“You told me that if I can get a permit, the car wash can be mine. Well, I got the permit. You gonna back out of your promise?”
“Wasn’t a damn promise and I’m not doing anything the Lofthouse family wants me to do.”
“All right,” I say slowly. “Then I’ll do it without you.”
He laughs. “How?”
“I’ll buy you out. How much did you sink into the project so far?”
“You can’t buy me out. First of all, I’m not selling. And second, you can’t afford it.”
“I have credit. Go ahead, tell me.”
“Thirty thousand so far,” he says.
I don’t flinch. “Perfect. I can cover that in cash then.”
He shakes his head. “Dean—”
“This is my project now,” I say, my voice angry. “I’m not letting you take it away from me just because you have this petty little grudge.”
“It’s not petty. The Lofthouse family isn’t your friend.”
“Lora is,” I say. “I’ll write you a check. Email me all the info.”
I turn and leave his office. I’m pissed off and can’t stand in there another second. I know I’ll say something I’ll regret and end up losing the whole thing.
I knew my dad was bitter about the Lofthouse family. I know a lot of folks in town are. Ever since the warehouse closed especially, people have been complaining. They live in their little manor like kings or gods, and we’re left out here with nothing… no jobs, nothing. They close their gates and take away the warehouse when it suits them, as if they don’t have the money to spend to keep it up and running if they wanted.
I understand those murmurs. I’ve felt the same way sometimes myself. But I know Lora, and she’s a good person. She also doesn’t have control over her family.
That would be her mother. The very terrifying Sylvia Lofthouse. I’ve only met her twice, and I hope I never have to meet her again.
As I get into my office, I take out my phone.Me: When does construction start?
Lora: I could ask you the same thing.
Me: Please, you’re the one with a dream.
Lora: I don’t know. I think I’m cooling on that.
Me: Don’t. It’s a good idea. And I mean it when I said that I’d help.
Lora: Okay then, how about you come over and help me convince my mother to let us use the warehouse?
Me: Okay. When?
Lora: Right now.
Me: On my way.
Lora: Seriously?
Me: Seriously. See you soon.I put my phone in my pocket and get up. Fuck my dad and fuck this town. I know Lora’s a good person and she wants to do something good for this place, so I’d better get off my ass and help her make sure it happens.
I hurry out to my truck and get in. It’s not a long drive out to the manor, but I’m nervous for some reason. When I arrive, she’s standing out there wearing tight black yoga pants and a low-cut tank top. I pull in and roll down my window.
“Hi, Dean Ashman for Lora Lofthouse,” I say. “I believe she lives here?”
“Sorry, sir,” she says. “There’s no Lora here. Just me, the friendly gate troll.”
“You do look like a gate troll, now that you say it.”
She glares at me then laughs. “Seriously, you didn’t have to come out here. I know you’re working.”
“Fuck working. It’s not too early, is it?”
“No, it’s fine. Everyone’s up and about.”
“Good. Let’s go talk to your mom then.” I say it and smile despite the chill running down my spine.
She hesitates. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
She takes a deep breath then nods. “Okay… okay. Let’s do it.” She hits a button on the intercom. “Archie, can you let us in?”
The gate clicks open and slides aside. Lora gets in the passenger side and I drive us both up to the manor.
The place is enormous, like some ancient hotel, but there are little hints of modernization all over. Staff members in simple uniforms bustle about, and I know that about half the town works in this place. Only a handful of the Lofthouse family actually lives in this place, and it’s empty otherwise. I park and we get out, walking along the manicured lawn and up the wide front steps. She goes in through the main doors and into a huge atrium before taking the steps up.
“This place is a maze,” I say.
“When was the last time you were here?”
“High school. Like, early on. We had that science project, remember?”
“Oh, yeah. You wanted to do the volcano thing.”
“I still do. It’s awesome.”
“We were supposed to investigate magnets.”
I snort. “I forgot about that.”
“Right? We ended up forgetting all about the project.”
“We watched some movie, I think.”
“Yep.” She glanced back at me and I don’t say that I remember exactly which movie. It was Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I think I loved it, but I spent most of the movie dreaming about putting my arm around her.