“Exceptionally talented,” my father agreed, as if this was what he’d meant. “I saw Cooper’s Way at the Tribeca festival. Just riveting.”
My dad and Clyde just looked at him. The silence was so excruciating I finally broke it myself. “So Benji’s inside, and . . .”
“The spot’s in the café,” Clyde finished, turning back to the door. “No crack yet, but it’s sagging. Hate to think what’s weighing it down.”
“Either loose pipe or a leaking one,” my dad replied. “We’ll have to cut in to know for sure.”
We went in single file, Clyde and my dad first, my father and I bringing up the rear. Ivy and Theo, who were watching something on the monitor, barely glanced up. I, however, was more than aware of the oddness of this little parade.
“Watch your step through here,” Clyde said over his shoulder as we wound through the maze of cords. “Emaline’s boyfriend and his boss have the place wired up like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Boyfriend?” my father said from behind me at the exact same moment my dad, up ahead, glanced back.
“There’s Benji,” I said, loudly, like increased volume might change the subject even faster. “He’s been a big help to me today.”
Benji, who’d just stuffed a heaping forkful of pie into his mouth, chewed for a moment, then explained, “There was a towel situation. The new system involves spreadsheets and everything.”
“Really,” my father said.
“Yeah, but Emaline didn’t use it? So her sister got really mad and had to give us a refresher course.”
My father looked at me. “Sounds exciting.”
“Oh, you know the realty business,” I told him. “Never a dull moment.”
He smiled, and I felt myself relax, relieved he’d apparently let the whole boyfriend comment slide without further comment. Then I glanced at my dad. He was still looking right at me.
With a lot of loud rattling noises, Clyde dragged a ladder out from a storeroom and set it up at the end of the counter. We all watched as my dad climbed up, pulling a flashlight from his pocket once he reached the top. As he tipped his head back, examining the spot, Clyde observed from below with more attention than I’d seen from him since we’d started this whole thing.
I looked over at Theo and Ivy, wondering if they’d noticed this as well. He was crouched down, adjusting some plugs on a power strip while she sat on a dryer, studying her phone. I walked over, leaving Benji regaling my father with more towel details.
“So,” I said to Theo. “How’s it going, you think?”
“Good,” he replied. “I mean, he’s not the most cooperative subject. We knew not to expect that, though.”
“At least he’s answering the questions,” I pointed out.
“Oh, yeah. I think Ivy just needs to get some momentum with him. All these interruptions . . .” He looked over at my dad, on the ladder, then back at the plugs. “It just makes it hard to get a good rhythm.”
“This shouldn’t take long,” I told him. “And we’ll all be out of your hair pretty soon.”
“All of you?” He got to his feet and came closer. “Because I was thinking, you know, that maybe we could . . .”
“What happened to tomorrow?” I said.
He ran a hand through his hair, looking over at the counter. “Well, really, tomorrow actually starts tonight. If you actually think about it.”
“You’re messing with my demarcation,” I pointed out.
“You’re right, you’re right.” He stepped back, holding up his hands. “Sorry.”
Neither of us spoke for a second, the only sound my dad moving the ladder, triggering another round of clattering and scraping. When it was finally quiet, Theo said, “All I’m saying is that, you know, we could hang out tonight. Just as friends, at least until—”
“Midnight,” I finished for him. “And then we turn into something else, like Cinderella after the ball? Pumpkins, maybe?”
“Fine,” he said, shaking his head. “Forget it. Demarcate away. I’ll see you tomorrow, in daylight. Not a moment before.”
I smiled, stepping a little closer to him. “I didn’t say no. I just made a princess reference.”
“I have no sisters and sparse girlfriend experience,” he said. “I don’t know what that means.”
“It means,” I said, as Ivy slid off the dryer and started coming towards us, “that I might see you later.”
He smiled, surprised and pleased, at least until Ivy said, “Are we ready to shoot when he is? Because if you’re gabbing over here, we ought to be.”
“All set on this end,” Theo told her cheerfully.
“Well, that’s half the battle,” she replied, sliding her phone back into her pocket. She looked over at Clyde, standing at the base of the ladder, then at me. “How long does this sort of thing take, again?”
“Not really sure,” I told her.
She sighed loudly, then said to Theo, “Just double-check we’re set up and ready to go. We need to establish something here, and soon.”
He nodded, turning his attention back to the camera. A beat later, I heard my father say my name. He and Benji were now walking towards me. “We should be getting back the house. Thanks again for the help today.”