"You've dealt with investors before."
"No."
"Then lawyers?"
Daniel thought about Melissa's estate.
Medical billing.
Insurance.
He nodded.
"Enough."
Peter handed him a card.
"Don't decide today."
"I already did."
"Keep it anyway."
Daniel accepted only because throwing it away in front of him felt childish.
Peter left.
Marcus emerged from behind a truck.
"Rich guy?"
"Very."
"Trying to buy us?"
"Me."
Marcus looked offended.
"Us has better branding."
Daniel laughed.
That night at home, Chloe asked about Peter.
"How do you know?"
"Grace saw."
Daniel sighed.
"I need fewer teenagers in my business."
"What did he want?"
"To invest."
"Is that bad?"
"Could be."
"Could be good?"
Daniel looked at her.
"Why are you suddenly a venture capitalist?"
Chloe shrugged.
"He could buy you a better coffee machine."
Daniel threw a napkin at her.
Over the next two weeks, the viral attention became less intense but business remained.
Some customers disappeared after curiosity faded.
Many returned.
Word of mouth grew.
Daniel hired Marcus part-time.
Then full-time.
He added online scheduling.
He finally replaced the coffee machine.
Chloe considered this the most important reform.
But growth introduced problems.
Parts ordering.
Longer hours.
Customers angry about waiting.
Daniel still tried to personally check every vehicle.
Marcus warned him.
"You can't."
"I can."
"You physically cannot be six people."
"Watch me."
Three days later Daniel forgot a school pickup.
Chloe waited twenty-five minutes before calling.
He arrived frantic.
"I'm sorry."
She climbed into the truck.
"It's okay."
"No."
He gripped the steering wheel.
"It's not."
Chloe looked at him.
"Dad."
"I promised myself the shop wouldn't become more important than you."
"It isn't."
"I forgot you."
"You forgot pickup."
"Same difference."
"No."
She waited.
"Mom got busy too."
Daniel looked at her.
"That's different."
"Why?"
He couldn't answer.
Chloe continued.
"You always tell me people are allowed to mess up."
Daniel smiled sadly.
"I hate when you use my advice against me."
"You should give worse advice."
That night, Daniel looked at Peter's card again.
Not because he suddenly wanted money.
Because the shop had reached a ceiling.
If he expanded alone, he would either borrow heavily or work himself into exhaustion.
Neither appealed.
Then Karen stopped by.
She had become a regular.
Sometimes she brought Grace.
Sometimes not.
That evening she needed an oil change.
Daniel worked while she sat in the garage.
"You look tired."
"Thank you."
"I'm a nurse. It's an observation."
"Then yes."
"How much sleep?"
"Enough."
"That means not enough."
Daniel smiled.
Karen watched him.
"Grace says the investor came back."
"She talks too much."
"Teenager."
Daniel tightened the drain plug.
"I don't trust easy money."
Karen nodded.
"Smart."
"Melissa trusted people too easily."
The name came out before he could stop it.
Karen stayed quiet.
Daniel continued.
"After she died, everybody had advice."
"Financial products."
"Charities."
"People offering to help."
He shook his head.