Page 69 of Summoning my Grumpy Demon Boss

Luke lifts his head to look at me. “Yeah.” After a pause, he lifts himself a little higher out of the water. “Yeah.” Then he sighs “I’m not sure if they’d help, though.”

It’s only seven in the morning, but upstairs I hear my phone ring. When I check it’s a missed call from Dad. I swipe to dismiss the notification. I sent a message to let him know why I wasn’t coming back. I’m not ready to talk to him or Mum yet. I will, eventually. They’re my parents after all. I’m not sure things can ever go back to the way they were, though.

Luke has shifted and he comes into the room, slipping a shirt over his head. “All good?”

“Yeah. Maybe we should get in touch with the Rotary Club members. It can’t help to try, right? Do you think your parents would mind?”

He winces. “Mum’ll probably go mad when she finds out, but I’m going to do it anyway.”

I smile. That’s the first real determination I’ve heard in his voice since he had the news.

At least we have something to do today. With everything up in the air, there’s no reason to keep working on the renovation and obviously, I’m not working. I should probablylook for jobs, but I’m not sure I have the heart today. I’ll go over my CV tomorrow and begin the hunt. Right now, I’m focused on making sure we do what we can to help Luke’s family.

Yesterday, Margaret just about shut her front door in my face as soon as I explained who I was. I don’t want to pester her, but I need an opportunity to plead my case. I’ll make one more bid to get her to listen.

Luke emails the secretary of the Rotary Club. Half an hour later, we have arranged to meet her for tea at the Coral Breeze Cafe that afternoon.

Meanwhile, I walk down to the local newsagent and buy a card and a pen, and write out a short note. In the end, I don’t say much. I just let Margaret know I’d love to talk to her if she’ll hear me out. I could have told her about the financial risks of a case like this. About the costs she’ll have to pay if she loses. I could have warned her my Dad’s case is potentially unscrupulous. Instead, I tell her about Luke’s dad and the financial pressure his family is under right now. In the end I’d rather appeal to her sense of compassion than stoop to making threats just like my dad.

I guess we’ll see which approach wins at the end of the day.

“I had no idea your father was sick.” Lin Wang is a short woman with flecks of grey in her short dark hair and bright red lipstick that sticks to the side of her teacup when she takes a sip.

Luke scrubs a hand over his face. “Neither did we. We only found out a couple of weeks ago when he said he had an appointment in Sydney.”

Lin nods sadly. “My husband passed away ten years ago. Cancer.”

In the moment of silence, I feel that news hit Luke like a physical blow. I slide closer to him on the bench seat until our thighs are touching.

“What we need is a fundraiser.” Lin sets her cup down on the saucer with a clink. “The biggest fundraiser we’ve ever done. I’ll start making phone calls today. We need items we can auction, and we need a way to raise awareness.”

Luke sits up straighter. “Then you’ll help?”

“Of course,” says Lin. “Your parents have done so much for this community. It’s time for us to give back. Did you think we wouldn’t because they stepped back from being secretary and president?”

Luke shifts uncomfortably. “Actually, I thought maybe...” he trails off.

“The monster thing?” Lin asks.

Luke nods.

Lin makes a dismissive noise and waves her hand. “Don’t be silly. It was only ever the Andersons who went on with that nonsense and Ruth ran them out of town years ago! Well, them and Margaret, but no one listens to her anyway.”

This pricks my interest. “Margaret Nguyen? Did she have a grudge against the Wilsons?”

Lin purses her lips. “She was always weird about it when they went public. Kept saying to everyone who would listen to her ‘I knew they were hiding something’.”

I file this away and squeeze Luke’s knee under the table. “Well, thank you for agreeing to help us. Is there anything we can do?”

“Certainly. I’m sure we could use all hands on deck,” Lin tells me.

“I could make some paintings. To donate for the auction.”

Lin smiles. “Perfect.”

“And I could help with flyers and images for social media, too.”

Luke swallows the last of his coffee. His sandwich is still untouched on his plate, though. “I’ll get my brothers in on it. If we’re running a charity auction, Noah will cater it, and we can host it at Inlet Views, at The Snapper. And I’ll do whatever. Odd jobs, packing, shifting stuff. You name it.”

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