Page 115 of Will Bark for Pizza
“I know it’s just a shell right now, but?—”
“I’m leaving,” she said abruptly.
“What?”
“I didn’t stutter.”
“You just got here.”
“It’s time for me to go.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Do you need a ride?—”
“Connie’s going to take me to the airport,” she said, waving a hand to dismiss my offer. “You clearly need to stay put and keep working.”
“Is this about the bookstore?”
“This is about the redhead.”
“She has a name, you know.”
“I’m worried you’re getting too attached, and you haven’t even signed the purchase agreement.” Nana waved off my next concern. “Joe’s good for it. The deal will go through. But bear in fucking mind that you’re not even technically the owner yet. Your wallet’s the other thing you should be keeping in your damn pants, at least until it’s official.”
Good thing I didn’t tell Nana about my plans to completely renovate the bookstore apartment. I spent most of last night crunching numbers and finding room in my budget to give Kira the writing loft of her dreams. But on top of the bookstore, Karl Hayes was also expecting an offer on the Ghost Lake cabin this week. As soon as I talked to Kira and was one hundred and ten percent certain she was okay with me buying it, I’d make one.
All number crunching last night proved was that I was in over my head. I went from making careful, pragmatic decisions with my investments to rushing into too many things at once. Nana was right to be concerned. I only got this impulsive when the redheaded curse was enacted.
And yet, the knowledge of that did little to give me pause.
Would it matter if I told you I’m not a natural redhead?Kira’s words whispered in my mind.
I couldn’t shake this feeling that every decision I made involving Kira Mason wasright. It didn’t feel like the reckless excitement of my past poor decisions. It felt likehome. But I didn’t dare try to explain that feeling to Nana. She’d ask if I fell and hit my head when no one was around, and insist I go to the hospital in case I had a concussion.
“Where are you off to next?”I asked instead.
“I know you’re deflecting,” she said, heaving out a sigh. “But if you must know, I’m headed to Richmond.”
“Richmond?”
“Someone needs to straighten out that sister of yours.”
I hadn’t heard from Madeline in a few days. I took that as a good sign, but judging by the grim expression on Nana’s face, I should have detected the warning in my sister’s silence.
“What did she do now?”
“She bought your parents a house.”
“Shit.”
“Shit is right.”
“Kyle’s okay with that?”
“Kyle didn’t know.” Nana shook her head. “If I can give you any piece of advice, Beck, it’s that you don’t keep secrets like this from the one you love. They can do a lot of damage.”
