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“Yet.”

She gives me a look over her tea.

“You have enough to worry about.”

“That isn’t how this works. You get something from the building, you send it to me.”

“You already paid for the boiler.”

“Because I own the condo.”

“And I live here.”

“Which means I would quite like the roof to remain above you.”

Her mouth twitches, but she looks away.

“I have some savings,” she says. She does, but there isn’t much.

“No.”

“Callum—”

“No. Your savings are for you. Food. Trips. Whatever you want. Not repairing a roof I own.”

I fold the notice and put it in my jacket pocket.

“I’ll deal with it.”

She nods reluctantly.

“She’s not a bad person, you know,” I say, changing the subject. “Kim.”

Mabel gives me a look over her mug.

“She’s the one who let me know,” I say. “When the ambulance came. She was the one who texted me. Without that, you might have woken up alone.”

Mabel’s face scrunches the expression she gets when a topic she hasn’t approved arrives at the table uninvited. She sets her mug down.

“We’re not talking about that,” she says.

“I know.” Mabel is still upset with me for walking off at Cascade, though she was grateful to have support with her that week. “I’m just saying. She looks out for you.”

“She looks out for an opportunity to know my business.” But it’s not quite sharp enough to be convincing, and we both know it. “She knew you’d come running and walk off a stage in front of eighty thousand people, ruining your career. Silly boy.” She clicks her tongue.

I put my head in my hands. We keep going over this.

“Mabel, I’m glad she called. You might’ve needed me.”

“Well, I didn’t. And now you’ve quit music, and you’re back in Mountain Springs.” She frowns. “I’m only saying what everyone’s thinking.”

“I didn’t walk off a stage and ruin my career. I simply made a decision to prioritize my education.” I lift my head and give her the signature wolfish Callum Fox grin, the one that says I’ve got this covered. “I’m a student now. I’m very serious about it. I even have highlighters.”

She looks at me with an intense gaze

“Your father’s got to you,” she says.

“Dad hasn’t got to anyone.”