“Which reminds me, I need to borrow your car. I’m picking up some things that have been on hold for me for the restaurant.”

“How long has it been since you drove anywhere?” Griffin asked.

“About five or six years,” I smiled, making his case for him.

“I was much more willing to commit perjury for you than I am to let you drive my car,” Griffin said, fishing around for another set of keys. “Remember, I was there when you were learning to drive. Here, take the RAV. It’s easier to navigate and will give you plenty of storage. And I am religiously opposed to French press coffee to go.”

I took the keys and his favorite coffee mug and grabbed up my satchel. “Well, I can’t help it that I was more distracted by other things. I’ll see you later.”

Around four-thirty that afternoon, I pulled into the parking lot of VERT. I had several boxes of the blue vases I had purchased, a can of remixed paint, some flowers, a painting, and a change of clothing. I might have been destitute, but I didn’t have to look it anymore. I asked a couple of the guys to help me unload my largess.

I met Henry and Griffin, who were conferring at the bar. I embraced my brother. “Henry, how are you?”

He ignored my question. “What is all this stuff, Bailey? I guess Griff and I are paying for all this.”

“It’s within your budget parameters. May I borrow your office to throw up a can of paint to see if the color is right, Griffin?”

“Do I have a choice?” he said to me.

“Hey Henry, how’s Lea?” I smiled and disappeared into Griffin’s office. It felt good to be plating barbs with my men.

Alone in Griffin’s office, I opened the paint. It was a moss green, warmer than the Granny Smith apple color. I instantly liked it. It played beautifully with the greens and blues and yellows in the painting. I cleared the small table and staged my design. I put the tablecloth on the table along with a blue vase and some orange flowers with the painting on the opposite wall. It was like the colors were bouncing around on a trampoline and joined hands in midair. I opened the door and went to get a glass of wine before taking it back into the office. I sat down at the makeshift table and thought about my color scheme and the vista. I sipped my wine. “I like it,” I said.