Evan sat in his office at work, finally content that he had done something to help Kayla move on from what had happened. Maybe if she wasn’t focused on that, she’d realize that things weren’t all bad.
He’d called in a few favors, paid a deposit, and then gave them Kayla’s number. Now all she had to do was pick out what needed to be replaced, let them work, and watch as it happened. With any luck, their timeframe would be much shorter than the insurance company’s.
His phone rang and he answered it. Jake hopefully had an update on Lauren’s mother.
“No news. We’ve been trying to track her down but it’s proving difficult,” Jake told him.
“How can that be?”
“She’s hiding and apparently pretty good at it. If she’s staying at any nearby hotels, she’s not under her name.”
“Could someone be behind her?” It wouldn’t even be that surprising.
“Looking into it. It’s more likely that she’s working alone, but you never know.”
“Not with her.”
“Agreed.”
Jake cleared his throat. “That’s not why I called, though.”
“What’s up? Everything okay?”
“Honestly, not sure. Lauren called and said Kayla left her office in a rage threatening to harm you,” Jake told him.
“Why?” He racked his brain, trying to figure out what he possibly could have done.
“Contractors called. Apparently they had just been discussing asking you or any of us to help so she could open the restaurant faster. She was adamant that she didn’t want our help, especially yours.”
“What the fuck? Why?”
“Something about wanting to do it herself.”
“Well, shit. I thought I was helping. Why wouldn’t she want me to help?”
“How dare you!” Kayla stormed into his office.
Jake laughed into his ear. “Sounds like you’re about to find out.”
Evan ended the call and looked at Kayla, still trying to sort out what he had done wrong.
“You made decisions without even talking to me!” she yelled.
He stood and walked around her, closing his office door, before facing her again. “I was trying to be helpful and get the restaurant open again sooner.”
“It’s my restaurant. My decisions,” she yelled, pointing to herself.
Evan took a deep breath, trying to keep calm because reminding her right now that they were both in charge of the restaurant’s decisions wouldn’t help. “It was supposed to a nice gesture.”
“I don’t want you spending your money on it. That’s why I have insurance, Evan.” She paced as she continued. “You just throw a bunch of money at it and it’s all solved, but I can’t do that for myself so now I owe you!”
Well, it didn’t make sense, but at least he was getting to the bottom of the problem. “Kayla, the insurance will pay me back. It’s not a loan to you. I would never have done anything to put you in debt to me or anyone else without your consent.”
“You did!”
“I didn’t. The insurance will pay it all back. It’s just a matter of getting it moving faster.”
“You don’t get it!” she yelled.