Stirring Up Trouble(17)
She tried to remember if he’d actually ever come to the restaurant to hear her band. Why hadn’t he? And how would he know she had talent if he’d never heard her sing?
“Thank you.” She shifted in her seat and peered out the window at the highway flying past. “Anyway, he left me ownership of the building, but only conditionally. Somehow, he’s maneuvered an IRS auditor, a food critic, and a health inspector to test me on things about the restaurant. My uncle had a sick sense of humor, and like my sister did with her mansion, I’m going to have to jump through a few hula hoops to get it. No biggie though. We’ve got almost a month for Braden to teach me everything I need to know, but that does mean he and I will have to spend more time together. I’m going to have to shadow him through the day and stay after my last set each night. I won’t be available as much.”
Jon turned the car into the lot of her apartment complex. “Do you think you can trust Braden? I’m sorry for breaking this to you, but you’re so sweet, you see the good in everyone. What if he deliberately gives you bad information because he wants you to fail?”
“No way. If I fail, he loses his lease. Alexander made that very clear.”
“Is that why you’re bringing home a book on accounting?” he asked, a touch of amusement in his voice.
She decided to tell him the truth and see how he reacted. “Oh, no. Didn’t you know? I love to memorize textbooks. It’s a habit of mine.”
He laughed. “Funny. So, assuming you pass these tests, you’ll get full, unencumbered ownership of the property?”
Braden hadn’t questioned her abilities, but Jon, whom she’d spent months with, didn’t get she’d told him the truth. Everyone assumed she was a flaky musician, including Jon. It was her own fault, but it still felt like a quick, sharp stab of a knife in her chest. “I don’t know what cucumbers have to do with anything, but yes, I’ll own it.”
He chuckled. Was he laughing at her? “Does this mean you’ll be sticking around Michigan longer than you anticipated?”
Thank goodness they had reached her apartment. His words normally made her feel safe, but tonight, they irritated her. “No. I’m still planning on moving on at the end of the month.”
“I’ll miss you. But, at least I still have time to convince you to give me a chance.” He drummed his fingers on the wheel. “What will you do with property?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
“It’s a great investment. Maybe you should sell it.” She heard the words he’d intentionally left off: To me.
Braden had warned her and she’d blown him off. Could Jon be using her? Luckily, she didn’t know enough about the restaurant to reveal any secrets anyway. But now Jon knew she’d be learning everything and a warning siren wailed in her head. “Maybe. Thank you again for being so understanding about tonight. I promise if I get a free moment, I’ll call you.” She gave him a quick smile and got out of the car.
“Don’t worry. We’ll see each other before you go. I’ll make sure of it.”
Standing outside his car, she placed her hand on the passenger-side door. “I knew you’d understand. Have a good night, Jon.”
“You, too, Lola.”
She slammed the door shut and stared at the front of her apartment building. Her mother would be waiting for her on the couch no matter how late she came home.
Lola walked off the path and onto the grass, slipping past the bushes on the side of the building. Although first floor apartments weren’t safe because of the easy accessibility, tonight it would come in handy. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached for her window and pushed it up. She’d taken out the screen the day Reina had temporarily moved in for just this occasion.
She placed her hands on the bottom of the window and pulled herself up to a sitting position on the ledge. As quietly as she could, she landed on her carpet then closed the window behind her. She couldn’t see much in the dark room, but she didn’t want to turn on the light and alert Reina to her presence. A prisoner in her own home.
She sighed and staggered to her dresser. Slowly opening the top drawer, she located a pair of pajama bottoms and a top then slid it closed.
“You don’t have to be quiet on my account,” came Reina’s voice in the darkness.
Lola screamed. Stumbling over a shoe, she fell forward, barely managing to stay upright. She stomped to the switch and turned on the light. “What the hell?”