CHAPTER NINE
Lizzie wasn’t sure what to do with so much free time. The month between Thanksgiving and Christmas was usually a very busy season for the bar. She avoided thinking about all the revenue she was missing out on. The only thing that might make up for the last two incomeless weeks was The Tipsy Twist’s grand opening. It was next week, and if all went well, should give her a nice bump.
Lizzie had enlisted her mom and Kate to help with the party planning. They loved that stuff, and, just as Lizzie predicted, they took over and ran with it, barely keeping her in the loop. Over a heart-healthy Thanksgiving dinner, Kate gave her a rundown of the plan, and Lizzie had to admit, they’d thought of everything.
“We’re even underbudget,” Lizzie’s mom said when Kate finished.
“That’s good news,” Lizzie said. “Every penny pinched helps.”
“Don’t worry too much about money,” Emma said. “Assuming The Twist does as well or better than The Drop, you’ll be fine for several months. And that’s without touching your savings stash.”
“That’s the business sitch,” Lizzie said. “What about trying to buy a house? I feel so guilty leaving poor Charlie cooped up in the condo.”
“I’ve been watching the market,” Kate said. “I know what you want, and I’ll let you know when I find something that fits your needs and is in your price range.”
“But what about getting a mortgage?”
“Well,” Emma said. “The Drop’s kind of a wash right now. There’s no income, but there’s also no mortgage. The Twist has a lease payment, which will put a real dent in your net take home pay. Also, lenders won’t like that it’s a brand-new, unproven business.”
“But if you sell the condo,” Kate said, “and use the equity for a big enough down payment, that could mitigate some of that.”
“I need that insurance money to fix The Drop and get it cash flowing again,” Lizzie said.
“Kate’s assistant said you wanted to talk about what to do with the space,” Adam said. “What are you thinking?”
“Yes. I’m looking for opinions on whether it would be smarter to rebuild The Drop as generic office space and lease it.”
Kate was a real estate agent. Adam was a real estate investor with experience renovating commercial properties. And her father was a genius at business in general and had a finger on the pulse of the city. Between the three of them, she should be able to get some good advice.
“I think that’s a great idea,” her father said. “I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for a potential tenant. Could someone pass the salt?”
Emma handed him the green beans.
“Might be easier than trying to sell,” Kate said. “I agree. It’s a good idea.”
“Ditto,” Adam said. “And if you knew ahead of time who wants it and what for, you could build to suit.”
“And if, down the road, you still want to unload it,” Kate said. “It would definitely go faster as office space.”
“All right. Well, that settles that,” Lizzie said. “Now, we wait for them to catch the asshole who started the fire. Meanwhile, if Kate finds something, I’ll just apply for the loan assuming The Drop makes no money.”
“Luckily, your tastes aren’t all that extravagant,” Kate said. “I should be able to find a suitable house for a reasonable price.”
“As long as Charlie has a yard,” Lizzie said, and Kate nodded.
“Daisy, please pass the butter,” Lizzie’s dad said.
Daisy handed him a pretty porcelain dish that contained Brussels sprouts.
“No, the butter.”
No one moved.
“I suppose gravy is out of the question?” he mumbled.
Everyone took that moment to study their plates.
“Is this how it’s going to be from now on?”
“It’s because we love you, Dad,” Emma said.
“Don’t fight it, dear,” Nana said. “You won’t win.”
“Red wine’s good for your heart,” Lizzie offered.
He harrumphed. “Pass the bottle then.”
Lizzie looked at her mother, who gave a subtle nod, before passing down the Merlot.
Later that weekend, Maya texted Lizzie to ask if she could interview her for a school project about women entrepreneurs. She said she’d been grounded over the party incident and couldn’t go out, so she asked that Lizzie come over on Monday evening. Lizzie only agreed after Maya assured her that her dad would be working in Charlotte, and they would have the house to themselves.
Good. Because the last thing Lizzie wanted was another run-in with the stoic, brown-eyed fire inspector. It had been a week and a half since she’d seen him in the emergency department, but the irritation over discovering his relationship with Maya still lingered. He hadn’t lied necessarily, but he’d withheld information, and that was as good as.
On Monday, Lizzie took a long walk with Charlie and shopped online for Christmas presents. Maya’s condo was only a few buildings over. It seemed silly to drive so short a distance, so she walked.
She knocked and was surprised when Ben answered.
“You,” she said. “What are you doing here?”
“I live here,” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“Maya asked me to come over.”
“For?”
“I don’t know. I guess she has to interview someone in business for school or something.”
“Oh. She didn’t mention it. Come on in, I guess.” He backed away. “I’ll get her.”
Lizzie was tempted to turn around and go home but didn’t want to leave Maya hanging. She followed him in and shut the door as he disappeared down the hall. The place was nice. A lot like her condo actually. It faced the water, had large windows on the river side, and a balcony. She walked to the slider to check out his view. A cute little beagle waddled over to sniff her feet.
“Hey, buddy,” she said, bending to pet him. “You’re a cutie.”
