Building The Perfect Daddy

“Good.”

Her eyes widened in response to the vehemence in her sister’s tone.

“I’m sorry,” Jordyn said. “But none of us ever thought he was good enough for you.”

“I thought he was perfect—and I felt so lucky that he picked me.”

“You are lucky,” Tristyn said. “Because you got two wonderful kids out of the deal.”

“And because you’ve got the two best sisters in the world,” Jordyn chimed in.

Lauryn smiled. “You’re right—on both counts.”

“And you get to spend the afternoon at Serenity Spa with those sisters,” Jordyn added.

She shook her head regretfully. “I’m sorry, I can’t go today.”

“What do you mean—you can’t go?” Tristyn demanded.

“I don’t have the time...or the money,” she admitted.

“It’s a Garrett sisters’ tradition,” Jordyn reminded her. “And we’re not letting you skip out on it—again.”

Lauryn looked away. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I had an appointment at the bank on Wednesday and discovered that my financial situation is even more dismal than I realized.”

“How dismal?” Tristyn asked gently.

“The business is mortgaged to the hilt.”

“But you knew that,” Jordyn reminded her. “That’s why you should sell it, or let the bank take it and all of the headaches that go with it.”

“I was starting to see the benefits of that plan,” Lauryn admitted. “Until I found out the business also has a secured line of credit.”

Her sisters exchanged another look, this one confirming that they’d both guessed how it was secured.

Jordyn winced. “Oh, no.”

“The house,” Tristyn whispered.

Lauryn nodded and pushed her plate away, her appetite gone.

“But how is that possible?” Jordyn wondered. “Wouldn’t Rob have needed you to sign any paperwork?”

“Signatures can be forged,” Tristyn reminded her, looking guilty because they’d done exactly that for the Room Rescue.

“They can,” Lauryn agreed. “But he didn’t forge my signature.”

“You didn’t—you wouldn’t—jeopardize your home,” Jordyn asserted.

“You’re right—I wouldn’t. At least not knowingly. But I did sign the papers,” she admitted. “Based on the date of the application, when Kylie was about three months old.”

“And colicky,” Tristyn remembered.

She nodded. “I remember Rob came home early one day with flowers. That should have been a clue, because he never came home early. Or with flowers.

“He told me that the business was doing well, but there was some new vendor—I don’t remember whether it was equipment or apparel—but they were offering him exclusive retail rights for the area if he could commit to carrying the entire line in his inventory. He said that he’d been to the bank to get a loan and, because he was married, they wanted my signature, too.”

She looked away, embarrassed and ashamed that she’d been so foolish. “I just signed the papers where he told me to. I didn’t even read them.

“And now—” she fought against the tears that burned behind her eyes “—if I let the bank foreclose on the business, they could take the house, too.”

“Then we need to come up with a plan to save the business,” Jordyn said.

“And since my brain functions much better when I’m relaxed, we’ll brainstorm some ideas after the spa.”

“I already told you, I can’t—”

“You can’t say no,” Tristyn interjected. “Mom made all the arrangements—and paid for it.”

Lauryn sighed. “She shouldn’t have done that.”

“She didn’t just do it for you, but for all of us. Because she knows how much we all enjoy the monthly ritual.”

Because it was true—and because she loved being with the women who weren’t just her sisters but her best friends—Lauryn gave up her protest.

* * *

Sweet Serenity Boutique & Spa was located in a renovated three-story Colonial Revival home in Northbrook, offering different services on different levels. The three sisters were on the lower level now, continuing their conversation as they perused the selection of polishes for their pedicures.

“I had no idea things were as bad as they are at the store,” Lauryn confided. “Rob didn’t let me see the books. He said it was because he wanted to take care of the business, to prove that he could take care of us.”

“And a piss-poor job he did of both,” Jordyn said bluntly.

Lauryn could only nod. “But I loved him. Maybe I was naive but, for a long time, I really did love him.”

“I know you did,” Tristyn said sympathetically.

“And you’ll fall in love again,” Jordyn told her.

“Jesus, I hope not,” Lauryn said.

Her recently—and happily—married sister frowned. “Why would you say something like that?”

“Because I have no desire to repeat past mistakes.” She sipped from her glass of cucumber-and-lime-infused spring water.

“You wouldn’t,” Jordyn said confidently. “Your relationship with Rob was a learning experience.”

“Most importantly, I learned that I don’t need a man to complete my life.”