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Kane noticed as well because he said, “Who let Bilson on the piano again? This is supposed to be a party atmosphere.”
“He’s rushing the composition,” I said.
The demon shot me a curious look. “Is he? It seems to me he always manages to lower the mood to depressive levels.” He made eye contact with the bartender who shrugged helplessly.
I was relieved to be going now. The song stirred up too many memories, and I wasn’t in the mood to relive them.
Truthfully, it was best for everyone if I didn’t.
CHAPTER4
It took five minutes for my computer to boot up. I knew I should replace the ancient machine before its inevitable demise, but I was determined to stretch out its life as long as possible. My bank account couldn’t handle the expense of a new computer on top of everything else. Every day there was some new expense I hadn’t anticipated. A broken downspout. A cracked windowpane. Pops had made home ownership look easy, and maybe it had been for him. Not so much for me.
I logged into my bank account to confirm my suspicions. I blinked at the computer screen to see whether the numbers changed.
Nope. Still the same. Pitiful.
Finances weren’t my strong suit. It seemed no matter how much I skimped and saved, it wasn’t enough to preserve the money I’d made in London. I hated to admit it, but I was glad Gunther offered to pay for my help. I would’ve done it for free if he hadn’t, of course. The money, however, was desperately needed.
I vacated the chair and opened the kitchen door. The backyard was eerily quiet, except for the distant rumble of cars on the highway.
“Anybody here?” I asked.
Nana Pratt materialized to my left. “I’m here, dear. What do you need?”
“Money.”
“Oh, I’m afraid I can’t help you with that.”
“I’m spending more than I should.”
Nana Pratt looked down her nose at me. “You might want to ask yourself if those blueberries really need to be organic.”
Ray appeared to my right. “Have you considered a part-time job?”
“If this rapid depletion of funds keeps up, I won’t have a choice.” But then I’d fall behind on renovations. There was still so much to do.
“Why not ask your friend to pay you more for helping with the swan situation?” Nana Pratt asked.
“He’s already offered to pay.”
“I realize that, which is why I said to ask for more.”
“That would be unethical. They’re desperate. I’d be taking advantage of them.” And I wasn’t even certain how much he’d paid me. I didn’t bother to ask since I was willing to help regardless.
“You’re not a superhero,” Ray pointed out. “You’re allowed to accept payment for services rendered.”
“Your time is valuable, Lorelei,” Nana Pratt chimed in. “Don’t undervalue yourself like the women of my generation. All the daily tasks we performed, day and night, and not for a single penny. And most times, all we got were dirty socks on the floor next to the hamper instead of gratitude.”
“Honestly, it seems wrong to accept money at all,” I said. “I feel uncomfortable about it.”
“Does your friend Mr. Sullivan charge people to drink at his nightclub?” Nana Pratt asked. “Or does he simply throw a party every night and foot the bill?”
“That’s different,” I said.
“If you go to the doctor, do they heal you out of the goodness of their heart, or do they charge you for their time?” Ray asked.
“Okay, I get the point.”
