JayB sat at the table and leaned forward. “Dad. There’s some good news here, but you’re going to have to proceed carefully. We looked up the book value on your cars. Combining the van with the Ferrari, you’ll have more than three hundred thousand dollars. That’s a lot of money, and you’ll still have the Cadillac to drive when your license is reinstated.”

  “I am not selling the Ferrari,” Walter snapped. “You should have seen Celeste’s face when I showed it to her. I know your mother, and that car sealed the deal.”

  “Did you tell her you’re not allowed to drive it?” JayB challenged.

  “Funny.” Walter scowled.

  “Walter,” Alana interjected softly, “you asked me to look at the restaurant cash flow, and I did. And you asked me to look at your personal situation, and I have.”

  “My God, I wish I’d never even heard of that restaurant.” Walter put his head in his hands.

  “The thing is,” Alana continued optimistically, “people are bringing their dogs and letting them run in the pens while they eat and watch them play. Like, a lot of people. There’s been real growth in the past few days.”

  “Then let’s sell it!” Walter cried desperately.

  Alana and JayB glanced at each other.

  “It’s still losing money, Dad. And even if you could sell it, you’re not going to recoup anywhere near your investment.”

  “Celeste flew in last night. To see me!” Walter gestured around the kitchen. “To see this! To see the Ferrari!”

  “When does she fly back?” JayB asked softly.

  Walter glared at JayB with narrowed eyes.

  “I know Mom, and she’s not going to stay here, Dad. She’s just not.”

  “Stand back and watch me work,” Walter proclaimed.

  “Did she really spend the night here?”

  “That’s between your mother and me.”

  “Fair enough. But what about Twain?”

  “Ask her, not me. All I have to say is, you’ve been wrong before, and now that I’m rich, Celeste and I are getting back together.”

  JayB tilted his head at that, then looked to Alana. “Well, since this is the point in the conversation where we’re ignoring reality, you might as well tell Dad your conclusion about why the restaurant’s losing money.”

  Walter held up a hand. “If you’re going to try to sell me a bunch of doom and gloom, I don’t want to hear it.”

  JayB sighed.

  “It’s not all doom. I mean, there’s some hope,” Alana allowed carefully.

  Walter shot JayB a triumphant look. “Thought so.”

  “So … this is really awkward for me,” Alana lamented. “But okay. Walter, you and Rodney and Maddy take more money out in salaries than the place generates in profit each week. Like, by a huge amount.”

  “There are always start-up expenses,” Walter grumbled.

  “The thing is, though, those three paychecks are killing you financially,” JayB added. “So, here’s my offer: I’ve been working every day, and I will continue to work every day, but only if Rodney and Maddy make what you do, which has to be zero.”

  “Zero? I’m not telling your mom I’m making nothing. Oh, wait, what are you making?” Walter asked pointedly.

  “Nada. Same as you. Same as I’ve made from the beginning. Nothing. Zero. I don’t need the money.” After a long silence, JayB stood. “Coffee’s ready; who wants some?”

  Walter wordlessly shook his head. JayB poured hot, fragrant liquid into a cup for Alana and one for himself.

  “I’ll go down and give Maddy and Rodney the bad news,” JayB continued. “I’ve had a little experience with things like this.”

  Walter roused himself. “You’d better make sure there’s a security guard this time.”

  JayB grinned. “Touché. I also need you down there, Dad, to back me up. I don’t think either of them will believe me.”

  Walter turned a morose gaze on Alana. “You said there was good news.”

  “I said there was hope,” Alana corrected. “And it’s this: you’re no longer having to buy your food at the grocery stores, and your liquor is no longer cash-and-carry. Revenues are up. Eliminating the three ‘executive’ salaries puts you in the black. Soon you can even start taking a small salary again. Meaning just you, not Maddy and Rodney.”

  “Imagine that, Dad. Walter Danville, successful business owner,” JayB marveled.

  Walter gave him a sour look.

  “I’ll come down with you if you’d like,” Alana offered. “Be there to go over the numbers with Rodney and Maddy.”

