Page 26 of The Fall Classic

Logan

I didn’t think about that.

Does she watch games from the cheap seats often?

Georgie

Only when I’m babysitting.

Logan

How about this: when you babysit, I’ll get you the good seats.

Georgie

I can’t ask you to do that.

Logan

Funny enough, you didn’t ask. I offered. Remember?

Georgie

Oh, is that what happened?

Logan

How often do you babysit Lulabelle?

Georgie

A couple of times a month.

Sometimes Lulabelle’s family gets us the good seats, though. My stepsister does the books for her husband’s company and also helps my stepmom run a company, so they’re all pretty busy.

I stare at the text message, sick to my stomach that I called Meant to Bean “a company.” Not “my family’s company.” Not “the company my dad took hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans against to cover my mom’s medical debt and then invested in a restaurant instead of paying it off, so thank goodness Marlowe figured out a way to save it.”

Okay, I know why I didn’t say that last one.

But it’s true—Marlowe saved the company! I don’t say that lightly. My dad became the custodial trustee of Meant to Bean after my mom died, which means he has legal authority over my inheritance until the loans are paid off, though when that might be, I’m afraid to ask. After all, Marlowe has spent years pulling it out of the red, and he gave her full operational control shortly after they got married.

She doesn’t know I’ve been taking business classes since I was nineteen on a laptop I bought myself so I could prove that I really can take over the company.

No one knows. I’m twenty-five now with six credits left to earn my degree, and I doubt I’ll even invite my family to the graduation.

My dad’s always chasing “the next big thing,” and he’s been searching for it since before I was born. He and my mom worked out okay because my mom had the shop and me and was fiercely independent. I’m sure she’d have preferred a husband who wasn’t always looking for investors in some scheme just shy of Ponzi, but she never seemed to notice when he left. She simply took care of things and moved on.

I don’t think Marlowe is independent by choice. She’s always done what she had to to survive.

I get it.

I just wish she were nicer about it.

My phone vibrates, and I spot a text from Logan I haven’t responded to yet.

Logan

Do you work with them?