“That’s beside the point,” Parr said. “Here’s how I see it. If it turns out that he can’t manage on his own—I mean, if his recovery takes longer than expected or if he changes his mind and decides he doesn’t want to run a bricks-and-mortar business—then the building can be put up for sale.”

She had to hand it to Parr for taking action without calling a family conference on the subject. But he could have consulted her. She suspected that neither brother had wanted her opinion on the pending deal.

Noted.

She wouldn’t have to feel quite so guilty when she ended the engagement. Could be months from now, though, when she could decently do so and prepare Alma in advance for the bad news.

If only she could resolve her feelings for Parr before that. Like right now. She had no idea what he was thinking. His businesslike manner didn’t match the brooding look in his dark eyes. He didn’t stray from the subject he’d brought up.

“Bobby Joe could find a buyer quickly for a renovated property with that much space,” Parr continued. “The neighborhood around the courthouse is coming back.”

“So he said.”

“He wasn’t wrong and it’s still true. Buying in before a boom is good strategy,” Parr reminded her.

She matched his cool tone. “Do you really think he could recoup his investment?”

“Very likely, yes. I can’t be absolutely sure—the real estate business is chancy.”

“That’s quite a commitment. It’s your money, though.”

Parr must have done extraordinarily well on the Memphis deal he’d mentioned. So be it. Someone had to help Bobby Joe financially. She didn’t feel entitled to question Parr’s motives.

“Look, if his plans don’t work out, the resale profit will help fund his future.”

Mary Beth knew what he meant. He wasn’t that optimistic about Bobby Joe either. Parr ate some of the sandwich and put the rest of it back in the wrapper.

“I haven’t heard anything from his doctors that we could take to the bank, put it that way.” He brushed a few crumbs from the table. “Bobby Joe is ‘doing much better.’ Okay. But that isn’t the same as ‘completely recovered.’ That may never happen. So it’s up to us to see that he’s set.”

Basically, she agreed with what he was saying. But what he had just said gave her pause. Up to us. That part had her looking everywhere but at him for several seconds. There is no us, she wanted to tell him. That was just too complicated to even think about.