  “Really?” JayB seemed surprised.

  Alana nodded grimly. “I need to force myself to sit through stuff like this, or everyone’s going to continue to see me as a doormat.”

  “I would never see you as a doormat, Alana. But I understand what you’re saying. So, yes. I doubt they’ll be much interested, but it would be great if you came with us.” JayB looked to his father. “Why don’t you call ’em, Dad. Tell them there’s an ultra-important, top-executive meeting, stat.”

  Walter stood. “This is not how I thought the day would go. I’ll call them, shower, get a ride, and meet you down there.”

  A little while later, we were in the car for a car ride. I was in the back seat with Odin, who was deep into his sleep.

  “How was that for you, seeing your mom?” Alana wanted to know.

  “Uh, I think the word I’m looking for is ‘unreal.’ I’ve never really been able to figure out my mother. She’s an enigma.”

  “I wish I had that quality. I feel like everyone can read me like an open book.”

  “I can’t. I still don’t really understand why you’re going back to LA. Why not hang here and see what happens once the three executives are gone from the payroll? Just for a while?”

  “I told you, I’m not going to stay here for the restaurant.”

  JayB took a deep breath. “Alana. The night in Grand Junction…”

  She flashed him a warning look, and I shrank from the emotions filling the car.

  “No, please, just listen,” JayB urged. “I know you think it was a mistake, but I don’t. I’ve never felt so certain. I mean, it wasn’t just about you being on the bounce, was it?”

  Alana gave him a contemplative look. “Remember Maddy’s autobiography? It was all about who she’s dated. That’s her definition of herself. And as she gave us her bio, I realized you could say the same for me: I’ve always lived for other people. I lived to please my mother, and then had a couple of relationships that were the same as what I had with Guy—I did whatever they told me.”

  “I’m not telling you. I’m asking you.”

  She shook her head. “I need to figure out a way to seize control of my life. I mean, what about me? What do I want?”

  “That is the question,” JayB agreed. “What do you want, Alana?”

  She looked out the window and didn’t respond.

  I figured out from the smells that we were headed to our personal dog park. I was surprised and excited to see so many dogs there. I started to wag, but then Walter arrived and I went to sit under a picnic table with him, Alana, and JayB. Odin touched me with his muzzle, communicating something, a request, and when I flopped down, he lay against me with a groan. Whatever internal disturbance made him want to press up against another dog, I was happy to oblige.

  “You’re having lunch with Celeste?” Walter asked JayB.

  My person glanced at his wrist. “That’s right.”

  “Well, don’t bring her here, okay? I want to get it spruced up for tomorrow’s party before she sees it.”

  “Okay.”

  “Good thing I know the owner,” Alana observed. “Other people are actually having to wait for a table.” She smiled at JayB.

  “We’re busy all day, now,” JayB agreed. “People bring their dogs, work on laptops … the woman who came up with this dog-park concept saved a lot of jobs.”

  “She sounds like a smart person,” Alana teased.

  “Oh, she is. She certainly is.” They gazed at each other, smiling.

  Maddy and Rodney soon joined us. I wagged, but remained loyally pressed against Odin. To my satisfaction, Rodney led Spartan away from us and penned him with a squat, stuffy-seeming dog. The two of them ignored each other.

  “Getting warm today,” Rodney observed by way of greeting. “I’m thinking we need a new HVAC system in this place.”

  “What would something like that cost?” Walter asked.

  Rodney shrugged. “Pays for itself.”

  JayB nodded. “That’s interesting.”

  “Well, listen,” Walter announced, “I’ve got good news. Celeste flew into town, and she’s going to hang here for a while. I thought we should have a big party tomorrow night. Not just to celebrate her arrival, but since Alana’s going to be hitting the road, we should give her a proper send-off.”

  “Excellent idea, boss,” Rodney praised. “You can count on me to be the guy to put the ‘animal’ in ‘party animal.’”

  Walter turned to Alana. “You’re getting on the road by when?”

  Alana looked uncomfortable. “Well, the closing’s at three, so I don’t know. Six, maybe?”

