How to Marry Your Frenemy - London Casey Page 0,101
ever did was right.
He found the companies that needed the help.
He never took more than he should have.
Sometimes he took way less and got burned in the process.
Every penny he made, he made sure to find a way to split it up.
When word got out that there was a playground in need of repairs, he rebuilt the entire thing. When someone mentioned that a nursing care facility was in dire need of a new central air system, he made sure it was replaced. And never once did he put his name to it. He would write a check and demand it be kept anonymous. One time a local reporter tracked down the donation to fund the local library to my father and ran a story about all he had done. He was so hurt by it because it put his name into the spotlight. So when it came time for him to have the interview, what did he do?
Instead of him talking, he had a group of people there to do it instead. Firefighters. Police officers. Nurses. Teachers. Trouble teens who turned their lives around. And he demanded each get their chance to talk and tell their own stories.
That’s who my father was.
When he died and Vince took over the company…
I crouched down and shook my head.
I thought about that day when he was so mad at the reporter.
Later that night he told me to sit with him.
‘Jackson, I have it worked out… because that’s what you do when you face a problem. You work it out. You can’t let your anger get the best of you. Even if you have to walk away and think for a while. That’s okay. Just never forget where you came from. You know the saying about lemons and lemonade… right?’
I remembered his face vividly.
“Lemons,” I whispered.
Then something hit me.
“Lemonade,” I said. I reached forward and touched the headstone. “Dad, I have to cut this visit short. I have something to do. But you did it. You saved the day again. I miss you. I think about you every day.” I stood up. “You really did it…”
I turned and started to jog through the cemetery.
For the first time in days a smile crept across my face.
I had some work in front of me.
My plan?
Save my father’s legacy.
And save my marriage.
Chapter Forty-Four
Callie
The one good thing about not having a real job was that I could wear whatever I wanted to wear.
Jeans and a hoodie for the day? Sure thing.
I couldn’t remember the last time on a Wednesday I was able to dress down and not give a crap about my hair, makeup or clothing.
I sat behind the counter at Mom’s shop, working on her books, and casually looking around the place.
The people that came into shop were… real people.
My heart ached more than ever.
I had been judging Mom for something she so believed in.
She just needed help with her books.
She knew nothing about managing a business.
Was that her fault?
Yeah, but that didn’t mean it should have been a death sentence for her.
Everyone had flaws.
Nobody was perfect.
When customers came to the counter, I moved away.
Mom took care of everyone with love and respect. And she made sure to introduce me to everyone.
That’s when I really learned who Mom was.
Every single person looked at me and said that Mom was special to them. That she listened, helped, and was always available. Mom was selling an experience for those who needed it. Those who were in pain, confused, scared, or anxious. Those who just wanted to decorate their homes with something a little different.
She really had a good business.
The books proved it too.
The work that Jackson had put in made a lot of sense.
His notes on the vendors were spot on.
I made a few calls and I was able to easily salvage relationships that would have been otherwise destroyed for good.
When it came to inventory, Jackson’s ideas were right again.
Everything he suggested was… right.
“You’re working too hard,” Joni said to me.
I looked up and smiled. “I’m trying to save this place.”
“I know you are. Your mother believes in it too.”
“That’s a lot of pressure to put on me.”
“Is it?” Joni asked.
“Yeah, it is,” I said. “This isn’t my business, Joni.”
“Maybe it should be. Maybe fate put you here.”
“Jackson did this work,” I said. “He was the one who took it on. He saw…”