She stood and looked around. The open floor plan allowed her to see the living room, dining area, and kitchen. Ben appeared to be a neat freak. The only thing out of place was a pair of pink and white tennis shoes lying by the couch. The table was set for two, and her mouth watered at the scent of spicy onions and melted cheese. It smelled like enchiladas—her favorite.
Ben returned wearing an irritated expression and holding a Post-it.
“What?” Lizzie asked.
He held out the note.
Enjoy dinner with Lizzie. I’ll be back late. She’d signed it with a winky face.
“I wondered why she was cooking,” he said, sighing. “And that explains the two wine glasses on the counter. I don’t think she needs to interview you.”
“She’s trying to set us up?”
He shrugged. “She’s on this new kick, supposing I’ll die alone if I don’t find someone forthwith.”
“Not too smooth with the ladies?” Lizzie asked. “Huh. Hard to believe.”
He ignored the dig. “I’m sorry about this. I will talk to her, and she will apologize.”
A timer dinged, and he excused himself to take out whatever was in the oven. The scent pulled her into the kitchen just as he plopped the cheese-covered dish onto the stovetop. “She’s supposed to be grounded. I’m gonna kill her.”
The same thought crossed Lizzie’s mind. “Don’t be too hard on her,” she said instead. “Teenagers are difficult. Teenage girls are the worst. I know, I was one.”
“I know she’s got you thinking I’m some hard-nosed Neanderthal, but I assure you, I am not. Stern lectures are about as tough as I get. Although, I can make those pretty painful when I want to.”
Lizzie couldn’t help but choke out a laugh. “Why does she think you’re going to die alone?”
He sighed. “Oh…uh…that’s a long story. Look, we might as well take advantage. This looks like my mom’s chicken enchilada recipe, and if Maya did it any justice, it’ll be delicious.”
Lizzie’s head said, “No way,” but her stomach had already sat down and picked up a fork. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t, but I’m starving, and enchiladas are my favorite.”
“Please.” He nodded to the preset table. “Feeding you is the least I can do for the inconvenience.”
She sat while he dished up two plates of enchiladas and Mexican rice. He set the plates down and sat across from her. She dug in immediately.
“Oh, this is good,” she said between bites. “Don’t tell my mom, but Maya could give her a run for her money in the kitchen.”
“This is my mom’s special family recipe. And the extent of Maya’s cooking abilities. I’m sure she’ll expand her repertoire one day, but for now, it’s enchiladas, PB J’s, grilled cheese, and spaghetti.”
“Sounds familiar,” Lizzie said, glancing at the empty glass in front of her.
“Oh, sorry,” he said. “I’ve got water, wine, or unsweet tea.”
“Wine would be great.”
“Coming up.”
He deftly opened the wine, poured for them both, and set the bottle on the table.
She sipped and wiped her mouth with her napkin. “So, you two always eat so fancy?” The table had been set with a full array of silverware, a pretty tablecloth, and matching cloth napkins.
“No.” He laughed. “I was in the shower and didn’t notice she’d set the table, or I would have suspected something sooner. ’Course, a setup would have been last on my list of possible shenanigans. I would’ve assumed she was buttering me up to ask for something big. I cook during basketball season because she’s so busy with practice, games, and homework. When she’s not playing a sport, we take turns. It’s usually more mac and cheese or chicken and broccoli casserole, eaten at the kitchen bar.”
“Sounds like you guys are a good team.”
“Yeah, well, it’s been us against the world for a long time.”
“Her mom?” Maya had said she wasn’t in the picture, but maybe Ben would elaborate.
He finished chewing, swallowed, and sighed. “Left when Maya was a year old. Haven’t heard from her since.”
“What? Why?” She was dying to know what kind of woman could just up and leave her baby.
“We were very young,” he said. “Eighteen, to be exact. Jenna got pregnant midway through our senior year of high school. Just after Maya’s first birthday, she packed up and left, saying she hadn’t ‘lived’ and was too young to be tied down with a family.”
“Oof. What about you?”
“I’m an old soul. Always have been. Even at eighteen, her immaturity and selfishness bothered me.”
“I thought you seemed a little young to have a teenage daughter.” She did some quick math and figured he must be thirty-five or thirty-six.
“Jenna and I had been together for two years prior to that. I thought we’d graduate, get married, have the baby, and live happily ever after.” He took a drink and chuckled. “We did graduate.”
“So, you’ve raised Maya all by yourself? How?”
“With help from my parents. After Jenna left, my mom would babysit while I went to classes at UT—Tennessee, I’m from Knoxville—and worked a part-time job. I took care of her the rest of the time.”
“Wow,” she said. “That must have been hard. How’d you come to New Bern?”
“It was hard. So hard, that when my dad got transferred here, I followed them. The timing was perfect. I’d just graduated and was job hunting. I hired on at the fire department right about the time my parents moved here. By then, Maya was in school. My mom met her at the bus stop and watched her until I got off work. When I had overnight shifts, Maya spent the night with them. There’s no way I could have done it without their help.”
“So your parents live close?”
