Page 124 of Callahan

“With twenty-four hours’ notice.”

“I’m entitled to a key, Lainey.”

“I’ll see what I can do about getting you a copy.”

It wasn’t top on my priority list, but I knew I needed to comply. As the owner of the building, Earl was within his rights to demand a key to the new lock.

I tried to ignore how he stared at my tits while the younger men made quick work of removing the plywood covering the hole in the façade of the building. They then went about vacuuming any remaining glass in the window frame and sill with a portable vacuum one of the guys carried on his back like a backpack.

“Wow, that thing’s pretty awesome.”

He gave me a flirtatious smile that revealed straight, white teeth and a dimple in his cheek.

“I get that a lot.”

With that smile, I bet that wasn’t all he got.

But he was too young for me. Funny how my tastes and priorities in men had changed in only a year.

What used to be, “Is he hot and will we have fun together?” had turned into, “What kind of father would he be and is there any long-term potential?”

Well, excluding Adam.

That had been all about sex.

At least the first time.

Earl turned to me and asked, “So, what are you going to do to reimburse me for the deductible?”

What am I going to do?

I joked, “I can give you free pastries for a month.”

And once again his eyes were glued to my boobs when he replied, “No… that’s not what I had in mind.”

Ew.

I hoped he wasn’t implying what I thought he was implying. Because the beer gut hanging over his belt buckle, slicked back hair, and nicotine-stained teeth weren’t doing it for me.

“Um, I thought you said I could make payments?”

His gaze lifted to my face. Finally.

“Yeah. Exactly. What kind of payments were you thinking.”

“How about a hundred dollars a month for five months?”

“Can you make the first payment on Friday?”

“I should be able to swing that.”

“I’ll come by Friday evening.”

The truck containing the window stopped in the street, and one of the college guys ran out to move the cones so the driver could park along the three spaces.

A crowd formed as the men unloaded the glass. This was probably the most exciting thing the Haven Springs’ citizens would see all day. Thankfully, Earl’s wife showed up, and he took his eyeballs outside to talk with her and some other people he recognized. No doubt he’d make sure to tell them all about the help he was giving me with the deductible.

Thanks to how much he liked to toot his own horn, everyone in town already knew I didn’t have a rent payment until August first because he wasso generous.

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