Page 83 of Share with Me

“I wish I could be a fair dad.”

“Stop worrying. You’re missing your opera.”

“All right. I’ll go now. I love you, Brinley Brin.”

“Love you too, Dad.”

Brinley hung up and stared at her iPhone.

Something caught her attention past her iPhone and lap and where her shoes rested on the steps. Rotting wood. She stepped off the porch and peered.

Are those…?

She found a twig nearby and started poking at the shredded wood. More wood crumbled off. As soon as the first layers fell away, thousands of bloated and blind little white-and-cream colored creatures greeted her with frenzied scurrying, possibly angry that she’d disturbed their winter hideout.

Termites!

Eating up Yun’s house.

She pried and found that the porch was almost missing part of its foundation.

Jump on top of this corner and this end would cave in. Yikes.

She was shaking her head when she felt warm breath on her neck.

Uh-oh.

“What are you doing?”

His voice was soothing and calm and quiet, but Brinley was sure his face wouldn’t register the same. Slowly, she turned around. Sure enough. Standing there on the cracked concrete driveway leaning over her, Ivan wasn’t too happy to catch her digging into his collapsing porch.

“You have a termite infestation.” Brinley tried to remain calm.

“And you have to do something about it?”

“Someone has to.”

“And it’s your business?”

“No, it’s not—”

“Exactly.” Ivan extended his hand to help Brinley get to her feet.

“But—but this entire porch—”

“I’ll get something from Home Depot and it’ll take care of it.”

“You have no idea—”

“And you do?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. My dad and I reno—”

“Not this house, you don’t.”

“What if Yun steps here and falls over?”

“She’s not going to.”

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