My Family Wants Me Gone, I Take Their Luck With Me novel · Chapter 9 of 32

Chapter 9: Paintbrush

"Good morning to you too," I said. "Coffee?"

"Don't do that. Don't be cute with me."

Saffron's voice was the one she used in films when someone had died. Except her hands were shaking on the counter.

The breakfast crowd went quiet. The fishermen had learned by now that my visitors were better than TV.

"My investor pulled out," she said. "My set flooded. My leading man is in a cast to the hip. My agent won't return my calls."

"I saw the news. I'm sorry, Saff."

"You're sorry?" She laughed, high and thin. "It started the day you took your name off my company. The same day. Explain that."

"I can't."

"Clarissa says you put a curse on us."

"Clarissa says a lot of things."

"She says you've been doing it all along. That you held our luck hostage." Saffron leaned over the counter. "Did you?"

I set the coffee pot down.

"You think I made you famous on purpose and then broke you on purpose?"

"I think you're punishing me."

"For what?"

She opened her mouth. Shut it.

Arlo came out of the kitchen wiping his hands. He took one look at Saffron and stopped behind the register, close enough to hear, far enough to stay out of it.

Saffron noticed him. She noticed everything about men.

"Who's this?"

"My boss."

"Your boss." She looked around at the stools, the yarn bell, Marigold's crayon name tag on my apron. "You're waiting tables now. For him."

"I'm good at it."

"You could have anything you want. You could come home tomorrow and everyone would take you back."

"I know. That's the problem."

Saffron pressed her palms flat on the counter.

"Fine. Just tell me what you want. A public apology? I'll do it. Put your name back on the company and I'll do it today."

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