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“Sulking,” she finished when I couldn’t find the adequate words. She joined me on the bench. “You know how to fix this. But I might as well talk to that basketball.” She motioned toward the ball a few feet away on the floor.
I stared at it, irritated she was right.
She nudged me with her elbow. “I have some good news.”
“What is it?” I asked hesitantly. One could never be certain when it came to my sister.
“I got your building in the Bowery. I’ll transfer the deed as soon as you give me the all clear.”
I straightened. “You closed?”
She stretched her legs out. “Since you enjoy leaving me in the dark, I thought I’d show you the same courtesy.” She scowled. “But you’ve been so irritable since Lexie and Eric left, I wanted to cheer you up.”
I was glad, though it felt hollow. Maybe this was how I could make up for my failure to them. They’d never know what we’d do with the building, but all of it would be in their honor.
“I want to find temporary housing for all the current tenants. When we’ve rebuilt, if they want to come back, they can do so at the same rent rate.” Or maybe cheaper depending on what I found when I delved into the actual numbers of their current rent prices.
“Lincoln, I think the building has to go. I went by there again after I got the inspection report.” She shook her head. “If the city gets hold of that report, they’ll displace those people immediately.”
“Will you help me do this? I—” I gripped my knees. Helping these people wouldn’t atone for my mistakes, and it wasn’t completely about that. I wanted to give people a home they would be glad to live in, not somewhere they were stuck.
She covered my hand with hers. “I’ll help you.”
Relief coursed through me. “Thank you. I will pay you back.”
She smacked my hand. “Nope. I don’t want your money.” She stood. “I’d better start looking for somewhere to relocate thirty tenants.”
I pushed to my feet and hugged her. “We’ll find somewhere.”
She gave me a quick hug back before she shoved me away. “I expect open communication.”
“I can do that.”
She grinned as if she’d just gotten me to agree to something I wasn’t aware of. “Good.” She pinched my cheek. “You can practice with yourself. About how for such a smart guy you can be really dumb.”
Chapter Forty-One
Lexie
“Garrison?”
I nearly dropped the phone as I stirred the broth and vegetables.
“Um, hi, Lexie.”
“Hey, Garrison. Long time no see,” Eric called from across the kitchen.
“Hello, Eric.”
I didn’t bother to tell him he wasn’t on speakerphone so Eric couldn’t hear.
“Is there something I can do for you?” I wasn’t exactly friendly, but I couldn’t be rude. There was a time when I’d liked the man. I still did, even though it hurt that he had been prepared to testify against me.
“Can you come by the shop tomorrow? I have something I’d like to discuss and feel it would be better in person.”
I set the spoon on the counter. “I’m sorry, but I’m not sure I feel comfortable with that.”
I wasn’t concerned about Garrison’s motives, but I didn’t want to go back to the scene of all that ugliness. We needed to move forward.
