“If you’re just going to ignore me, there’s no point in visiting.”

Henry’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. Shit. What were we talking about? He was saying something about accessible apartments for when he gets discharged. Yes. And then he made a joke about a penthouse, which sent me straight back to last weekend at the Plaza. 

I resist the urge to drop my face into my hands. It’s bad enough that I’ve been caught in the middle of having a sex fantasy in broad daylight when I’m supposed to be having a conversation with my brother. It’s made twice as bad by the fact that every time I think about the Plaza, I also think about that embarrassing display in the middle of the night. Of course Levi wants to be with me. This isn’t about money.

It’s not about money, and it’s not about the auction, it’s just about us. 

What do I have to do to convince myself of that?

Nothing so far has worked.

“I’m sorry, Henry. I got distracted.”

“No shit.” My brother’s eyes, blue like mine, dance in the light coming through his hospital room window. “Anyway, I was saying that there’s a building in SoHo that has accessible apartments. I should be out of here within a month. That’s the first place I want to look.”

A spike of worry charges through my throat. “You’re not just going to live with Mom and Dad?”

He rolls his eyes. “They don’t even have a place to live. How am I supposed to move in with them?”

“They do too have a place to live. It’s five blocks from here. You know that.”

Henry laughs. “They live in a third-story walkup with one bedroom. Am I supposed to roll myself up three flights of stairs?” He raises his arms in the air, flexing. “I’m lifting weights like a fiend, but there’s no telling when I’ll be ripped enough to do that.”

“That’s a temporary situation.”

He sweeps his hands down over his shirt like he’s a model on display. “This might be a permanent one.”

“Do you have the money for one of those apartments?”

Henry shrugs. “One of my gigs came with insurance. I can swing it for at least a few months. By then, I’ll be able to go back to work.”

“You’re sure about that?”

He gives me a dashing smile. “It’s not that kind of brain injury, Ruby. I still have all kinds of ideas for the shows.” 

Some of the tension releases its grip on my gut. “I’m really glad to hear that.”

Henry gives me a look. “Where have you been? They declared my brain fine and dandy a month ago.”

“I know. There’s just been a lot going on. Sometimes I forget that some things are okay.”

“Don’t harass your sister.” My mom says the words before she’s even fully in the door of Henry’s room, carrying two cups of coffee in her hands, and we both laugh. She grins back at us. “What are you two planning?”

“Henry was telling me about a building in SoHo with accessible apartments.”

Mom frowns and hands me one of the cups. “Don’t they have laws about that sort of thing?”

“Yeah,” Henry says, sighing. “They have laws. Compliance doesn’t necessarily mean comfort, though.”

“And you, my prince, deserve nothing but the best.” She settles into a seat next to me.

“Is that why you didn’t bring me any coffee? It’s pretty clear who’s the favorite, Mom.” Henry glares at her in a way that’s completely unconvincing.

Mom shoots me a look. “I just brought him some forty minutes ago.”

“I believe you.” I take a sip, testing it out. It’s not bad. “Where’s Dad today?”

“I didn’t tell you?” Mom’s eyebrows fly up so high they’re almost under her hairline. “How could I not have told you?”

“You seemed pretty desperate for coffee.” I smile and take another sip of my own. “What’s up?”

“We got some good news. Some of the payments have started to come in.”

“Payments?”

“From the estate.” Mom closes her eyes for a long moment. “It’s such a relief.”

“From the estate sale, you mean?” My stomach churns. This is good news—so why do I feel so damn uneasy about it?

“The estate sale payment came in last week, but more has come through.” She reaches for my hand and takes it in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I can’t thank you enough for doing this, honey. I slept last night through for the first time in months.”

“I didn’t realize—” I swallow hard. “I didn’t realize he’d be able to move it so quickly. That’s great.”

Mom narrows her eyes. “You look pale, Ruby. Are you okay?”

“Fine! More than fine. I just thought there might be—” It’s so selfish. It’s so stupid. It’s unbelievably ridiculous to feel this sentimental about a houseful of furniture that I can’t store. It’s just that the thought of someone else driving away with all those pieces of my childhood, pieces of before—it makes me sick. How can it still make me sick? “I thought there might be more time.”

“More time for what?” She laughs a little. “We’ve been on borrowed time with some of these bills. This is all happening right when it should be.”

I force a smile onto my face. “You’re right.”

She reaches for me, this time rubbing my shoulder. “Oh, Ruby. I know this wasn’t supposed to turn out this way. But at least you won’t have to worry about all those things your entire adult life.”

My throat aches. I wanted to worry about those things, in some capacity. Or at least have the option to worry about them. Now, piece by piece, it’s all being yanked away. No matter how many times I steel myself for it, no matter how many times I tell myself I’m prepared, I’m not. I never am. “That’s true.”

“Anyway, this will all be over soon. I got a call from your father on the way up here.” She chuckles. “He might not be a big fan of David Blake, but he’s impressed with his son’s work.”

“Dad was at the house?”

“Yes. Didn’t I say that? He went to meet with someone representing the Blake Auction House. They handed him the first check. He said most everything is gone now.”

That’s not right. That’s not right. When I was there last, we still had most of the third floor to go through, plus the storage space in the attic. How could it all be gone?

Unless Levi took matters into his own hands.