Chapter Seventeen
Lee
It’s been five long days since I’ve seen Ellie. Between work, Grans and the surprise reappearance of my mom, I haven’t had much time for myself.
“Hey, Scott!” Kyle hollers. “Come see me before you go.”
“I just finished my rundown with the weekend crew.” I head up to the site trailer. “Will now work?”
“Yeah, man. Come on in.” Kyle stands there with the door propped open.
Looking over my shoulder, I search the parking lot for Drew’s truck.
“Drew had to leave,” Kyle says as if he’s read my mind. “A slight family emergency. Something about a goat getting loose.”
“They have goats now?” I question, stepping up into the trailer.
“Who knows?” He pats me on the back as I slide by. “How you doing?” Kyle points to an empty chair.
“I’m lovin’ the job. I thought maybe the guys would have a hard time once you announced the promotion, but they’ve adjusted pretty well,” I inform him as I take a seat.
I’m on edge. I thought the transition was going well, but maybe I was too preoccupied to notice any problems.
“Good, good.” He nods while he digs for a folder. “But that’s not why I wanted to talk to you.”
“Okay?” I lean forward, ready for whatever he throws my way.
“Your grandmother, how is she doing?”
“I’m losing her, but I’m coping the best I can,” I admit, for the first time, that no matter what we do, eventually the Grans I know will be gone.
“I know you have been researching memory care homes.” Kyle flips through the folder until he finds the paper he has been searching for. “There it is.” He turns it around and pushes it across the desk. “I want you to take a look at this.”
“Lavender Springs Memory Care Home.”
It’s the exact same facility I’ve been researching for months. The only home, I feel, can give her the care she needs.
“It’s top notch. The staff is the best in the Midwest,” Kyle states.
“I know, I’ve looked into this place. But it’s also forty-two hundred a month for the full time residential living. Twenty-three hundred for home care, and that only covers six-hour days.”
I run the numbers in my head once again. No matter what I do, I can’t afford it.
Kyle lets out a whistle. “I know. It’s rough, but I have something I think will ease your mind.” He reaches for the papers stacked on the printer, slapping them with a stapler before handing them over.
“I have to say, you’ve piqued my interest.” I look through the papers.
Flipping houses?
“Not many know this, but Drew and I have been flipping houses for the past year. It was only supposed to be a one-time thing, but I had a few things I needed to take care of and Drew? Well, kids are expensive, and after the accident last year he wanted to make sure they were well taken care of. College paid for and all that stuff.”
“What does this have to do with me?” I sit with the papers in my hand, trying not to jump to conclusions.
“It takes so much spare time and with Nina going to school, I don’t have the time to invest in it anymore. Which is where you come in.”
I scan the numbers, and everything looks great, but there is no way I can come up with the start-up.
“Kyle, I’m going to be honest. I like what I’m seeing, but I don’t have the money to put into it.”
“Lee, I want to be your silent partner. I put up the money, you do the work and when we make the sale I get ten percent of your profit.”
“Let me get this straight. You want to front all the money, Drew and I do the work and when it sells we split it fifty, forty, ten?”
“Yeah, man.” He leans back in his office chair, hands clasped behind his head. “Minus the start-up funds, of course. But you are looking at a possible one-hundred-and-seventy-five-thousand-dollar profit.”
Now it’s my turn to whistle. “That would pay for the first three years of Lavender Springs. More if we only did part time in the beginning.”
“You in?” Kyle extends his hand.
“Hell yes!” I clasp his hand in both of mine. “Where do I sign?”
“Perfect! I’ll have legal draw something up and have it to you sometime next week.” He stands and comes around the desk. “We are looking to start on it in the next couple months.” He slaps me on the back. “That work for you?”
“Yes, perfect. Thank you.” I open the door to head out. “You coming?”
“I have a few calls to make. Then I’m out of here, but you go on.”
“Kyle, thank you so much. The stress, I was…” I shake my head, thinking about the past week and how Grans has been a little irritable. Mom swears it’s her declining, but Grans says my mom is being mean and I hate to say it, but this time, I’m unsure who to believe.
“I get it.”
“It’s gone now. Because of you.”
Kyle walks over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder, looking me right in the eyes. “No, Lee. This is all you. You have worked your ass off to get here. Don’t let anyone else take the credit.”
Nodding, I turn and jog to my truck. Throwing my hat in the back, I hop in and grab my phone. Bringing it to life, I see a text from the exact person I want to talk to, celebrate with.
Ellie: I miss you.
Just seeing her name makes me smile. Seeing her message has me wanting to rush right over there, but first I’ll settle for a quick text. I won’t bother her in case she is trying to get ready with the girls.
Me: I miss you too.
Hitting send, I set the phone down as I buckle up, but my phone quickly pings.
Ellie: When are you coming over?
Me: I just need to go home and shower. I have some good news.
Ellie: Like the kind where we get to celebrate?
Me: Yup. Care to share the spotlight tonight?
Ellie: With you? Anytime. (kissy face)
Me: See you in a few.
Ellie: I can’t wait! Hurry.
I throw the phone in the console and head home to shower. Tonight is a new start for many things. For me, for Grans, and hopefully for me and Ellie. Putting fears aside, I’m going in. Heart first.