“Not anymore. After my dad retired, they moved back to Knoxville. By then, we were settled here, and Maya was old enough to be home alone after school. She had friends and sports and all that. I didn’t want to uproot her, so we stayed. We go to Knoxville for the holidays and stuff. How about you?”
She had no interest in getting chummy with him, but it was better than eating in silence. She poured another glass of wine. “Born and raised in New Bern. Graduated from UNC with a business degree. Came back here and worked at the bar for a summer before buying it from the old owner. Rest is pretty much history.”
“How’s your dad?”
“In a bit of a tizzy over his low-gravy diet,” she said, and he chuckled. “Actually, he’s good. He scared the crap out of us, but he’s already back to work. Part-time for now, but it’s amazing how fast he’s recovering.”
“I’m really glad to hear that.” His sincerity surprised her, which must have shown on her face. He cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Maya says you have a sister who travels a lot and has a social media channel?”
“Yes, Daisy. She flitted all over Europe for a good decade before settling down earlier this year.”
“Maya thinks I should watch her videos and start traveling.”
Lizzie raised an eyebrow.
“Well, to be clear, she actually thinks I have no life and is doing her level best to make one for me. Traveling was just one idea. I liked it better than starting a band or skydiving.”
“Is that true? That you have no life?”
“I’m evaluating that, but the simple answer is yes, it’s true. For so long, my main and only concern was raising Maya. Now that she’s about to leave me, I’m beginning to realize I was so busy doing that, I haven’t done anything else.”
“Including dating?” Had he really gone eighteen years without a girlfriend?
“I mean, I’ve dated a little here and there. No one serious enough to bring home.”
“Yikes.” That was pretty much all she did. For some reason, she took the information as a challenge. Not a challenge she would do anything about, but it just sort of hung in the air between them.
“Dating has apparently moved up her list of things I should be doing. Over Thanksgiving, she and my mom badgered me into signing up for an internet dating site.” He looked at her sharply to clarify. “I mean, she’s setting the whole thing up and managing it. I have no intention of actually meeting anyone from it, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t think I’ll get many takers. When Maya was filling out the profile and asking me about things I like to do, hobbies, and all that, I realized my résumé was pretty weak. According to Maya, all I’ve got to offer is my looks and a job.”
Lizzie laughed. “Hey, that’s two more things than a lot of guys have.” She wouldn’t say it out loud, but his looks were definitely a plus. He was probably six years older than her but wore it well. Brown eyes, the color of the dark tequila he liked, strong jaw, nice body. No, not too shabby at all.
With a full belly and a slight buzz from the wine, she felt pretty good. Too good. Things were getting weird. It was time to go.
“Can I help with the dishes?” It was a courtesy offer she prayed he wouldn’t take her up on.
“Oh, no,” he said, shaking his head. “That will be the first layer of Maya’s penance. One of many.”
“All right.” She put on her jacket, and the beagle wandered over to say goodbye. “What’s your name, sweetie pie?” she cooed, bending to pet it again.
“That’s Jasper. You okay to drive?”
She stood. “I walked. I live in the Riverside complex, near the boardwalk. It’s not far.”
“Oh, yeah. I walk Jasper that way all the time. To the marina. I’m surprised I’ve never seen you.”
“When I’m working, I keep pretty weird hours.”
“Oh, sure. That reminds me, how’s your list coming?”
“Of ex-boyfriends? I’m on page three, but getting closer. I’ll email it to you.”
“How ’bout we meet for coffee to discuss it? I’m sure I’ll have questions.”
Lizzie blinked, thinking she must be tipsier than she thought. Was he asking her out? And so bad at it that she couldn’t tell? Or so good that it came off as work-related?
“Fine. The Drip 2.0 tomorrow at ten?”
“See you then.”
Shoving her hands in her pockets, she walked home in a hazy stupor, feeling something she hadn’t in forever. It wasn’t just the wine. It was a tug of longing. A hint of wistful feelings she’d buried long ago.
She’d had dinner with more men than she could count, but Ben was different. More mature than most guys she dated, which tracked since she met most of her boyfriends at the bar. And even though Ben was technically the enemy. Even though he thought she was capable of arson or in cahoots with someone trying to cheat the insurance company, she felt something for him. Respect maybe? Or admiration. For the way he’d sacrificed his life for his daughter. Then again, she couldn’t rule out good old-fashioned lust. She shoved aside the mushy feelings. She couldn’t be attracted to someone who thought so poorly of her. Could she?
Charlie was waiting to greet her when she entered her condo.
“Hey, boy. You miss me?” She scratched him between the ears, which was easy since his head hit her at mid-thigh. “You’re my main man, aren’t you, boy?”
After making sure Charlie had food in his bowl, she opened the notebook where she’d been compiling potential suspects. Clearing her name was top priority right now. She needed that insurance settlement ASAP. She wasn’t sure this list would help—she really couldn’t think of anyone she’d pissed off so badly that they’d want to hurt her, but sometimes you never knew.
Before going to bed, she texted Maya. Not cool, bro. Not cool.