Parker told me that the only family he wanted there was Kimmy and his brothers in Flashing Light.
“Maid of honor?” Parker asked on our way to Vintage.
I laughed.
That was a great question. I wasn’t close to any girls. I didn’t count Virginia or Vanessa among my friends, really. They were friends of convenience. I just didn’t trust people. I didn’t let them in.
“I don’t have anyone I’d want to stand up with me.”
“Then we don’t have to.”
“Do you?”
“I make my living with three other men who are my best friends. But if you want it to be just us, it’ll be just us. I want what you want.”
I reached over and squeezed his hand, and he glanced away from the road for just a second to meet my eyes. I saw everything I needed to see there.
“Tell me more about the guys. I feel like I know nothing about that part of your life.”
He chuckled. “Well, you know Vinnie’s an asshole.”
I nodded. “Tell me about Fitz and Garrett.”
“Fitz is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. He’s one of those people who will do anything for anybody. And Garrett is quiet. He loves video games and brewing his own beer.”
“So Vinnie’s the asshole, Fitz is the nice one, and Garrett is the quiet one. Which one are you?”
He winked in my direction. “The sexy one.”
I couldn’t argue there.
We walked into the store that I hoped to someday own. Bruno walked in behind us and stood by the door. Tim gave me a hug, fairly unconcerned about the fact that he was embracing me in front of the man I was going to marry. When I’d called in that morning, I’d told him about Damien’s death. Tim knew Damien from when Damien and I were together. They had actually been friends once upon a time. Not close friends, particularly given Tim’s crush on me, but casual acquaintances at the very least.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice consoling.
“Thanks. It’s a shock, but I’m dealing.”
“You’re here to talk to Barry?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Mind if I ask what about?” He looked anxious.
I didn’t think it was an appropriate time to let him know that I was planning to buy the store. “I’d rather not say.”
“Just tell me you aren’t leaving.”
“I’m not leaving.”
He smiled at me, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I can never tell if you’re just telling me what I want to hear or if you’re being real.”
“Time will tell,” I said cryptically, and then I led Parker to Barry’s office located off of the side of the break room.
Barry was sitting in his chair behind his desk. He was rubbing his forehead like he had a bad headache. His glasses sat on the desk in front of him.
I knocked on the doorframe. He opened his eyes and looked in my direction. “Come on in,” he said. He rubbed his eyes and put his glasses back in place.
Parker closed the door, and then the two of us sat in the chairs that faced Barry’s desk.
“What can I do for you?” he asked.
I glanced at Parker nervously, and he gave me an encouraging nod.
“Two things, actually.”
Barry looked at me expectantly.
“First, Parker and I are getting married. This coming Saturday.”
He smiled broadly. “Congratulations. Take the rest of the week off, obviously. And whenever your honeymoon falls, too. We’ll figure out coverage.”
“Thank you,” I said, knowing that was what he’d say. It felt good to tell someone whose immediate reaction wasn’t to judge the speed at which we’d decided to wed.
“So my little Roxy girl is getting married,” he mused. He looked at Parker. “You better treat her right.”
“Always, sir.” Parker’s dark eyes were full of love when they met mine.
But it was time to get to the root of why we had asked for this meeting. “I have a confession to make, Barry.”
He raised his eyebrows toward me, and for the first time, I noticed how incredibly stressed he looked. His wrinkles that typically made him look jolly now just made him look withdrawn and weak. He looked like he’d lost some weight, and dark circles shadowed his normally bright eyes.
He didn’t say anything, so I continued. “I saw an email come through on your computer the other day when we were talking about schedules. I didn’t mean to look, but it popped up.”
He looked momentarily angry. “What email?”
“From a lawyer. About bankruptcy.”
Barry sighed, and an awkward silence descended.
I was about to continue when Barry spoke first.
“I figured I couldn’t hide it much longer. I’m glad you’re the first one, Roxy, because I trust you. I know you love this store as much as I do, but it’s been losing money for a long time. I’ve put everything I have back into it. Everything. I’m broke. The business is broke. I’m going to have to shut down.”
“That’s why I’m here.” I looked over at Parker again and cleared my throat. “Why we are here.”
Parker nodded and smiled encouragingly.
“Barry, I want to buy Vintage from you. I want to run this place. You know how much I love it, and I want to save it.”
“Oh, Roxy, I can’t let you do that. I can’t. It’s in the hole more than you know. I haven’t turned a profit in thirteen months. It’s not worth it.”
My heart started beating faster. The thought that he might not accept my offer never for even a second had entered my mind. “Money doesn’t matter. I’ll put in whatever I need to because it’s worth it to me. I love this place. This has been a home to me for a long time, Barry, and I can’t just watch it die.”
“It’s already dead, honey.” His voice was gentle, but the underlying meaning tore at my heart.
I was persistent. “I need this. I know I can save this.”
“I love your enthusiasm, but there isn’t much left to save.”
“This place is worth a lot. To more than just me.”
“You can’t count Tim and Virginia. Or even the part timers. Besides, there’s very little inventory left. You’d be starting from scratch. I’m not trying to be harsh, but do you even know how to run a business?”
“If I may, sir,” Parker interjected, “that’s where I come in. I have experience working with bankrupt companies. The two of us are partners in this, and we agree that this place is worth it.”
Barry sighed again. “I’ll have to think about it. Talk to my lawyer, run some numbers, that kind of thing.”
I smiled, the fear of him saying no replaced with hope. And a little bit of giddiness.
His eyes narrowed at my smile. “I didn’t say yes, Roxy. I said I’ll think about it.”
“I know. And that’s good enough for me for now.” It wasn’t, but I had to keep the positivity up.
He shook his head and pressed his lips together. “Thank you for the offer. I will get back to you in a few days.” It was an effective dismissal.
Parker and I stood and headed toward the door. With my hand on the knob, I turned around. I needed to say one more thing before I left, because if I didn’t, I knew I’d always regret it. I had to throw my petition out there one last time.
“Thank you for talking to us. This is my dream, Barry, and I know that you understand how much I love this place. I love it as much as you do. It’s worth it to me, no matter the price and no matter the risk.”
He nodded, tossed his glasses on the desk in front of him, and went back to rubbing his forehead.
I knew we’d thrown a wrench into whatever plan he had for Vintage, but I could only pray that my plea would work. I had to hope that he’d be willing to let me take on the risk.