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words. He knew they were just talking about their business plans, but if he didn’t know better, he would think Lee was trying to send him another message. “I’ll do what I can.”
    “You need to do better than that.” Lee sighed. “I know Katie. When she’s scared or overwhelmed, she runs for cover. You can’t let her do that. You have to make her believe this business can be a new beginning for her. I know it can be. I can’t tell you all the times she’s talked to me about starting a business like this. I’m so damn proud she’s finally taking the steps to make it happen.”
    “Yeah, me too.” Chris looked at his friend, debating whether he should say what he was thinking. “It sounds like you still care about her a lot.”
    “I do. She’s the mother of my child. She helped me through the darkest time in my life. That’s why I want her to find the happiness she deserves.”
    Chris was skeptical. He’d taken half a year to let go of his resentment toward his ex and wish her well. The fact that Lee already seemed ready to do so told Chris that Lee was either lying to himself or he’d never really loved Katie at all. How could he have been married to a woman like Katie for five years without being head over heels in love with her? “You wanna crash here tonight? The painter’s finally finished working on the guest bedrooms.”
    Chris had bought the historic home seven years ago, the year he and Courtney got married. The plan had always been to restore it, but every time he wanted to hire the contractors, she’d said she didn’t want to think about living through a renovation. To keep the peace, he’d kept putting it off. When she moved out, he got started right away. After ten months, the large Victorian was finished, and Chris could imagine living there forever.
    “Yeah, thanks man.”
    Chris watched his friend make his way up the stairs. The life-altering impact of his decision to leave his marriage must not have hit Lee yet. It would as soon as he tried to explain to Hannah that her daddy wouldn’t be there to tuck her in anymore. Then he may rethink his plan. Part of Chris hoped he would. He loved Lee like a brother, and Hannah and her mama were angels. The other part of him wanted a chance to step into Lee’s shoes, and that made him feel like the worst kind of traitor.

 
     
Chapter Four
     
    Chris drove by the small plaza at the top of the street the following morning. Checking the dashboard clock on his pick-up, he knew he had an hour before his first meeting, so he eased into a parking spot in front of the empty unit and cut the engine. He hopped out and crossed the lot, stepping onto the sidewalk just as an elderly man in a suit walked past. Peering inside the door, Chris noted the painter’s tools and drop cloths littering the ground. It appeared to be a large, wide-open space that could easily be sub-divided. There was a small kitchenette and narrow hallway at the back that probably led to washrooms and possibly an office. Chris had never scoped out space for a pre-school before, but it seemed ideal.
    “You interested in this unit?” the man in the suit asked.
    Chris glanced at the sign in the window. The unit was for sale or lease, and the sign had a number, website, and email address. Interesting. Chris had an impressive real estate portfolio, and the thought of owning the property instead of wasting money on rent appealed to him.
    “I might be,” he said, trying to play it cool. He’d had enough experience with negotiations to know that he couldn’t show his interest too soon.
    The man reached into his pocket and extracted his business card, handing it to Chris. “Name’s Barry Stayner. I own the place, but my son runs the show now.” He grimaced. “More or less. At least, that’s what I let him think.”
    Chris guessed the man was in his mid-seventies. He had thick white hair, silver-framed glasses, and a tan that made it seem as if he spent more time in a lounge chair