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“And has a child,” Grayson said.
“No,” he said. “She doesn’t have a child. She is the guardian of her best friend’s daughter. Josie is great. She loves my dogs. She has Connie Green’s poodle. The one she got for her mother that didn’t work out.”
“You set that up, didn’t you?” his father said.
“I mentioned something to Avery because I knew Josie wanted a dog,” he said.
“No reason to ask how you knew that,” Natalie said. “You wouldn’t tell us anyway.”
“You guys are making this out to be more than it is,” he said. “I need a beer.”
Sunday dinner was turning into more of an inquisition at this point.
He could hear everyone talking in the living room but then turned when his mother joined him in the kitchen. “I’m only getting snacks to put out, not asking you more than you want to say.”
He nodded. “Not much to say other than what I did.”
“I told them what I knew and they will leave you alone.”
“Thanks,” he said. That meant his mother told his brother and sister how Avery came to the island if they didn’t know those facts. They probably did. It also meant his mother told them that Josie’s mother and Avery’s best friend died, and that was how Avery got custody.
He didn’t like gossiping about other people. Even if it was fact more than fiction.
“How is the shop doing?” his father asked. “Slowing down now that summer is over?”
The summer was always busy. Tourists had issues on the island he’d have to take care of along with the residents that lived here year round.
“It never seems to slow down much, but at least a lot of the last minute calls aren’t quite as bad. The body shop is crazy busy and that is a good thing.”
The only thing he hated was the time it took, but Stew was good at doing a few cars at a time when he could. They took time to dry and set. He was glad there was full-time work. And if there wasn’t, then Stew would help out in the garage or with the tow truck. Everyone did their part.
“It was the best thing you could have done to expand the business,” Grayson said. “Short of getting more cars for rentals. What do you think there?”
“The wise thing to do is go to an auction and pick up a few more cars. I need to find the damn time.”
“I can go with you,” his father said. “How many are you looking to pick up?”
“At least two, maybe three. The three I’ve got are signed out at all times. If not for the cars that Stew is working on, then those that need to leave their cars with me for days.”
“Get more than two and start having rentals for tourists,” Grayson said. “I’ll go in with you on it.”
“What?” he asked.
“You heard me,” Grayson said. “I want to expand my investments. You’ve got the land to store the vehicles. You know as well as I do that tourists don’t like loading and unloading cars on the ferry.”
“No,” he said. “But most that come here either drive here and have a car or they fly into Boston and rent it at the airport.”
“Not really,” Natalie said. “I’ve found that a lot of the guests are extremely intimidated about loading cars on the ferry or driving through Boston traffic. They are taking taxis or Uber to the ferry, then again on the island if they can’t get the taxi or Uber to load on the ferry. Many won’t or charge a fortune.”
“Do you think there is a need for it?” he asked. “It’s not that busy on the island in the winter and we are going into that time.”
“You can check with Emily and Penelope, but I’m sure they will tell you the same. The Casino is different. Not everyone stays all that long or they stay right there,” Natalie said.
“Why not have Grayson figure it out,” his father said. “Run the numbers. You’re making money on the rentals now when people need them for repairs on their own cars.”
“Insurance pays for that most times,” he said. Or at least for accidents.
“That’s right,” Grayson said. “Let me know what that is. When it’s not the peak of tourist season, those cars can be used for your business. Mom can manage that.”
