6. Lana
CHAPTER 6
LANA
I woke up as usual at seven on the dot and went through the motions of starting my day. I had nowhere to go, but I couldn’t do nothing, so I ate breakfast. I showered. I got myself dressed. Then I stood in the hallway staring at the back door. I could go downstairs, I guessed, and start on some cleaning. Move the fallen bookshelf. Pile the books in the back. Sweep up the drywall, and then what?
Then what?
My phone shrilled behind me, making me jump. I hurried to get it.
“Alice? Hello?”
“We’re downstairs,” she said.
I frowned, confused. “We?”
“Me and Gareth? The carpenter? He works for my aunt?” When I said nothing, she laughed. “Didn’t you get my texts? I said we were coming.”
“Sorry,” I said. “Must’ve missed those.” I’d fallen into bed early last night, too heartsick to bother with dinner. Now, I felt myself brightening. I had something to do. “I’ll be right down. Give me two minutes.”
I ran a brush through my hair and slapped on some lip balm, then, ready to face the day, I bounded downstairs. I unlocked the front door for Alice and Gareth, and Gareth spied the wall and let out a whistle.
“It was that dog,” said Alice.
“It wasn’t the dog.”
Gareth went over and set down his toolbox. He took out a flashlight and a crowbar. I turned away, not wanting to watch. From what I’d seen already, the damage was bad. Maybe the kind of bad I couldn’t come back from. If that was the case, I didn’t know what I’d do. Where would I live, even, if the building was toast? I stood to lose everything, my business. My home.
“Hey. You’ve got company.” Alice tapped my shoulder. I turned, and sure enough, Brad was at the front door. He was peering in, waving, and I waved back.
“I’ll be quick,” I told Alice. “Give me five minutes.”
She gave me a little push and I headed outside. Brad greeted me, smiling.
“Am I too early?”
“No, not at all. Where’s the rest of your stuff?” I looked around for his boxes, but couldn’t see any, nothing in his truck but a beat-up old toolbox.
“This is it,” he said, and hoisted his suitcase. “I just brought the basics. Thought I’d pack light.”
“Do you have sheets and stuff, to go on your bed?”
“No, I thought, uh… I don’t know what I thought.” Brad looked embarrassed. “Is there somewhere I could get some?”
“I have extras you can borrow. I’ll show you where.” I led the way back upstairs and through to the kitchen. Brad looked around while I dug out Mom’s keys, slipping her keychain off before I handed them over. “This one’s for the apartment, and that’s for downstairs. But don’t go down there. We’re mid-renovation.”
Brad took the keys and dropped them in his pocket. He set down his suitcase and covered a yawn. “Sorry. Couldn’t sleep last night.”
“I’ll get you some coffee.” For some reason, I was nervous. I couldn’t stand still. Brad stared, bemused, as I darted past him, scurrying out the door and back downstairs. Gareth had a drill now. No, a screwdriver. He pulled down his safety shield and set it to whirring. That’s when it hit me: the noise. The noise . What if Brad freaked out? Demanded his rent back?
My hands shook as I measured out two scoops of coffee. Could Brad sue me, even? For fraud, for bad faith? Was I supposed to have warned him, like, legally? It had never occurred to me. Stupid. Stupid .
I closed my eyes, waiting for the coffee to brew. Brad seemed like a nice guy. He wouldn’t sue me. And maybe… maybe he wouldn’t notice. Maybe he’d be out all day, while Gareth was banging. Maybe I was getting all worked up for nothing.
Soon, the coffee was done, and I poured Brad a mug. I’d forgotten to ask if he liked milk or sugar. But I had those upstairs, so no worries. All good. Nothing to stress over, just coffee. I carried it back upstairs and into the kitchen, but Brad wasn’t there, or in his bedroom. I cocked my head, listening, and heard sounds from the bathroom, a soft metal tapping. A high insect whirr. Oh, God. Was that Gareth? Coming up through the floor?
“Uh… Brad?”
“In here,” he called, and the bathroom door opened. Brad stuck his head out, then ducked back inside. “I should’ve asked first — don’t know what I was thinking. I saw it was crooked, thought I’d set it to rights.”
I slid into the bathroom to see what he meant, and Brad had a screwdriver the same as Gareth’s. He’d straightened my towel rod and was folding my towels.
