Page 62 of Hate You Later
If they’re pouring cement this week, that means they are ahead of schedule. Great news for the dogs, bad news for me. My checks to the construction company have most certainly already been cashed, and the final bills will be arriving shortly. There’s no turning back now.
There’s no way I’ll be able to pay Angie’s salary, plus make the mortgage payments and cover the rent hike, come November.
“I’m excited about the photos today,” Kenna says. “You two mind if I shop?”
“Help yourself.” I wave toward the clothing rack. Xander takes off his helmet and leans against the counter, doing stretches, while chatting with me.
“So, are you feeling any better today?” he asks. “Thinking more clearly?” He does a lunge and glances sideways at me, warily.
“I was totally blindsided. I will not apologize for losing it.”
“Understood. But you might have given him a chance to explain.”
“Explain what? Why their shitty management company can’t be bothered to fix anything over here? Or how it came to be that my original designs are being copied on their website? He’s got alotof explaining to do.”
Kenna calls out from the rack, “Yeah, but it might not be Hudson’s fault. He actually seemed nice to me.”
“Then YOU date him,” I snap, and instantly, I feel the bile-green slime of envy sucking me under. I can’t bear to picture it. She can’t have him either.
“Nope. Too clean-cut and blond. He’s not even close to my type,” Kenna says in a flat voice without even looking up.
Xander takes me in for a moment, then comes behind the counter to give me a hug.
“Cut it out, you’re gross.” I make no move to push him away.
“You just looked like you needed it,” he says. “You’re so stressed.” He glances at the cease and desist letter on the counter. “We can hire a lawyer, if you want. I can help out. Bottom line—you need to chill. It’s all going to be okay. You don’t have to do everything alone.”
“What if it’s not?” I sniff. How am I going to tell him about the house? At this point, I really don’t see any other option. I’ve got to come clean. At least he’ll still have a place to live if I lose it.
“It’s really wonderful that Mac is helping you out today, Xander,” I say.
“Yeah, he’s the best,” Xander agrees, continuing his lecture. “But you know what, G? He didn’t offer. I asked him. I know you hate asking for help, but people like to feel needed. I like to feel needed.”
“Me too!” Kenna calls out.
“That’s what friends and family are for … to support each other. You’ve always been there for me, and God knows what kind of inmate Kenna would be dating if it wasn’t for you.”
“Hey, now!” Kenna objects.
“You have spectacularly bad taste in men.” Xander shrugs.
“I like to think of it as faith in humanity,” she says.
“There’s fixer-uppers and then there’s tear downs.” He shakes his head dubiously before turning back to face me. “My point is, it’s high time you start letting people in. You can’t keep it all bottled up. And you’re not fooling me with your whole ‘it’ll be fine’ bullshit. I know you need a miracle to meet your obligations with the shelter.”
“How do you know that?” I argue stubbornly.
“I helped Mom do the finances on this place for years, Georgia. She had a hard time paying Angie’s salary at the best of times. I can’t tell you how many times she almost took out a second mortgage.”
There’s something comforting in knowing my mom struggled too. But also horrifying. Because she hadn’t ever resorted to mortgaging the house. My legs feel wobbly, and I have to sit down. I flop into the plaid chair.
“Poor Mom. And poor Angie. I can’t even think about what she’d do if we had to lay her off.”
“Angie? I suspect she’d do whatever she felt like doing. Play tennis more. Buy more stuff for her dogs …”
“But she needs that job, Xander,” I argue. “She’s a senior citizen. She’s probably living on a fixed income.”
“I have news for you, Georgia.” Xander snorts. “Poor Angie was an early investor in Microsoft. She’s not working at the shelter because she needs the money. She pulls in more interest monthly than we pay her in a year. Can you get off the struggle bus already?”
