Haley knew not everyone could get loans. Or a huge
bailout. Opening a place and being your own boss was for the
very lucky. She knew how privileged her dad was. She didn’t
know much about how he’d built his empire until he’d sat her
down and explained that it was crumbling. Told her about the
very first place he’d ever co-owned. With Claire.
“Is Claire here today?” The house seemed so silent.
“No. She goes out on Sundays to visit with her family.”
“Oh. She’ll be back this afternoon?”
“Usually around four or five, and then she goes into her
office to work until seven, which is when she has dinner,
unless she tells me otherwise.”
“Hmm.” Haley let that sound trail out, encompassing
everything she felt.
Jean gave her a puzzled look and she realized he couldn’t
read her mind.
“I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do all day. At least
during the week I have classes. I don’t know how much you
know about me coming here, but if I’m not a prisoner and not
really a guest, I guess that just makes me a living guarantee
that my dad won’t do anything stupid with the money Claire
loaned him. I’m sure everyone knows all about it already.”
Jean’s frown told her that he knew a little, but not everything.
Haley launched into an explanation and when she was done,
he was nodding, flushed again, and perturbed. He didn’t like
it, the way she was being used. Good. That made two of them.
“Is her guard dog here?”
Jean laughed out loud at that. “Jenny? No. She went with
Miss Finley.
The house is pretty empty except for me and
