She turns to me. “Any more thoughts on the places we’ve seen so far, Dec?”
“A few. Dad is meeting us here to discuss the properties—”
She cuts me off. “Why is Jimmy discussing the properties?”
“He always does,” Mase explains. “He looks into the property, previous owners and whether they were dodgy and if they were, how likely that is to have an effect on us going forward.”
“Ah, okay.”
I can’t hide my smile. Liv just accepts that explanation, which sounds a bit dodgy even if it is the truth. But then again, Liv has been tagged and traced by our old man before now.
“And here he is,” Mase announces, already heading for the lift to meet our dad.
Liv takes his seat and seems to be silently studying me. When she sees that I’ve noticed she reverts conversation back to the buildings we’ve viewed. “When double 0 Jimmy has given you the lowdown on local gangsters, let me know which ones you’re interested in, and we can go back for another viewing and more brainstorming.”
She gets up, goes over, and kisses my dad on the cheek before he leans down to talk to his unborn grandchild and then she disappears.
Me, my dad and brother are going through details when Liv returns with a couple of sketch pads that she places next to us. “Some ideas for you to think about and if you boys don’t need me here, I am heading over to Dazzler to meet Anita.”
We all nod, although I’m a little confused until I remember that Anita was using my kitchen today for some huge cake she’s baking.
“Let Cupcake know I’ll be expecting cake with her own special frosting on top,” I call as Liv prepares to kiss Mase before leaving.
Her face turns into a sour expression. “There is no way in hell I am passing that message on and you and her and your special frosting, well, I don’t want to know.” She shudders.
I’m a bit confused and then the penny drops. “Good God, no! Jeez, what is the matter with you? You really think frosting is a euphemism?”
I know me and Anita are rather fond of sharing frosting, but as if I would discuss that in front of Dad and Mase, never mind sending a message about it to her!
“Oh.” Liv blushes a beautiful shade of scarlet, looking awkward as hell.
“Yeah, well, maybe forget the message.”
~~~
Some of the information my dad has dug up is comedy gold and other bits are scary as hell. By the time he has finished, we are down to three possible choices; the warehouse on the docks that would be amazing as a club venue, a disused old cinema that would work as well and a small shop with original features and character that could work as a coffee shop come bistro.
Dad is already preparing his retreat once the talk turns to cash. He isn’t short of money but has a healthy dislike of it based on the fact that he doesn’t know enough about it. That is Mase’s speciality which is why both me and our dad take financial and investment advice from my brother.
“Your call ultimately,” Mase tells me. “We’d need to do some negotiation on the price of the warehouse on the docks, plus, your insurance premiums would be higher with the location.”
“So, your vote would go to the cinema?”
He shrugs. “I don’t have a vote, Dec. Your business, you choose. They’re both highly viable options and I’ll be happy with my return on either.”
“I loved the docks, and the possibilities were endless, but it didn’t have the same character as the cinema.”
He nods.
“Okay. Cinema.”
“Just like that?” Mase laughs.
“Yeah, although it’s not just like that because I have been dreaming about that place.”
He doesn’t laugh at that comment, just nods. “That’s a good indication.”
I go to speak, then stop, a couple of times before he rolls his eyes, knowing there’s something else I want to say. “What about the shop? Could we do that too?”
