“That was the summer Chloe was born.”

“Drop it,” Max said, his face darkening as he slammed the suitcase shut.

“I come over here, I give you fifteen hundred dollars in cold cash, I fix your plumbing, and you turn around and attack me.”

“You bought a house with her while I was still taking Chloe to her six-month checkups,” I said.

“You’re misremembering things like you always do,” he said, gripping the suitcase handle so hard his knuckles turned white.

“This is why nobody can talk to you.”

Heavy footsteps sounded on the wooden porch steps outside, followed by a knock on the screen door frame.

Edward stood on the porch in his dark work trousers, holding a thick manila folder under his arm.

Max turned toward the doorway, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Edward through the mesh screen.

“Who’s this?”

“Edward works with me,” I said, stepping between Max and the front door.

Max opened the screen door and stepped out onto the porch.