Page 25 of Surrender

“If you’re not going to post it, then what’s the point of taking a photo?”

“It’s for me, so I can always remember the time Tracy Garcia loosened up for one whole minute.”

He was teasing me, but I muttered, “Fine. Go ahead.”

Ever stuck his face next to mine and snapped a photo with his ever present phone. Then he showed me the screen and grinned. “We look like we stepped out of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ I love it.”

“Look at you, dropping Shakespearean references.”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” he said. “I read, you know.”

“Nutrition labels don’t count.”

A bark of laughter burst from him, and I grinned a little. Then, as he started untangling a leafy silk garland, he asked, “When are you going to come and see my building? The construction crew made a lot of progress on it over the past couple of weeks, and it’s really starting to take shape.”

“I’ll come see it whenever you invite me.”

“I asked you twice this month if you wanted to go with me when I visited the job site.”

“That’s too vague,” I said, as I unpacked a box of gourds. “You need to specifically invite me, so I know you actually want me there.”

“Please come with me to see my building on your next day off.”

“I’d love to.”

“Good. I’m glad that’s settled.” He looked amused.

“Did you get that problem taken care of? The one that had something to do with the earthquake retrofit?”

“Yup. Like most problems with that building, all I had to do was throw fistfuls of cash at it, and my crew got it fixed. I really need that to be it though, because my budget can’t take any more surprises.”

I asked, “Have you thought about doing a membership presale to generate some income before the place opens?”

“I’m definitely going to do that, but not yet. I just keep thinking, what if something happens between now and whenwe’re supposed to open in April? I don’t want to take anyone’s money until I’m one hundred percent certain I can really make this happen, which means I’ll only do a presale maybe two months out.”

“Something might delay the grand opening, but you don’t really believe it might not open at all, do you?”

“I don’t want to think that way,” Ever said. “But you never know.”

“It’s going to work out. Even if problems come up, you’ll be able to deal with them.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I believe in you.”

He grinned at that. “Look at you, being my cheerleader. It’s kind of like being given a pep talk by Eeyore.”

I chuckled and told him, “I’m hardly Eeyore.”

“Hey, if the pinned on tail fits.”

“Well, given the choice, I’ll take that over being Tigger.”

He pretended to look offended. “Are you insinuating that I’m Tigger?”

I couldn’t help but tease him a little. “Let’s compare. Loud? Check. Overly bouncy? Check. Annoying?”

“He’s not annoying, he’s loveable! Only Eeyore would find him annoying.”

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