Hannah felt her ears turn pink. "That's hardly a lifetime."
"Says you."
"I just haven't met anyone I like, and I got tired of doing the hook-up thing, then wasting all that emotional energy wondering if he or she was going to call again."
"I get that," Selma admitted. "But it doesn't explain the weirdness."
Hannah blinked, trying to follow the thread of conversation. "What weirdness?"
"You. In the office. I may not know you as well as Easton does, but I can spot obfuscation a mile away."
"Good God, can yo
u really?" Hannah teased. "Because I can't even spell it."
"Hannah." Selma's voice was flat. Almost parental. "Just spill it, okay? What's going on?"
That was one of the things that Hannah had found so refreshing about Selma the first time they'd met--the fact that she didn't pull any punches. She said what she meant, and she meant what she said. With Selma, what you saw was what you got.
Usually, that was an amazing trait.
Right now, it was more than a little unnerving.
"Do not even think about dodging the question," Selma said. "Come on. Tell me." She reached out and put her hand over Hannah's, warm and reassuring. "If it's something you don't want Easton to know, I can keep a secret. Or you can talk to someone else. But you need to talk. I see it all over you."
For a moment, Hannah considered telling Selma that she'd find someone else to talk to. But why? Selma was there. Selma would undoubtedly understand.
And most of all, Selma thought outside the box. If anyone would have a creative solution, it would be Selma.
"Right. Well, I'm kind of having a cash flow issue."
Selma leaned back in her chair, nodding slowly. "I thought it might be something like that. What happened?"
Once again, Hannah almost diverted the conversation. After all, talking about money--or at least the lack thereof--ranked way up there on the scale of mortifying topics. But saying nothing wasn't gong to help her. Better to just go for it.
"It's my fault. I thought I'd be able to borrow from my retirement account. You know, for the money that Easton and I are both contributing as operating capital."
"Sure. I'm guessing you can't?"
"Have I mentioned my old boss was a prick?"
Selma laughed. "Once or twice."
"Well, if I'd waited another couple of weeks to quit I would have been fine. But because of the timing--about which I wasn't told in advance--I can't access any of my pension funds. At least not until I actually retire. And I figure Easton doesn't want to wait that long."
"You don't have anything else squirreled away?"
"I did. Then I bought my condo and my car."
"Can you get an equity loan?"
Hannah shook her head. "I got a great deal on my condo, but the previous owner had trashed it. So I used an equity loan to pay for the repairs and remodel. I told you. I'm screwed. But I don't want to give this up. I mean, I want it. I want the law firm. I want the partnership. And I really don't want to let Easton down." The idea of disappointing her best friend in such a massive way clawed at Hannah's gut. Not only that, but she knew that Easton was relying on their new practice just as she was. Neither of them currently had jobs. This was it. This was their future.
And unless she could figure out a solution, Hannah was going to be the one to make it all go to hell.
"You're going to hate this idea, but Easton's done really well. And not to brag, but Austin Free-Tail is definitely on the rise, too. Either Easton or I could lend you the money. It's not like you're a risky investment."
Hannah shook her head. "Borrowing money from friends means that at the end of the day you have money, but no friends. Not happening."