Eddie
When I walk through the doors of my new building, hours after the meeting with the bank lawyer, my mind is still there. At that polished table. In that office too big and too clean to belong to anyone normal. I’ve been walking around most of the afternoon, thinking. Part of me is panicking, saying what the hell have I done? If my father found out…
But the other part of me is relieved. Go ahead, tell him everything. Let’s get this disowning me thing over with.
And I can’t stop thinking about the look on Robert Lowman’s face when he spoke to me in that lawyer way where someone pretends to know more than they do so they can find out how much you know.
“I don’t think you’re aware of the terms your grandmother set on the trust,” he said, tapping his fingers against that polished table in a perfect rhythm.
“I’m aware of all the terms,” I told him. “That’s why I’m here. I’m going to need access to those funds in the next few months.”
Mr. Lowman’s fingers stilled, and he sat up straighter in his leather chair. Before saying anything else, he shot a glance at his associates at the other end of the table. “And you think you’ll meet these…uh…terms”—he stopped to clear his throat—“in the near future?”
Without hesitation, looking him square in the face, I said, “Yes.”
His eyebrows shot up. “How soon?”
My own gaze drifted toward the extra people in the room taking notes. They were probably confused as hell. Good. “September.”
“Well, that is soon.” More throat clearing and the inability to look me in the eye. “And your parents?”
I shook my head. “Not involved. And I’d like to keep it that way. After this development in September, I won’t receive any financial support from them.”
Truth is, I’m not technically using any of their support right now. Even the cell phone they pay for is only being used for communication with my parents and sister. I got a new phone a few weeks ago so that I could contact Caroline without them knowing.
“I see.” He sighed and looked at me again. He was over the shock at this point and ready to get down to business. “All we need is tangible proof that the terms have been met, then you’ll sign on the dotted line and be granted full access to the trust within a few months. Though I do recommend an interest-only withdrawal policy, perhaps working with a financial advisor—”
“That’s it?” I interrupted, shocked myself by how simple this might be.
“Yes, sir.” He twirled his pen for a moment, and I knew he was about to ask me how I found out details my parents weren’t even privy to. “You were how old when your grandmother passed away?”
“Fourteen,” I said, even though I knew he was good enough at math to figure it out himself.
“And you don’t think it’s possible you misunderstood anything? Maybe we aren’t talking about the same terms? I’m sworn to keep that confidential, but if you just shared your thoughts…?”
“Nope, no doubts,” I said. And it was true. My grandmother was one of the few people in my family who I actually got along with. We shared in our dislike for my father—her own son. She told me the terms of this trust, and I’d told her she was nuts, keeping that much money from her own son and daughter-in-law. It was never me Robert Lowman was sworn to secrecy from. “You’re sure there’s no way for my parents to find out about this money before it’s turned over to me? No way for them to gain access to it?”
“No, sir,” he said with a nod. “Not possible.”
I stood up, and he shook my hand. “You can’t discuss this meeting with my parents, right?”
After everything that went down last winter and all the shit with Caroline, my parents would definitely be suspicious of me meeting with any lawyer.
He dragged out his answer, leaving a two-second pause that felt like two hours. “Correct. I’m legally bound to keep this conversation between us. And any future conversations.”
Hours later, and it’s still sinking in. It feels so official now. Which is why I can’t focus on much else today, including the crowd outside the apartment door.
I give a weak “hey, how’s it going” to Joey, the coke addict I’m now sharing a bunk bed with (talk about friends in high places). He’s standing outside the apartment door, chatting up two girls who live somewhere on this floor. He lowers his voice after seeing me, and I’m sure he’s promising to hook them up with some of his stuff. I shake my head and start to put the key in the door but stop when I hear a familiar voice behind me.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Summer says. She appears to be dragging Finley away by her shirtsleeve. Summer glares at me. “You may be hot and good in bed, but you’re just a stray animal.”
Joey and the two girls stop talking and listen in with interest. I, too, am quite interested to hear how Summer plans to compare me to a stray cat. I lean against the door, my arms folded over my chest.
Finley covers her face with one hand, clearly embarrassed. Did she say I was good in bed? I mean, how else would Summer know this—
“Stay away from my balcony,” Summer demands. Then, before I get a chance to answer, she turns to Finley. “See this guy? Not healthy. Now, let’s go find you a man with a fancy wallet.”
I crack a smile. Finley Belton must be good at keeping secrets. Because I definitely have a fancy wallet. And she definitely rifled through it this morning. This only makes me want her more. Unfortunately.
“Bad date?” Joey asks when they’re completely out of earshot.
“One-night stand,” I say for Finley’s benefit. I know how much that label means to her.
Inside the apartment, the couch is littered with takeout containers, and the sink is piled with week-old dirty dishes. I glance at the half-opened door to the bedroom I’ve been assigned to and then turn quickly after seeing that one of the bottom bunks is occupied. With three sets of feet. All tangled together, all contributing to some X-rated noises. I glance around again and decide it’s probably a good idea to continue my long walk. Everything I currently own is already on my back, thank God.
Jesus, maybe I am a stray?
Summer is probably right to keep Finley away from me. It’s complicated. I’m complicated.
If I were Finley, I’d stay far away from me too.