“Makes sense,” I agreed. “Less likely to be some scam.”
Arthur nodded. “Theo has agreed to be the second officer on the paperwork. But Pam’s not interested, my friend James is out of town, and I really want to get this rolling before I lose my nerve. Would you be willing to be the third person listed?”
“Me? Like, part of the business? I’ve never even owned a damned car. What do I know about business?”
“About as much as I know about dog care?” Theo suggested. “We’re all stretching to make this happen.”
I wasn’t sure learning to clip toenails was as big a stretch as signing my name to some kind of business deal. “What if there’s a problem? What if someone, like, gets bit by a dog and sues us? I have zero cash. I don’t want to end up in jail for being in debt.”
“People don’t go to jail for debts,” Arthur said. Before I could tell him how the real world actually worked, he added, “The shelter would have insurance and be set up so we aren’t personally liable. That’s pretty basic.”
“I don’t know.”
Arthur’s face fell. He’d clearly wanted me to say yes, and that made my gut feel funny, like,wow, he really wants me, mixed with,he has no idea how clueless I am, and,what if I have to leave?
“It’s okay,” Arthur said, when I’d been silent for a few moments. “I can ask James to do it, or even one of the other fosterers. We’ll just reschedule with the lawyer. He said he had an opening and I jumped the gun.”
After urging Arthur to dive in and go for the dream, I felt like shit for chickening out. “What kind of officer would I be? I literally know nothing.”
Theo told me, “We need a president, secretary, and treasurer. Arthur’s president, of course, I figured I’d be treasurer since I’ve done the books for my business, and that would make you secretary.”
That didn’t sound too impossible. “Like, writing stuff down?”
“Yeah. Keeping a record if we have a meeting. Filing the papers.”
That wasn’t something I’d ever wanted to do, but I probably could. “My handwriting’s pretty shitty.”
“Maybe you can use my tablet that turns handwriting into typing.” Theo looked more hopeful than made any sense, and I hated to disappoint him.
“I guess I can try. For now.” This was a longtime gig and I’d never been a longtime person. “You can put someone else in if I leave, right?”
“Sure. At least, once the corporation’s up and running.”
“Thank you,” Arthur told me. “Really, it’s not terrible you don’t have experience. I won’t be the only one making it up as I go along.”
Liking us being all clueless together, logically, made not one single bit of sense, but I knew how he felt. “Hell, yeah, we can all screw up together.”
Theo grinned. “Then it’s settled. Come on, I’ll give you both a ride to Wynn’s office.”
It ended up being just me and Theo in his Tesla, because Arthur wanted his own truck so he could head home after.
Wynn looked more like a laborer than a lawyer, with a bald head, a slightly untidy beard, lines in his face that looked like sun and some tough living, and big, broad shoulders in his business-casual shirt. But he was soft-spoken as he ushered us into his office and over to some seats.
I sat back, letting my gaze wander the room while he, Theo, and Arthur talked about corporate structure and other details that meant less than nothing to me.Articles of incorporation. Directors. Bylaws.Maybe as secretary, I should’ve been taking notes, but no one had asked me to and I hadn’t signed on the dotted line yet.
On a shelf by the window was a whole series of photographs, many of a lighthouse in all kinds of weather, some of a gorgeous, young, blond man on his own, and then, in a larger picture angled toward the desk, of that man with Wynn. The two had their arms around each other, and despite the age difference, they looked more like boyfriends than relatives.
Is Wynn gay? Is that his boy toy, like every older rich guy seems to need on his arm?
Although an actual painting on the side wall showed the two of them with an older man and a teen boy, the lighthouse standing behind them, affection in all their expressions making them look more like a family?—
“Shane?” I had the feeling that wasn’t the first time Theo had said my name.
“Yeah?”
“We have some paperwork to fill out.”
Wynn had an intimidating stack of paper on his desk. He pulled a sheet out of the pile. “This is for the board of directors. The secretary fills in their information here.” He stuck a red paper tab halfway down and slid the page my way along with a fresh pen.
