“I don’t think so. He’s oblivious about the financials. He never looks at our bank accounts—and I mean never. I’m in charge of all of that. He’s already uptight about the two car payments, both our student loans, and a mortgage we can’t afford . . .”

“Wait, you’re still paying off your student loan debt too? You’re forty years old, Robin! What the hell?”

“I deferred it. And deferred it again. I can’t defer it anymore, though.”

“You’ve got to tell Grant. He needs to know. Together you can come up with a budget to pay it off.”

“That’s just it, Lil. I need to get a job before I tell him to show him I’m serious about helping to pay it off. Something tolerable. Would you be willing to hire me to do something? Maybe admin work? Answering phones? Setting up appointments? Anything?”

Robin would be the absolute worst thing for my business. She was scatterbrained and unreliable. But how could I say no? Truth was, I owed this to her. I owed her anything she wanted, considering my betrayal. But she didn’t know about that yet, and I was having second thoughts about telling her. She needed a friend more than she needed my honesty. After all, she was climbing out of a pit of debt. Maybe telling her now wasn’t the best timing.

And then an idea knocked. I could help her out with her financial crisis, win her favor, then maybe the blow wouldn’t be so hard when I told her. It could all end up okay. It had to.

“Of course, Robin. Whatever you need, you know I’m here for you. I could use a personal assistant right now, at least until you find something more suited to you.”

“This is why you’re my best friend, Lil. Thank you. I promise I won’t let you down.”

“That’s what friends are for.”

I knew I was playing with dynamite. Never mix friends and business—everyone knew this rule (even those who didn’t know the rule about not selling stuff to friends). Smart people followed this rule. But I didn’t have the luxury of playing it smart, because guilt was taking the wheel. I’d be placing my carefully nurtured fitness company into the hands of the terribly undependable Robin, whose flighty attitude when it came to business could ruin me. But I ruined her first, didn’t I? The only difference was that I deserved it.

I could anticipate the end before it began. It’d be a miracle if our friendship survived.

Chapter 21

Robin

THURSDAY

A phone call from the school in the middle of the day was usually not a good thing. A phone call from the principal was even worse.