“I’ll fill the old holes in later and fix up the paint.”
“You fixed that?” I stared. “I brought you some coffee. I didn’t ask how you take it, so?—”
“Black. Black is good.” He took the coffee and smiled, and sipped from the mug. “Mm, yeah. That’s perfect.”
“I never asked what you do,” I said, still staring at the towel rack. “Are you some kind of handyman?”
“A carpenter,” said Brad. “So, yeah. I fix things.”
I laughed too loud, my nerves still jangling. “I wish you’d told me that yesterday. I could’ve hired you. For downstairs, I mean, for our renovations.”
A strange, stricken expression flitted across Brad’s face. Then he smiled, shook his head, and sipped some more coffee. “I’m not that kind of carpenter. I do furniture, mostly. But if you need some new cabinets, hey. I’m your man.”
“I might need some new shelves,” I said. “When the renovations are done.” Maybe Brad would do that for a discount on rent. If the noise didn’t drive him out before I could ask. I bit my lip. “Uh, about that, the renovations? There might be some banging for the next few days. I’d have warned you, but?—”
“Banging is fine.” Brad put his screwdriver back in his toolbox. “I’ll be out anyway, during the days. Besides, I’m a city mouse. I’m used to construction.”
I exhaled for what felt like the first time all day. I wanted to hug Brad, to let him hug me. He probably gave great hugs, gentle but strong. I stood grinning stupidly, picturing that, Brad’s arms around me, the thump of his heartbeat. His big, callused palm high on my back, stroking my cares away. Comforting circles. He’d talk me down gently, his breath in my ear. Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Everything’s fine .
Heat rose in my cheeks and I laughed for no reason. Brad’s brows shot up.
“Hey, you okay? You just went bright red.”
I couldn’t think of a single thing to say to that. Fortunately, I didn’t have to, as my phone rang again. I scrambled it out so fast I nearly dropped it.
“Alice? Hello?”
“Sorry to bug you, but we’re done down here. Gareth needs to talk to you when you have a second.”
“I’ll be right down,” I squeaked, and ended the call. I scrubbed at my red face and blurted out “Dust!”
Brad blinked at me. “What?”
“I’m allergic to dust. That’s why my face is red, because… From the dust!” I flapped my hand at the towel rod. “Anyway, thanks for that! I’ll just be downstairs.” And I turned and fled, redder than ever.
I stood in the side yard till I felt my face cool, then took another minute to brace for the worst. If it was bad news, I’d handle it. I’d find a way. Mom always had, and now it was my turn. She’d left me the store. Trusted me with it. She’d always believed in me. I’d believe in myself.
The silver chimes tinkled as I stepped inside. Gareth looked up.
“It’s not as bad as it looks.” He pulled off his mask. “What you’ve got is old plumbing, and you’ve sprung a leak. It’s rotted the wood back here, in this section of wall, but from what I’m seeing, that’s as far as it goes. You’ll need to get a plumber in to patch up that leak, but the wall should be easy, then we’ll re-bolt the shelf.”
I swayed with relief, my knees going weak. “And how much will this cost me?”
Gareth glanced at Alice. “I can’t speak for the plumber, but the wall won’t be too bad. You’re getting the family rate, just parts and labor. I’ll get you an estimate later today.”
“And this family rate, how much…?” I swallowed, throat tight.
“Seriously, don’t worry. It shouldn’t run more than a couple of thousand. You have some framework I’ll need to replace, some struts and some baseboards, then I’ll patch up the drywall. Shouldn’t take more than a couple of days.” His mouth turned down. “Well, depending on Francis — he’s the plumber we work with. He’s always busy this time of year.”
I was barely listening, doing the math in my head. Two thousand for the carpenter, a few hundred for the plumber. That was most of Brad’s first-and-last gone at a blow. Then we’d be shut down at least a few days, time for the plumbing, then the repairs. We’d lose out on most of the first wave of tourists. On most of our late-spring run on beach reads.
“It’ll be okay,” said Alice, picking up on my worry. “We’ll do a grand reopening when the wall’s all patched up.”
I almost laughed at that, but stopped myself with a cough. Alice was being supportive. I didn’t need to be rude. Still, didn’t a grand reopening imply some fanfare? Some kind of party, some big celebration? We’d just be reopening with our wall back in place, our shelves nailed back up where they’d come crashing down. The best I could afford in terms of grandness would be, I don’t know. A tray of free cookies.
