“Don’t you understand how difficult it is to stand by and do nothing when I know you’re hurting? Now please talk to me.”
He heard her swallow as if she needed time to gather her thoughts. “I would rather not, because I know you, and you’re going to want to step in and rescue us, and I can’t let that happen.”
He absorbed her words and remembered his promise that he wouldn’t come to her aid. Still, if this was a serious matter, he didn’t know if he could stop himself. “Maisy, I need to find out what’s going on.”
“I know,” she said, and her voice was little more than a whispered breath.
“Maisy, please trust me.”
Maisy sniffled. “Have you ever read the book of Job in the Bible?”
What an odd question. He wasn’t sure what a Bible story had to do with Maisy and her current situation. “No.” Chase knew the story, though. “From what I recall, a series of disasters fell upon him in a short amount of time.”
“Exactly.”
“Are you telling me your family has suffered a series of blows?” He knew that must have been the reason she’d mentioned this particular Bible story.
She sniffled again, and just hearing the pain in her voice was nearly his undoing.
“I hardly know where to start,” she said, after a drawn-out moment.
“You said something earlier about your grandmother. Begin there.”
“Okay. My wonderful grandmother has a heart condition that required surgery. While Patrick and I were in Chicago, Lloyd took Grams to the hospital, and she had three stents inserted.”
“How is she doing now?”
“Really well. I’ve been with her every day. In fact, yesterday she said it was time for me to bug out. She insisted she isn’t an invalid, and all this attention was suffocating her.”
Chase smiled. That sounded exactly like Eileen Gallagher.
“I’m not the only one keeping a close eye on her. Lloyd is right by her side, too.”
“Good.” Chase liked the older man. They’d exchanged a verbal tug-of-war over the luncheon bill. Lloyd won. “There’s more, though, isn’t there?”
“Yes. A lot more.”
“I’m listening.”
Again, a brief hesitation, as if unsure she should continue.
“Maisy?”
He heard her tight swallow. “While I was away, Mom and my uncle Fred decided it was time to put Gallagher Jewels up for sale,” she whispered, and her voice cracked with the news.
Chase didn’t consider that a big disaster. He was keenly aware the business was upside down financially. “That’s probably for the best, don’t you think?”
“You don’t understand,” she cried. “When my father passed, there was a lot of credit card debt that had accumulated. With all of us working, we’ve barely been able to keep up those payments. Along with the house payment, house and car insurance, plus the credit card, we’re barely able to keep the family afloat month to month. Mom planned to sell her share of the store to pay everything off. That won’t be possible now.”
Chase’s heart sank. “I can—”
“Don’t even say it,” she said emphatically, cutting him off.
“How do you know what I was about to suggest?” he asked, almost amused.
“You’re about to offer to help us financially. Please, don’t.”
“But I can help you. Consider it a loan, if you must.”
