“I do.” Not only had he gone over the numbers multiple times, but he’d also consulted with his dad before signing anything. Half the buildings in this city were built by him, and even in his retirement, he hadn’t taken his finger off the pulse of the local housing situation. “I also know there are fewer than a half-dozen rentals currently available in town, and that’s not because there isn’t demand for it. It’s ludicrous that this building sat empty for as long as it did. Yes, it’s run down, but it’s solid.”
Finn had nothing to say about that. It was well known that they were in the middle of a housing crisis. Keaton wanted to be part of the solution, even if it meant adding more to his already overflowing plate. He wouldn’t tell his friends, but he already had his eye on a parcel of land at the north edge of town and was toying with the idea of putting in an offer to create even more rental units.Houses were one-time income, whereas rentals created constant cash flow, even if that money came with the headaches of being a landlord.
Luke leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Does that mean you’re eventually going to move out of the upstairs apartment and into one of the units there?”
Keaton didn’t answer immediately. He hadn’t even considered that. Taking up a unit he could rent out wasn’t an option. “No. Those are to make money, and then my place would be sitting empty.”
Finn sighed. “Of course it doesn’t. With his workaholic tendencies, it’s only a matter of time before he puts a cot in the storage room for the nights he works too late to stumble up the stairs.”
“That’d be a shame. From the sounds of it, it’s pretty damned sweet up there.” Luke glared at Keaton, but a smile played at his lips. “Not that we’d know since he won’t let anyone see it.”
The truth was, Keaton wasn’t ready for anyone to see the place. It wasn’t just about the renovation or the tech features he’d installed. It was about the emptiness. The way his voice echoed in the space. The way he’d arranged everything just so, with no one to mess it up or leave their mark.
“Can we focus?” he said, sharper than he intended. “Some of us have work to do today. And if you quit being dicks, I’ll take you guys up to see it now that everything’s finished. I didn’t want anyone making me second-guess anything.”
Finn and Luke exchanged another glance but let it drop—for now. “Just holler when you’re ready. We’d love to see it.” Finn was always the easier-going of his friends, the one who tried maintaining the peace when Luke goaded Keaton just a little too much.
The guys were in the middle of their weekly planning meeting when Keaton’s phone blared with his mom’s ringtone. His stomach clenched with a familiar mixture of love and dread.
He ignored it.
Finn smirked. Luke didn’t bother hiding his amusement.
“She’s just going to call back,” Luke murmured.
He wasn’t wrong. The phone started ringing again thirty seconds later.
With a sigh, Keaton answered. “Hey, Mom, can I give you a call back? We’re in the middle of something here.”
“Keaton, sweetheart, I was just calling to see if you’re still meeting us this afternoon for a tour of the mural sites.” Her voice was sweet but held an edge of steel that meant she wasn’t really asking.
“I have a full schedule today.” He’d known this was coming, which was why he’d scheduled meetings this afternoon. He didn’t need to walk down Main Street with his mom and the reps from the tourism commission to know what needed to be done. “I can try to get down there, but no promises.”
“Well, you’ll figure it out,” she said breezily. “Paige is meeting with the council tomorrow night to get the final approval, and she needs your input. You know they value your assessment.”
That was a low blow. His mom knew damned well Keaton wouldn’t leave Paige on her own. His sister had worked too hard to make this project a reality, and if she’d been the one to call, he would have caved instantly. And unfortunately, their mom was right. Getting the approval would be easier if some of the council members didn’t think Paige was just a flighty art teacher who thought everything needed more color.
“Mom—”
“Oh, and dinner tonight. Your father wants to talk to you about something.”
His grip on the phone tightened. “About what?”
“It’s nothing that can’t wait until dinner.” There was something in her tone—a mixture of concern and determination—that made his chest tighten.
Keaton exhaled slowly, remembering the last family dinner that had turned into an intervention about his work habits. “I’ll try to make it, but I can’t guarantee anything. It’s a busy week. Things are ramping up with the apartment project, and I need to see if I can compress the timeline a bit more.” He figured he’d be okay if he could get the work done within the next three months. Anything more than that and he would be tapping into his savings.
Diana tsked. “Keaton.”
That was all she said, but damn if it didn’t work every time. It was the tone of her voice more than anything, the one that had made him confess to breaking the neighbor’s window when he was eight and coming home past curfew at sixteen.
Luke smirked. Either his mom was loud enough for them to hear her, or the slump of his shoulders was a clear signal of defeat.
Finn shook his head, muttering, “Tragic. You know he won’t say no.”
“Fine,” Keaton muttered. “I’ll be there.”
Keaton spent the next hour reorganizing his schedule to fit in the walk-through and dinner with the family. It wasn’t easy. Nothing ever ran as smoothly as it should, and he’d already been cutting corners on sleep to keep up with everything.