“We could do a half-off sale. Clear out some old stock. Oh, and maybe start a book club, so they have to keep coming?”
What Alice didn’t know was, we’d had a book club. Mom had started it back in the nineties, and it had flourished until she got sick. After she passed, I’d tried to keep it going, but it had felt too sad, all her old friends. All the same faces, but her chair stood empty.
“Let’s do inventory,” I said, pulling out of my spiral. “And you’re right. There’s some old stuff we need to move out. Anything no one’s buying, let’s set that aside. Maybe we’ll have a sale, or we’ll donate it.”
We worked through the morning, sorting our stock. It was mindless work and I found myself drifting. My thoughts wandered, aimless, through scenes from my past — me in the reading nook, Mom at the counter. Wiener’s first break-in, when he was a pup. Every so often, other thoughts would creep in, strange thoughts of Brad that made my cheeks burn. I kept picturing the two of us on my old couch, sharing a blanket. Watching TV. Maybe I’d shiver and he’d pull me close. Put his arm around me and let our heads lean together.
I banished the thoughts at first, but they kept stealing back. After a while, I gave up and let them. What was the harm in a few little daydreams? Not even naughty ones, just sweet and cozy? As long as I knew they were only that. Dreams.
The door chime went off just before noon, and I sat up quickly.
“Oh, sorry! We’re— Brad?”
Brad was leaning in the doorway, half-in, half-out. I felt my ears go pink, and shook my head to clear it.
“Didn’t mean to interrupt whatever you’re doing. I was just wondering, where’s good for lunch?”
I stood up, brushing dust off the legs of my jeans. “Soup and a Bread Bowl’s good,” I said. “But it gets crowded at lunchtime. We usually go down and eat at Baguettes. It’s just past the florist’s, by the park. You can’t miss it.”
“I was actually thinking?—”
“Hey, Brad! Over here!”
He broke off and turned to see who was shouting. I smiled, recognizing Chester’s loud old-man bellow. He and Rex ambled up swinging their coolers.
“So, you’re staying a while.” Rex clapped Brad’s shoulder. “You should stop by Mack’s once you get your license.”
“Mack’s Bait and Tackle,” Chester supplied. “You’ll need your own gear, if you’re going to be staying.”
“Hi, guys,” I said, coming up to join them. “You headed out fishing, or you just coming back?”
“Coming back,” said Rex. “We went early today so we’d be fresh for tonight. Speaking of which—” He glanced at Chester.
“We’re going to the park tonight to see the Blue Sapphires. They’re a fifties tribute band, play all kinds of classics — the Ink Spots, the Platters, the Teenagers, you know. Well, maybe you don’t know, young as you are. But we thought we’d invite you, you and Brad both. It’s a good place to meet people, get out of the house.” He shot me a pointed look at get out of the house . I looked away.
“I’m in,” said Brad. “I love some good doo-wop.”
Rex peered at me. “Lana?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think?—”
“She’d love to.” Alice had snuck up on us, and now she pushed me forward. “She was just saying, weren’t you, she’s been working too hard.”
“All work and no play.” Chester pulled a sour face.
“He’s right,” said Brad. “Not to gang up on you, but you need a balance.”
I arched a brow. “Between work and… doo-wop?”
“She’s going,” said Alice. “If I have to drag her myself.”
I could’ve fought harder, put my foot down, but Brad was smiling. Alice was, too. And a night at the park sounded like fun — hot dogs, live music, good company. When had I last been out, besides to go shopping? I couldn’t remember, and that wasn’t good.
“All right,” I said, and Brad’s eyes lit up. He did a little fist-pump like I’d just made his day, and my secret little fantasies rushed back unbidden: Brad rubbing my shoulders after a long day at work. Me sitting, watching, while he fixed a chair. Brad stealing bacon off my breakfast plate. Little domestic scenes — what was I thinking? I ducked my head quickly, hiding my eyes, as if he might somehow spy my thoughts there.
“Then, it’s a date,” said Brad, and my heart stopped, then fluttered. I knew he meant all of us, not me and him. I knew that, and I wasn’t even looking. The last thing I needed was to get all entangled. But still, my heart leaped and wouldn’t stop racing.
Alice was right. I did need to get out more.