Page 63 of Why Cheese?
“It’s five million now. Or ten. I’m not sure.”
“I will never understand the price of land in this city.” He places the picture back on the wall, though it leans to the right. “So, five or ten million. Enough for your children’s children to survive on.”
“Eh…” His grasp of economics is worse than mine, and I flunked a budgeting class in sixth grade.
“I ask you again, why are you helping us?”
Because you’re pathetic,the gremlin taunts.Because you’re a pushover. Because you’ll do anything anyone asks of you for a pat on the head.
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
Roq slams a hand to the counter beside me, and I jump. My feet paddle me away, but he doesn’t pursue. Instead, he glares and hisses, “Lies. Is it Brie, or Cam, or Cheddy? Or all of them?”
“Uh…?”
“I don’t care if you’re sleeping with them. I want to… I must know why, or else we’ll leave tonight and you can host your open house tomorrow.”
I like Brie’s sweet artistic heart, and Cheddy’s exuberance for life, and Cam’s whole charming bandit vibe. And the sex is mind-blowing. I’d be a fool to not stay just to cram all of my life’s orgasms into these three months.
But it’s not why I agreed to this. And he can tell.
You’re a rotten, no-good person, Violette Reely.
I frown, trying to silence the gremlin bleating in my heart. The louder it gets, the more it sounds like me.
“I’m…”
She did everything for you. You’re going to kill her. How can you live with yourself?
Screwing my eyes up tight, I clasp my hands in prayer and whisper, “My mom.”
Roq leans closer, his dark blue eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Your mother…?”
“Uh-huh.” I gulp, knowing I’m on my way to hell. My gaze slips past him to the door where the lock is wide open. My hands start to shake and the gremlin screams at me tolock it, five times. Do it right now or she’ll get in a terrible accident. It’ll be all your fault.
“I believe you.” Roq’s bone-quaking voice wrenches me from the door.
“You do?”
“Family can cause us to take the most foolish actions.” He reaches into his apron and pulls out a mess of papers. “If we are to continue this partnership, we must discuss opening the shop.”
“Uh, yes. Please. I’m low on funds, and the way Cheddy eats is—”
“First, you will mail this to your realtor.” He shoves over a letter that’s been folded and stamped with wax.Where did he get that?I take a little sniff, and the overpowering scent of cheese hits me. “It will inform him of your intentions to keep this store open for three months. Then he can sell it to the highest bidder.”
I think I’ll email him instead. Roq stares at me as if he expects a response. “Okay,” I say, and move to slip the envelope into my pocket. He catches the letter between his fingers and pulls it away.
“Your wet clothes will cause the ink to run.”
Jesus, did he use a quill to write it out? I start to laugh, then drop my gaze at the immense focus in his eyes. “What else do I need to do?”
“Many things. I’m afraid I am uncertain what the modern laws are for opening a business, but you can no doubt find information at city hall.”
Or Google.
“Here is a list of what I assume we will need. Money to make change for the register, advertising in newspapers and in church flyers.”
“I don’t think any of that’s…” I gulp at his stare. “Can do.”