  “Perfect.” Walter beamed. “You come by as soon as the closing’s over. We’ll kick things off here at four, put on a big spread. Not just the best items from the menu, but everything from the menu. You can load up. Take some food with you for the road. It’ll be a grand time. Plus, there may be some big news from Celeste and me.”

  I heard JayB make a slight groaning sound.

  “Count me in,” Maddy agreed eagerly. “Although I don’t want DesMoines serving us. I got some permanent issues with her that I’m gonna put in her performance review.”

  “Be sure to run that past the HR department,” JayB instructed her tactfully.

  “Oh, no,” Maddy responded scornfully, “if you think for a moment I’m going to slow down our progress, you are wrong, wrong, wrong.”

  “Anyway,” Walter continued, turning suddenly to Alana, “go ahead and tell them what we all decided.”

  Dear Diary:

  I am often conflicted when we arrive at our personal dog park. Because it has grown so popular, there is often a bounty of new urine scents to drink in—and, if the situation calls for it, mark over.

  The situation always calls for it.

  Running with Phoebe gives me great joy, and if there are other playful canines, I need to make sure they understand that Phoebe’s willingness to engage in wrestling does not mean she doesn’t already have a dog named Clancy.

  But these and other considerations are in direct conflict with my duty and desire to be with JayB. He is my person, and a dog belongs with his person.

  When I’m in the fenced-off area, I pine to be with JayB. When I am lying at his feet, I am content, save for the longing to be in one of the pens with Phoebe.

  It isn’t easy being a dog.

  Love,

  Clancy

  Thirty-three

  Everyone looked expectantly at Alana, who gave Walter a pained stare.

  “Thank you for that introduction, Walter,” she began. “Okay, well—to start, Walter’s salary, starting immediately, will be zero.”

  “Whoa!” Rodney exclaimed, his eyebrows raised. “Well, I guess you can afford it, big man. I remember one time I had a job and they cut my wages and of course I didn’t stand for it. I let them know, you don’t bring on somebody with the quality of Rodney Spitz and expect to get him on the cheap.”

  “Right … about that…” Alana continued.

  JayB leaned forward and touched her arm. “No, let me do this. Rodney, Maddy, you can continue to work here, but you’re going to get paid the same as my father.”

  Rodney and Maddy stared at JayB silently.

  “I don’t understand,” Maddy finally admitted.

  “It’s pretty simple. This restaurant is going broke. We’re making progress, but we’ll never be profitable with the overhead of your salaries. So, effective immediately, those salaries are zero.” JayB focused on Maddy. “If you’d like some hours as a server, I’ll speak to DesMoines, and of course you can keep your tips.” JayB sat back. “Any questions?”

  “Hold on, JayB,” Rodney objected. “Just hold on. I know you probably forgot, but I’m the one who found this place. There wouldn’t even be a restaurant if it weren’t for me. So, it’s only fair that I am compensated for my contribution.”

  JayB nodded. “I actually think paying you zero is compensation for your contribution.”

  “You must have learned HR from the devil,” Maddy spat. “You’re supposed to be thinking of ways to pay us more.”

  Rodney slapped his hand on the table. I cringed from his temper, and Odin stirred uneasily. “Do you think I work for free?”

  “No,” JayB countered. “I think you cost whoever you’re working for quite a bit of money. But that ends, as of today.”

  “Well, sorry, but you forget that I outrank you here, pal.”

  “When it comes to matters like compensation, HR sets the policy,” JayB replied primly. “It’s in the manual.”

  “Do I need to remind you that Rodney’s been traveling internationally? You can’t do this to a man without a country,” Maddy seethed. “This is treason.”

  “Do you understand that I don’t even have a place to live now?” Rodney shot back. “The place I’ve been remodeling violated my contract and kicked me out. So, feel good about that, JayB. You’re making me a homeless person, living in the gutter with—with rats, and leaves, and…” He turned to Maddy.

  “Firecrackers?” Maddy suggested.

  “Gutter stuff!” Rodney finished angrily.

  “Well, of course you’re not homeless,” Maddy soothed. “You can live with me, honey.”

