CHAPTER FIFTEEN
FINN
“Hold up,” Nicholas says as he raises a finger, “is Riley trying to compromise at the garage because of your hookup?”
“I know you said it was hot,” Kavya adds, “but it must have been scorching if it got that man to budge.”
I shake my head. We’re at The Scoop, drinking our morning coffee together before the workday starts up. “I asked him that, and he says he put the changes in place before the con.”
“Interesting,” Nicholas says.
“Right?” I hold my cup in both hands while I think this through. “If he was already compromising before the con and before I delivered the letter, maybe he’s not so stubborn and uncaring as I thought.”
Nicholas frowns. “Don’t give him too much credit. He’s put you through the wringer.”
“And what kind of person goes all the way to a con just to tell the director of a long-canceled show what went wrong in the final season?” Kavya asks.
Despite myself, I chuckle. It’s the kind of thing I could see NotAnOgre doing, which makes it easier to tolerate in Riley.
“He’s definitely opinionated, and he comes across as brash. Although I appreciate passion in people, and I can’t fault himfor fighting for his business and the community it supports when I’m doing the same thing myself. It doesn’t excuse how uncaring he’s been to the rest of us, though.” I sip my coffee. “The hookup was a spontaneous thing. A way to exorcise some of the emotions he stirs up in me. It wasn’t supposed to change anything between us, but then he surprised me with aRespect Our Neighborssign, and now I feel turned around.”
I lay my head flat on the table, and my friends both laugh.
“Dizzy?” Kavya asks.
“I’m still just trying to process the fact that I had dislike sex.”
“It’s traditionally called hate sex,” Nicholas points out.
“That’s such an ugly word.” It’s definitely not how I feel about Riley. “Nemesis sex?” I try as I raise my head again. “Trouble sex?”
“Maybe the best way to figure out what it is,” says Kavya, “is to try it again.”
I shake my head. “Definitely not. That was impulsive, and we were both clear that, like so many good things, it started and ended at the con. What would I even say to the rest of the block if they found out? I’ve taken a lead in confronting the garage situation, so I really shouldn’t be sleeping with the enemy. It’s not like the changes Riley made have truly fixed everything.”
A motorcycle revs its engine to prove my point.
“Not that I need a reminder,” I continue. “The lack of foot traffic continues to impact my bottom line, even with some of the customers returning. I’m covering expenses and able to keep the door open, but only able to pay myself the bare minimum. I’m one broken freezer away from dipping into my emergency savings. An adversarial affair with Riley is off the table. I’ve indulged whatever erotic attraction there is between us, and now I need to keep things professional.”
“Speaking of keeping things professional,” Kavya says as she checks the time. “I’m taking the flower booth on the road this morning. I should start packing up the truck.”
Nicholas nods. “I’ve got a double anniversary to prep for,” he says. “Busy, busy!”
After I see them out the door, I spot Miranda hurrying down the street. “Hot off the presses,” she calls out as she waves a newspaper over her head.
“Oh!” I hold the door as she comes into the shop. “The story about the garage is out already?”
She plops the paper on the counter. “Front-page news, baby!”
I raise my eyebrows, surprised as I read the headline. “Garage Disrupts Neighborhood Harmony.” Beneath it, there’s a photo of the shop and a motorcycle with a cloud of black smog behind it.
“Oh, wow,” I say, taking it in. I hadn’t expected things to move so fast.
“Isn’t the photo great?” she says. “And check out the article. It comes out in our favor. They even uncovered some of the sketchy history behind the building. Seems the zoning quirks all came into place so someone on the city council could run a speakeasy during Prohibition!”
I scan through the article, surprised at how critical and pointed it is. They’ve seemingly talked to half the gayborhood, including some local civics organizations that work to preserve the historic gay cultural hub that this neighborhood has been for nearly a century now. When I see my name, my heart skips a beat.
Finn Robeson, proprietor of The Scoop, says the economic impact on the block has been immediate. “There simplyaren’t people walking up and down the street. It feels like something important has disappeared.”
