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Violet shrugs. “Does it matter?”
“Yes, it does. At fair value is a good offer, and one without any conditions attached is a great deal if there are issues that an inspection will turn up.”
Violet seems to shrink with his words, her second of hope deflating.
“What did your grandparents say when you told them about what you overheard?” I ask.
“They said that I must have misunderstood. They’ve known Barbara her whole life, and she would never do something like that. But I know what I heard.” She watches Henry, and I don’t miss the silent request there.
Was this her plan when she ran to New York? To gather up the courage to seek out her rich and powerful father and ask for his helpwithout actually asking for his help? Obviously, she didn’t anticipate us showing up at the diner, but she recovered quickly.
“We wouldn’t want to see Howard and Gayle taken advantage of.” I find myself holding my breath too, waiting for Henry to do what he does best: take control.
Henry bites his bottom lip in thought. “The first step is to understand what the house is worth on the market, so we know if what this agent is coming to them with is fair.”
“Okay …” I prod, trying to convey my pleas with my eyes.Come on, Henry, do the right thing here. Get involved.
He twists his lips in thought. “I have a guy. I trust him to get us a good number. I will make the call. Butonly”—he holds up a finger as if to hit pause—“if you go back to your grandparents, apologize for taking off the way you did, and promise me that you’ll stop causing them stress.”
Violet purses her lips together as her head bobs.
The waitress appears then with our coffees. “Some breakfast for you two today?” she asks, sparing Violet’s mauled plate of food a glance.
“Yes! I’d love an order of French toast, please,” I jump in before Henry can decline, raising my eyebrows expectantly at him. His daughter is sitting across from him. This is a real chance to get to know her while he’s playing the white knight and her defenses are down.
“Make it two. And if she’s done murdering her food, perhaps a fresh plate of something else that she’ll eat?” He refers to Violet in third person, but he’s staring at her.
Violet’s face morphs with a grin as she sets her cutlery down. It’s the first smile we’ve seen touch her face, and it transforms her from pretty to downright beautiful. “I like French toast.”
“Three orders of French toast, comin’ right up!” The waitress whisks Violet’s plate from her and strolls away.
“I have a few phone calls to make. I’ll be back.”
“Okay,cutie pie,” I tease.
He leans in to whisper, “You’ll pay for that one later.” With a quick kiss on my cheek, he slides out of our crammed booth.
Violet watches over her shoulder as Henry strolls toward the door with a graceful stride, digging his phone out of his pocket. “Is he calling my grandparents?”
“He did when we got here. Now he’s calling his real estate guy.” On a Sunday morning, no less, and Henry will expect the man to answer.
“Already?”
That makes me chuckle. “He doesn’t waste time.”
“But he’ll do what he says he’s going to?” There’s doubt in her voice.
I take a long sip of my coffee. “If he says he’s going to do something, he’ll do it.” I can’t believe I’m sitting across from Henry’schild.
She watches me with unabashed curiosity for a long moment. “So you work for …him?” She falters onhim, as if she doesn’t know what else to call Henry.
I decide not to push the father thing just yet. “I was Henry’s assistant for a bit while we were in Alaska this past summer, but I don’t work for his company anymore.”
“Did you like working for him?”
I consider my answer. “It had its benefits.” None that I’ll ever admit to. “But it’s better this way.”
She chews on the inside of her cheek, as if holding back questions she’s dying to ask.
