he always ended up comparing them to you.”
I sat there a few long seconds with my mouth hung open. Jay nodded as I composed myself.
“I… I had no idea.”
“Luca and I have been brainstorming solutions, but we’ve come up almost empty,” Jay finished. “I suggested we loop you in. We’re all close to Tyler, but you know him on levels we don’t.”
Our food arrived. For a while we just ate, neither of us realizing just how hungry we actually were. Throughout the meal, my mind wandered. It struggled first to understand how Tyler could simply ignore things for so long, because he’d always been practical.
Eventually though, I shifted gears. I thought about Tyler’s foster parents, first. They’d built the restaurant from scratch, taking a small, tucked-away pizzeria and turning it into a juggernaut that was now legendary to the local community. They served the best food, using the best ingredients and homespun recipes. It wasn’t cheap. It wasn’t easy. But through the decades, they’d fed three full generations of hungry, happy customers.
Such a loyal followinghadto be worth something.
“I have an idea.”
My eyes lit up as I spoke the words. My salad was gone, my belly full. But my mind was positively buzzing.
“Really?”
I nodded quickly, then pushed my empty bowl forward and stood up. I needed to get home. I had to pluck the ideas from my spinning mind, and write them down before they disappeared.
Jay smiled, his expression ecstatic. All the uncharacteristic seriousness and somberness was gone. “Iknewyou’d come through.”
