Page 90 of Dream a Little Dream

Hal held up a logical hand. How was he so calm right now? “You don’t have to make any decisions right now. Today is about letting you know of Donald’s passing and what he asked us to do with his estate.”

I looked back down at the zeroes, and something interesting happened. I thought of all the taking Faber had done while on this Earth. All the days he’d ruined, the feelings he’d hurt, and the air he’d sucked up all for himself. This money was a chance to cancel out all of it. I could use his fortune to make a difference for other people in a way he never did. And maybe I was one of those people. “You say he has houses?”

“Several.”

“I’m a pretty good Airbnb host.” Maybe my side hustle could sprout wings and grow. But I was getting ahead of myself. I decided to take Hal’s sage advice and not make any decisions or moves.

We made plans to talk the next week, and still in a daze, I headed for the elevator.

“Ms. Potter?”

“Savanna,” I said, as I turned around to see Derek approach. “Youwere just a part of one of the weirdest moments of my life. I think we can work with first names.”

“Savanna.” He shrugged. “I just wanted to say that for what it’s worth, this man has no bearing on who you are. You said you had a wonderful father growing up? Nothing has changed.”

His words touched me in a manner I didn’t know I needed. “Thank you,” I said. “You sound like you speak from experience.”

He dropped his tone tojust between us. “I’m raising a little girl who is not related to me by blood and never will be. But she’s one hundred percent my family. I’m her dad. She’s my kid. You know?”

I exhaled and smiled. “I do know. Sometimes I need reminding. Thanks, Derek.”

I left the office in a daze. I’d walked in one person and walked out quite another. I needed the world to slow down, I needed either a warm beverage or an alcoholic one, and I desperately needed Jonathan.

First things first. I found a bench down the sidewalk and took a seat. He answered his FaceTime almost immediately. “Did you know that all they eat in Texas is tacos and barbecue? Seriously. Austin takes these two items very seriously.” Then he saw my face. “What’s wrong? You look pale, or is it just your redheaded fairness again?”

“I’m rich, and I’m a Faber.” My mind raced while, at the same time, I was operating in a daze. A strange combination.

He squinted. “I don’t know which of those to tackle first. What do you mean you’re a Faber?” Then it seemed to hit him. “Oh, God. No. Are you sure?”

“Fairly. He left me all his money.”

“Faber died?”

“Right. Should have led with that. He died in Hawaii and sent his attorneys to tell me that the money is all coming to me, hisdaughter.”

“Stop that right now!” he yelled. “This is amazing!”

“It is not.” Was Jonathan drunk? “I don’t want to be a Faber.”

“Well, you’re not. And you never could be. That asshole’s not even around anymore for you to have to deal with. Do you know what is around? All his selfish money that you’ll turn into good money.”

I softened because it was like he was reading my mind. Apparently, distance hadn’t dulled our connection. “I was thinking the same thing earlier. I don’t know. Maybe I could find a way to put it to good use? There are so many fantastic causes out there that are underfunded. Even some in this very town.” Talking about all of the financial potentialhelped soften the news. “I could set up a scholarship through the GSA at the high school. And what about a donation to the Arthritis Foundation for research? Maybe even in your name. Hell, maybe we even start a nonprofit.”

“I love that. And I’m sure it’s just the start of the wonderful things you’ll make happen. Focus on the silver lining.” He looked into the camera. “This is what I know about you, my best friend in life. You’re going to take every wrong turn he made andright it.”

I nodded along, absorbing his words. I liked the plan, and right now I very much needed one.

“The opposite of everything he did.”

The concept was already taking root.

“You hear me?”

“I think so,” I said.

He leaned into the screen. “I think this is your new mission in life. You’re the Anti-Faber, and the world is about to be bathed in glitter.”

“Glitter is so messy, though.”

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