Page 115 of November

“Okay. Then, I won’t call him, but–”

“I’m not really hungry anymore,” Maisie stated.

“Not hungry? Maisie, what is happening right now?”

“Nothing. I just need to go. I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Okay. But, Maisie, I didn’t–”

“I know.” She stood. “I’ve got stuff, too, India. You’ve got stuff, and I’ve got stuff.”

“What are you talking about?”

Maisie knew what she meant by that statement, but she didn’t know how to properly articulate it.

“Baggage. Issues. I need to walk this off, okay?” she replied, wishing she could just breathe and talk to this woman, who was being patient with her right now when Maisie didn’t deserve it. “It’s not about you.”

“I don’t know whatthisis, but okay. I’ll… I’ll be here if you need me.”

Maisie looked down at her and knew that India would.

CHAPTER 28

“Sorry, what happened?” Ava asked.

“I actually have no idea,” India replied. “We had a great night and an amazing morning, and we were supposed to have lunch, but she showed up for that and started talking about my idiot brother and what he didthistime.”

“Whatdidhe do?”

“He promised he’d get her on an agenda for something important. Then, he showed up today and took that back. It’s worse because he used a favor to get something for me, but I didn’t ask him to do that.”

“What the hell did he get for you?”

“We’re expanding the parking garage behind the Southern Roastery office. Well, we’regoingto expand the parking garage. I met with vendors this morning. That’s how far we’ve gotten on planning this thing. One of them got a little ahead of himself, though, and called someone on the council. I’m not sure what happened, exactly, but Colter found out and thought he could get my permits put through faster by sacrificing Maisie’s shop.”

“Did she thinkyoudid that?” Ava asked and then took a drink.

“No, she knew it wasn’t me. But when I offered to call my brother to get him to take back whatever he had done or help me get in touch with some people who could help her, she wasn’t super happy about that and left. She said she had baggage, too, but I don’t–” India paused. “I mean, what did I do wrong, Ava?”

Ava nodded knowingly and replied, “You’re like me, I think.”

“And how’s that, exactly?”

“You’re a fixer.”

“Oh. Well, yeah, obviously. I work in–”

“Work is one thing, India, but personal stuff is different. You went into fixer mode with her, like I tried with Logan a few times.” Ava nodded toward her ex, who was behind the bar, laughing at something Rory, who was sitting on a stool in front of her, had said. “Not that I want her back or anything, but Rory didn’t try to fix her. I did. Repeatedly. Logan didn’t want to or wasn’t ready to be fixed. And the reality is, I couldn’t have fixed her even if I’d tried. She had to do that herself. ‘Fix’ might be a strong word to use, but you get the idea. I loved her once, and I thought we would spend the rest of our lives together, but she had things she needed to work through, and I couldn’t just snap my fingers and make things better for her. Rory didn’t even try. She just showed up and loved her, and Logan loves her back.”

“When I first found out that Maisie was running against him, I stepped in because I thought it could get her what she wanted. It didn’t, so I stayed out of it, but then, Colter called me when he won, and I swear, all I did was give him a hard time and make suggestions forhim; nothing to do with Maisie. Colter involved her, not me. Then, today, he’s showing up and doing the wrong thing again, and somehow, pulling me back into it.”

“But you offered to call him and fix it for her.”

“Yes, because I could,” India replied. “I know growing up with money affords me certain privileges, and one of them is being able to take care of this for her. My father, as well as his father, and so on, are legacies in this city. One call from me or him could get her that status, but I’ve never said that to her. I’ve never tried to take the work she put in away from her when I could’ve made that call just to make it happen. I only offered to help her like that today, and I still didn’t even tell her that I could just make this happen directly.”

“You have that kind of power? Really? Can you get my landlord to stop raising my rent every year?” Ava joked.

“It’s not exactly ethical and probably not a hundred percent legal, but yes, I could. I’m sure my dad could make a callto the mayor or even the governor or a senator and get Maisie’s store the status she wants so badly, but I resisted all those urges. Then, I make one comment today, and suddenly, she’s walking away.”