“Mara.” Chris shoved a comic into a box. He must be upset. He never mistreated a comic book.
I studied him while I waited for him to continue. Normally, he could pass for late twenties, with his rich brown eyes and shaggy blond hair, but his pensive expression aged him until he looked every day of his thirty-seven years.
Still not old, but not the guy who normally came to work with the enthusiasm of a seven-year-old.
He stared hard at the box in front of him, his hands settled on his hips. “Would you mind if I did some checking?”
“On what?”
If Chris wanted to check on something, I’d let him. He was only the third person I’d ever hired, but he was fantastic. Smart, organized, knowledgeable, responsible. The two employees before him had possessed one or two of those traits. No application had been required for Chris. He’d come in to shop, we’d gotten to talking, he’d wanted a lower-stress job—boom. Employee of the year.
“I still know some people on the city council. One of my good friends is in zoning and planning. Let me talk to her.” He blew out a breath and raised his gaze.
“Still know? You used to work for the city?”
He nodded. “I was on the council, but life got in the way. I finished my term and had to step back. Anyway, it’s a long shot, but it wouldn’t hurt to ensure Mr. Robson has the permits he needs.”
Don’t get my hopes up. “Because he’s planning housing along with a new retail center?”
Chris bobbed his head. “With his money, I’m sure his people know what they’re doing, but what-if?”
Yeah, what-if?
The door dinged and Ephraim breezed in. “Hey, guys.”
I mustered a smile for Ephraim.
He slowed and glanced back and forth between me and Chris. “Y’all okay? There’s a heavy vibe in here.”
Chris looked at me, waiting for my lead. I explained everything to Ephraim, including the almost-papers that would’ve handed me the mall.
“So the three stores in this place, Arcadia, New Treads, and McGuilley’s Drink have to shut down or find new locations.” Shaking my hair out of my face, I continued. “I can’t afford to relocate, so Arcadia’s doors are closing.”
Chris’s brows shot up. “What about if you and I went into business together?”
My heart slammed, then raced as if the men had backed me into a corner. I covered my reaction with a sad smile. “Thanks for the offer, but I put everything I could spare into this place. The rest is dedicated to medical bills. You could strike out on your own.”
As much as I liked Chris, a partnership with any man would give him the chance to use me again. Not enough capital and he’d have the upper hand. If I ran into problems with my mom again and Chris had to take over, what would I have to do to get my share of the store back?
We need to talk about your grades, Mara. You can’t complete your degree without this class and you mentioned not being able to afford another semester. Let’s go to my office and talk.
Chris wasn’t my college professor, but I hadn’t allowed myself enough therapy to go into business with him. Being a business owner was more than a professional endeavor, it was survival. Sam Robson had almost restored my faith that a man could have an authoritative role over me and not abuse it, but his son had torn it back down.
At least Wesley Robson wasn’t degrading my body while he did it.
Chris’s face fell, but his expression turned contemplative. “If I did open my own place, I would pick your brains for advice. But I wouldn’t move forward unless you were sure you couldn’t reboot Arcadia.”
“That’s considerate, but I need to think about what I want to be when I grow up.” Get a job. Have a boss. I’d look for a female boss. But what if the female supervisor was replaced by a male?
Ugh. I might have to kick in a few bucks for a couple more therapy sessions before I started interviewing.
During our exchange, Ephraim hadn’t said a word. Nor had he moved. His intent brown eyes were narrowed on nothing. “How close was Sam to completing the paperwork to give you this building?”
Mara frowned. “No clue. He was going to sell it to me, actually. For a dollar.”
Ephraim’s eyes flared wide. “You could file a lawsuit against Robson Industries for falling through on the deal. If he told his closest advisors about his plans and reasoning, just maybe the judge would be sympathetic.”
“That’d cost a fortune.” Chris’s dubious expression had to match my own. “And it’s almost guaranteed she’ll lose.”
My heart ached at the loss. Sam would’ve been so disappointed my store didn’t survive.
“Sam loved this place.” My voice was almost a whisper.
“Why?” Ephraim’s eyes were bright. “Did he tell you? It’s the why that matters most.”
I clamped down before I said why. Guessing only from what Sam had said, it was because of his son and what had gone down during the ugly divorce, and I wasn’t the person to fling dirty laundry in public.
“He didn’t give me specifics. I think it reminded him of better times, and he sympathized with my situation.”
Ephraim waved it off. “We’ll be a pest regardless. As for the cost, let me approach my firm about taking it on pro bono.”
My eyes widened and I stepped back. “No, I couldn’t.”
He’d grown to be my friend, and I knew he was a lawyer, but not that he was the top dog of a law office. Ephraim and Chris were not Dr. Johannsen, and I couldn’t let another man’s actions define theirs. Besides, they were more like surrogate brothers, like my old friend Sam had been a father figure. But being beholden to a man sent fear racing through me. And what about Ephraim’s job?
I shook my head. “Wouldn’t angering Wesley Robson be a bad career move for you and the lawyers
