Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
FERN
“ P lease, let yourself in. It’s not like I need anyone to knock on the fucking door and respect my privacy. Let me ask my harem to stay in my bedroom,” Lysander says as I enter his apartment.
I glare at him. My brother has the sense of humor of a teenage boy. “Is there a harem?”
He rolls his eyes. “Where did we go wrong? My little sister doesn’t understand the concept of a joke.”
I ignore him, heading to the wine fridge. The least he can do is let me drink a bottle of wine if I’m going to deal with his random comments.
“How can I help you, Ferny?”
“Aslan is busy with Keaton. Something about still being in the honeymoon period of their relationship.”
As I’m searching for a bottle of rosé, I say, “That’s code for fucking like rabbits because they’re horny. Gatsby is out of town?—”
“Why am I always your last choice?” His voice sounds a little hurt, but then he laughs. “I have a new cider. Do you want to try it?”
New? Have there been more before? “Since when did we start making cider? And why don’t you have rosé?”
He groans. “Keaton keeps stealing the few bottles I bring from the winery. The cider is just an experiment.”
“Sure, and the half-acre orchard you have in the back of the vineyard is still just a project.”
He snorts. “It is just a project. I have to find ways to entertain myself. Wine is fun, but there has to be more to it, you know?”
I can tell him that he could have a life outside the vineyard and casual fucks, but since I’m the only one in the apartment, I choose not to poke the ogre. He might be a pretty laid-back guy but there are some subjects that make him transform into the Hulk.
“Let me try some of your cider.” I give in.
“So, what do you need from your favorite triplets?”
I don’t point out that they’re the only triplets. “As the oldest, I need you to give me some advice about the foundation.”
“Oh, that’s why you were looking for Aslan. You can wait for him,” he suggests.
Lysander runs the vineyard because he hates paperwork, and responsibilities, even though he’s pretty responsible.
He’s a scientist at heart and I guess experimenting with fruits, flavors, and wines is somehow fulfilling.
He helps me with the foundation, but only when it’s labor. Business decisions are not his forte.
“Tell Lysander what happened, Ferny. I can feel your frustration and… you have a lot going on in that head. Talk. I might not help, but I can listen to you.”
“The meeting with North Bay didn’t go well.”
“We can try someone else. What do you need them for?”
“It’s about the affordable housing community plan in Brentwood Harbor.”
He nods. “Right, I remember that conversation. We need someone to tell us how to make it happen before starting it. Do you need me to call around? There has to be another construction company that might take on the project.”
This is where things might get a little heated. He’s going to get upset at me for talking to a stranger. “So, I met this guy?—”
“So, we’re switching conversations?”
“No. Last week I met a guy at a coffee shop. He seems to know a lot about construction.” I carry on telling him about our meeting and end with my phone conversation with Elliot. “He says it will take four to six years, depending on how we want to split the project.”
“What are his credentials?”
I shrug.
He’s glaring at me, thinking I fucked up. “And how much did you pay him?”
“Nothing. He’s now one of our volunteers.”
“Listen, I’m all about saving money, but I’ll give you whatever you need to hire a professional. We can’t just let anyone?—”
“If you let me finish,” I interrupt him. “You’d know that he got North Bay Construction to do the assessment—for free—with his help. I don’t remember if he’s an engineer or an architect. At this point, I think he’s avoiding telling me what he does or did for a living, which is why I’m here.”
“He’s helping but he’s not helping. I’m too fucking confused, sweetheart.”
“We got the budget. He delivered the blueprints for everything. The town, the houses, the streets… It’s a well-developed community.
If we want to start, North Bay can get us the permits and they’ll assign us a crew.
Of course, if we want to add volunteers to it, the construction might get done faster. ”
Lysander nods. “What’s the problem?”
“I feel like he’s hiding from something, and what if he’s running from the law or?—”
He nods. “Okay, I get your problem. Why don’t you give me his information so we can run a background check? Gatsby has a guy.”
I frown. “He has a guy?”
“Apparently. I learned that on Monday when he needed some info about his ex.”
“Gatsby has an ex?”
He laughs. “Yes, and surprisingly, she’s not a computer or an AI.”
I glare at him and ignore his comment. “Okay, I can call him and ask for that information. Then I’ll decide Elliot’s future in the foundation.”
“Is this guy asking for a job? Are we paying him a salary?”
“No. He just wants to be the project manager—for free. He’ll oversee part of the first stage, and when it’s over, he’s leaving.”
He stares at me weirdly, as if he can’t believe my story. “Where is he going?”
I shrug. “I didn’t ask.”
“Is this person real, or is he like Toby, your imaginary friend?”
I groan. “Have I ever told you that you’re an asshole? Of course, he’s real. I just…”
I don’t know how to explain to him that Elliot McPhee is all kinds of contradictions. A hard worker who chooses not to work. A man with a plan who doesn’t even have an address. He could be leading a company like North Bay, yet he’s just passing by.
“Why don’t we order food?” he offers. “In the meantime, text Gatsby. After he receives the information from his guy, we can make some decisions.”
Fern: I met this guy who volunteered to head the project in Brentwood Harbor.
Gatsby: And…
Gatsby: I need context, sweetheart.
Ugh, why isn’t Aslan available? He’s the easy one of the three.
Fern: Well, it’s kind of weird that he’s not working, and he wants to do this for free.
Gatsby: Oh no, someone is being nice to a foundation. We must call the elders and throw him out of town. Send me his name and everything you know about him.
Fern: Why do you have to be so sarcastic?
Gatsby: You need to trust people a little more.
Easy for him to say. It’s daunting to deal with people who are just using me because I might be able to connect them to my brothers.
Fern: I’ll email you everything.
Fern: What is this about having a girlfriend?
Gatsby: She’s still my ex.
Fern: Why didn’t I know about her?
Gatsby: It’s a long story.
Fern: Are you getting back with her?
Gatsby: I might try, don’t mention it to anyone. It’s going to be a delicate operation but who knows, she might fall for me again.
Fern: When are you coming back?
Gatsby: As soon as I fix this problem. Love you, Sis.
Fern: Love you too.
Well, he’s in charge of making sure this guy is legit. I’ll just gather the board and we can start planning. All I need is money to make sure everything runs smoothly.