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“Hired as what?” Duckworth threw his arm out toward Toby. “Footman? Hall boy?”

“We haven’t given him a title yet,” Dad said, “but something along the lines of Development Manager would work nicely.”

“We trust Toby to help Hawthorne House find new and exciting ways to expand our offerings and maximize our involvement with the community,” Robbie said, stepping closer to Toby and resting his hand on the small of Toby’s back.

If Duckworth didn’t see that possessive gesture for what it was, a signal that Toby was part of the family, that he was loved and protected by them, then he was a colossal fool.

“You’ve lost, Duckie,” Toby said, still smiling like he was having the best day of his life.

“You wouldn’t dare do this to me,” Duckworth said, his tone threatening and his entire body tense. “I made you what you are.”

“I made myself,” Toby said. “You just showed me one way to play the game. I’ve decided that I don’t like your way very much. You can cheat and pull strings and make this entire industry into a boys’ club, but something tells me you won’t have a support network to catch you when you fall, like I had. Integrity still means something.”

“It does indeed,” Dad said, stepping forward a bit. “And now I’m asking you to leave Hawthorne House, and take your miserable contracts and your cheap threats with you. We will do just fine without you or Willoughby Entertainment.”

“You can’t do this,” Duckworth said, quivering on his spot for a moment before starting for the office door. “You will regret this in every way. I have far more power than you think. You’ve made yourself an enemy today. I won’t soon forget this.”

The more Duckworth threatened them as he left the office, the more comical everything he said felt. Robbie doubted that he could do anything at all against the family now. He thought there was a fair chance that Duckworth wouldn’t have a job by the end of the day.

“Well, now that that’s settled,” Benny said, turning to Dad with a smile once more. “In all seriousness, Robert, how much do you need?”

“You don’t need to put yourselves out for our sake,” Dad said.

“Dad,” Rebecca slipped into the space vacated by Duckworth, staring incredulously at him. “Take the money. If these gentlemen want to help, then let them help.”

“Listen to the young woman,” George said. “She seems to be a clever one.”

“This is my daughter, Rebecca,” Dad introduced her. He slid an arm around her waist to hug her from the side, but to Robbie’s eyes, it looked like he was the one who needed the support.

After everything they’d all just been through, he didn’t blame his dad at all.

“So does this really mean we’re out of the woods?” he asked, glancing from his dad to Benny and the others, then finally looking to Toby. “Are we going to be okay?”

Toby smiled broadly and reached for Robbie’s hand. “Yeah, sweetheart. We’re going to be okay.”

TWENTY

Victory had never felt sogood. Not just because it was firm and decisive, or because they had fought hard for it using unconventional methods, but because Toby felt like he’d put himself on the line and won a solid victory for people who truly cared about him and who he genuinely liked.

“So that’s it, then?” Rebecca asked after Duckie had left the building entirely and the rest of them had moved from the cramped office into the front hall. “Is the house really saved?”

“It would appear so,” Mr. Hawthorne said, breathing a huge sigh of relief. He tensed a moment later and glanced to the old men from The Chameleon Club. “That is, if you’re serious about donating to Hawthorne House.”

“Of course we are,” Michael said, looking offended that Mr. Hawthorne would even question him.

“Anything for the young man who passed a beautiful summer with me all those years ago,” Benny added with a wink.

Toby loved the way Mr. Hawthorne blushed and stammered. It was proof that everyone was young once, and that even the older generation got up to all sorts of mischief when they were young.

“We should sit down and talk about exactly how much we need,” Rebecca said, stepping in with business.

“We should make contact with the banks and other donors who have threatened to pull their funding to let them know things have changed,” Robbie added to that with a nod.

“Absolutely,” Mr. Hawthorne said. “And we should put together official new hire documents for the hero of the hour here.” He smiled at Toby.

That wasn’t enough to express his gratitude, apparently. He stepped toward Toby and drew him into a tight hug that came with a vocal sigh of relief.

“Hiring you to assess us was the best thing I’ve done all month,” he said, not letting go of Toby, as much as Toby laughed and flailed in his embrace. He turned his head to speak closer to Toby’s ear and nodded, “I have a good feeling about you and my son as well.”

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