Hewinced. The nickname grated, but considering how hard he’d worked to stay anonymous, she wasn’t wrong to give him one. “Better Mr. Uptight than outed.”
Ms. Birdie was one of the few people who knew why the Grant brothers avoided the spotlight, which was likely the only reason she hadn’t thrown them into one of her infamous matchmaking schemes.
“Darling, the longer this goes on, the more likely your name will be revealed. Secrets don’t stay secret forever.”
“You’re the only one who knows. And I trust you.”
“Then what exactly do you want me to do with her? The therapist signed off. An idle Frankie is more dangerous than a working one.”
“You said the therapist signed off?”
“I did?”
“Interesting. Signed off makes it sound like Frankie bullied a signature out of her.”
“I have documentation affirming that Frankie met the necessary benchmarks.”
Which, Marcus noted, wasn’t quite the same as saying he was wrong. “Why didn’t you fire her after the incident?” he asked. “You could’ve done better.”
“My reasons are none of your business.”
“I disagree. If I understood your logic, it might reposition mine.”
“I’m certain it would not. Now tell me, what is it you want her to do?”
He looked out at his new view: rolling countryside, a fence, wildflowers, and beyond it, a treehouse occupied by his binocular-wielding neighbor.
He was definitely not in Manhattan anymore.
“I want Frankie to move to Gi Gi’s Crossing.”
“And do what? Milk cows? Join the PTA?”
If the thought of Frankie in Gi Gi’s Crossing rattled Ms. Birdie, he could only imagine how Frankie would take it. Too bad he couldn’t be a fly on the wall.
“She needs to practice being nice. Therapy won’t stick unless she uses it.”
“Frankie would lose her mind in a town with nothing to do but smile at people. She doesn’t do quaint. She does curated chaos. The town won’t know what hit it.”
Marcus snorted. “She won’t be idle. She’ll be running the local bookstore while the owner’s on maternity leave.”
“A bookstore?”
“One of the busiest spots in town. If she’s changed, we’ll all see it soon enough.”
He could see Frankie there already. A few quiet months surrounded by friendly strangers, forced to smile and play nice. She would chafe. And, because this was about having a friend’s back, he wanted to watch the discomfort. Let her squirm a little for Lola’s sake. When Lola came back from wherever she’d gone after the show, he’d tell her what he’d done. Quiet justice.
And if, by chance, Frankie took therapy seriously and actually got something out of it, by the time the exileended she would ask Ms. Birdie to pass along a message about lessons learned and bridges mended. He’d accept it from a distance, satisfied that order had been restored. Everyone would win. Especially him.
He waved at Harriet the Spy, who lowered her binoculars and saluted him.
“Trust me, if I can survive the town’s quirks, so can Frankie.”
“It makes my heart happy that you’re honoring Gi Gi’s last wishes.”
He didn’t respond right away. Technically, he’d only agreed to organize the renovation of the manor. Who knew what was in the final envelope, which they weren’t allowed to open until all five of them had finished their assignments? “I’m completing what she asked of me in the first round of to-dos. Can’t speak for future rounds.”
“I have faith.”