  Rodney didn’t reply to this.

  “Thank you for your opening bid,” Maddy told JayB, “but I’m not coming back as a waitress. I’ve done that my whole life. Now that I’ve tasted being an executive, I know that’s what I was born to do, so I’ll only serve duty in that capacity.”

  “That’s reasonable,” JayB replied. “We don’t have an open position for an executive on sabbatical right now, but when we do, I’ll let you know.”

  Rodney turned to Walter. “I think you need to step up here, Walt. You can’t let JayB ruin a good thing for all of us. Do you think you’re worth nothing? That Maddy’s worth nothing? Me? Rodney, your right-hand man, who’s been leading the charge? This is a prince turning on the king.”

  Maddy was nodding. “You’re like a father to me now, Walter. So I need you to support me like any father would.”

  Walter bit his lip. I could feel his distress.

  JayB turned and looked at him. “Dad,” he prodded, “what do you say?”

  “I say.” Walter looked helpless. “I mean, can’t we come up with some sort of compromise here?”

  Alana opened her mouth, but JayB held up a hand. “No, Dad. We can’t. There’s no compromise possible. This is about survival. Alana showed you the numbers.”

  “Oh, sure,” Rodney jeered. “Numbers.”

  “Like Alana hasn’t been looking to get her fishhooks into your flesh from the moment she saw you,” Maddy snarled. “Of course she’d use numbers. What else has she got?”

  “Okay, well, then, like JayB said…” Walter began.

  “I can’t believe this!” Rodney stood up. “You need to think real hard about what you’re doing here. Come on, Maddy.”

  “Don’t even think of trying to stop me from following Rodney,” Maddy stormed at JayB.

  I wagged as Rodney and Maddy walked away. They took several steps, conferred briefly, then came back. I wagged uneasily at their return, hoping there wouldn’t be any more anger.

  “Okay, see how bad it could be? What if we left for real?” Maddy demanded. “Then where would you be?”

  “Walter. No more bluffing,” Rodney declared, his voice low. “I get that blood drains thicker than water. But this was never about building up your empire so that your son could inherit the earth. We’re here with our final offer, and”—he glanced at JayB—“no human resources need to get involved.”

  “As if human is even part of this!” Maddy scoffed.

  “Here it is. Maddy and I just had a conferral about it, so we’re a unified bloc,” Rodney informed Walter icily. “Either JayB goes, or we go.” He looked at JayB. “No offense. Like they say in the mafia, this is business—nothing personal.”

  “I’m with the mafia on this one,” Maddy agreed.

  Sounding extremely unhappy, Walter appealed to Alana: “You’re my financial advisor.…”

  “No, I’m not. I just did you the favor of some adding and subtracting.”

  “It would be wrong for her to give an opinion in this relevance anyway,” Maddy interjected. “This is family.”

  “I’ve always said heart was more important than money,” Walter murmured helplessly.

  “Yes!” Rodney exulted.

  “You know what, Dad? I agree with you. And when your money runs out—by Christmas—you’ll still be rich in heart. No one, not even me—especially me—would disagree with that.”

  “Okay, I can’t be the only one who thinks we’ve gotten off the train tracks here,” Maddy fumed. “You’re saying JayB needs to buck up and butt out, right?”

  Walter gave Alana another pleading look.

  “You want me to tell you what to do,” Alana translated flatly.

  Walter gave a slight nod.

  “Wow. Just … I suppose you get what you ask for,” she marveled. “I said I needed to learn to be the bringer of bad news. And here it is.”

  “Exactly,” Maddy agreed supportively.

  “Okay, then. Walter.” Alana leaned forward and put a hand over one of his. “This isn’t really a choice at all. Keep on this course and you’ll be wiped out. You can show Celeste your house and the fancy cars, but it won’t matter, because by next year they’ll all be gone. Or you can let JayB help you build on what you’ve got here. You could make a lot of money. But not if you run out of cash.”

  There was a long silence. “So, wait, are you saying he should keep paying us or not?” Rodney asked suspiciously.