Page 228 of Share with Me
Chapter Sixty-Nine
At 11:45 a.m. Ivan crossed the street and walked briskly. One block down and Barbara Jean’s came into his view at the corner of Mallery and Beachview. Friday traffic was always heavy in this part of St. Simon’s Island with camera-ready tourists and locals going about their business.
He had more than an hour for lunch and he had Ned Brooks to thank for that. The sold curricle had made Ivan’s boss and friend a very happy store owner. Matt kept saying that Ivan was a natural salesman and all that blah, but Ivan knew the truth. Ned saw an old thing he wanted and he bought it. That was all there was to it.
Ivan thought he’d be the first one there, but once again, his future father-in-law was early. Sitting in the booth looking out the window, watching people passing by as if he had no care in the world, Ned seemed genuinely glad to see Ivan greet him.
One table away, Ned’s bodyguard had already begun eating. Ivan thought that it must’ve been one of the most restrictive jobs in the world to guard the rich and famous because someone else’s agenda, twenty-four seven, became theirs.
Then Ivan remembered Art-with-no-last-name who had guarded that 1721 Schoenberg Stradivarius for only two weeks and nearly died because of that. Speaking of whom, Ivan made a mental note to call Art again.Catch up with him and all that.
Ivan slid into his side of the booth. A server came by, dropping off a menu and asking him what he wanted to drink.
“Unsweet tea.” If Grandma Yun were still alive, she’d say it was grammatically incorrect. She would have insisted, colloquialism notwithstanding, that it should beunsweetenedtea. Ivan smiled. Grandma had been quite a character.
“Unsweet, huh. I always put sugar in mine,” Ned said.
“If they make it too bitter,” Ivan said. “But not at Barbara Jean’s. They make tea just the way I like it here. I always get a to-go cup.”
Ned placed his iPhone on the table, where the time was clearly visible even from where Ivan was sitting. “Looks like we have maybe an hour to eat and go. We’ll drop you off at the store so you’re not late back to work. Don’t want you to get fired.”
“Thank you, but I think we’ll be okay. I swapped shifts with a coworker so I have until two o’clock.”
“Matt fine with that?”
“Totally. He thinks that I should invite you to his antique store in case you see something you like.”
Ned seemed amused. “He’s business first and friendship later, huh?”
“That’s Matt.” Ivan put his hands down as the server came back with fresh rolls. He took their orders.
“Shall we say a blessing?”
“You do it.”
Nervously, Ivan said a quick prayer. God knew he was eternally grateful for food. He figured that the fewer words he said, the less he had to retract later on. Not that it was a big deal; Ned went to the same church he did, and he probably had heard both long and short prayers.
“Speaking of business,” Ned began. “What are your plans?”
“Plans?”
“For your career.”
“My career?”
“Stop stalling. The clock is ticking.”
Oh boy. That makes it worse.“Uh… Truth be told, I’m at an impasse.”
“And?”
“And? I’m stuck, sir.”
“So you’re working in a thrift shop to regroup and gather your thoughts.”
“It’s not that heroic, Ned.”
“I’m not letting my daughter marry a loser, son.”
