2. Chapter 2
Working for DeLaney was exciting, challenging, and frustrating beyond belief, but Melanie Davis loved her job. Everyone always told her that accounting had to be the most boring thing possible. Maybe if they just looked at it from a numbers standpoint, it was. However, when she looked at a ledger or an invoice, it let her see what was going on without ever being involved with the day-to-day operations.
For instance, the paper in front of her was an invoice for steel and building supplies. Boring if you just looked at the lines. Interesting when you looked at the purchase order and knew that it was for the second building of the apartment complex Andrea was the silent partner of. Change was happening around the city and the numbers told the story. Or maybe she was just a nerd who tried to put a story to the numbers. Either way, she loved her job and the opportunities that working for not only a corporation like DeLaney provided her, but also for a boss like Andrea.
“Hey Mel,” Sabrina said as she rounded the corner into the office holding a stack of papers.
“Hey. Whatcha got there?” She held out her hands for Sabrina to give them over.
“It’s the stuff Valerie was supposed to bring you last week. She said she’s sorry it’s late.” Sabrina shrugged and sat down in the chair across the desk.
“Tell her it’s no problem. How’s she doing?” Melanie asked as she started flipping through the papers. They were mostly invoices that had needed to be coded. Stuff for the daycare center and apartments.
“Going mad with worry about Avrie and hating being on bedrest. I left her there with Allie to deal with for a while.” Sabrina laughed. “She’s stressing me out.”
Melanie hummed her acknowledgement as she scanned a paper that was obviously not meant for her. It was a letter from a woman named Roslyn requesting that Valerie come visit her so they could put everything to bed. She shouldnt have read it but her curiosity had gotten the best of her. Whoever Roslyn was, Melanie didn’t like her tone towards Val very much. “Well, I can imagine that being nine months pregnant and having your other daughter in the hospital would be stressful without all the other worries of trying to run this place too,” she said as she folded the letter up and stuck it in an envelope from her desk.
“Yeah, I guess. Her and Andrea seem to have everything running like a well-oiled machine though.”
“They’ve worked hard to make it that way.” She held the envelope out. “Can you take that back to Valerie? It must’ve gotten mixed in with this stuff, but I imagine she’ll want it back.”
“Yeah, no problem.” Sabrina stood up. “Have they caught the whacko who’s been sending you stuff yet?”
“No.” And it wasn’t something she wanted to talk about either. “Victor’s working on it.”
With a nod, Sabrina said, “Anything else I need to take?”
Melanie looked at the stack on the corner of her desk that was for Andrea and bit her lip. The last thing the Boss needed to be worried about right now was paperwork that could most definitely wait. “No. Have a good night.”
“You too. Don’t work all night,” Sabrina called over her shoulder as she walked out.
It was about eight o’clock when Melanie walked into the diner down the street from her place. She was too tired to go to the grocery store and go home to cook. Tonight she would settle for some greasy, comfort food and try to be better tomorrow. She had just pulled out her tablet to read when a very attractive man sat down in the booth across from her, startling her.
“Hey, be cool. I just need to sit here for a second. Pretend you know me and laugh like I just told you a joke,” he said quickly.
Melanie let out a small laugh and put her tablet in her lap and her hand on the gun in her purse. After coming to work for DeLaney she started carrying. Andrea mentioned pretty early on that it might not be a bad idea and had even helped her get a permit. She taught her how to shoot too. The joke that being a mob accountant made her a target was always in the back of her mind even if DeLaney was 99% legitimate now. Not to mention that she recently gained the interest of some creep who kept sending her death threats one day and presents the next. So yeah, she always had her gun on her now.
“Good,” the guy said, glancing over his shoulder as the door opened to reveal a man dressed in a suit who looked totally out of place. “So how’s your night going?” he asked, looking back at her.
“Strangely. What’s your name?” she asked. He didn’t seem threatening, but she wasn’t ready to let her guard down.
“I’m Levi.” He tilted his head and looked her up and down. “You look familiar. What’s your name?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Levi Warner?” she asked.
“Yeah…how do you know that?”
“It doesn’t matter.” She took her hand off her gun and picked up her glass to take a drink. He was no threat. He was a private investigator. Her guess was that he was following the guy in the suit. “I’m Melanie.”
Levi laughed and brushed his shaggy blonde hair out of his face. “Melanie Davis. I thought that was you. I did your background check, thats why you look familiar.”
“I know. I paid the invoice after I was hired,” she said with a small smile. “We pay you quite a bit of money, but I’m not allowed to tell anyone that we contract your services.”
“Yeah,” he laughed again. “Can I come sit by you? I need to watch this guy.”
Melanie glanced over to the man in the suit that was still sitting in the corner. Maybe it could be fun to be part of this. She pushed her purse over and scooted to make room for him. Just as Levi sat down beside her, the waitress came back.
“Can I get you something?”
“Coffee and a short stack please,” Levi said with a smile.
The waitress walked away, and he looked over at Melanie. “Well, I appreciate the prompt payments.”
“No problem. Andrea says that I should just pay whatever you send over, that she doesn’t need to see it. Really, you could be over billing us for all I know.” She raised a brow at him, wondering what he really did for them but knowing she shouldn’t ask. Andrea didn’t treat any other vendor with the same regard.
He winked and put his arm on the back of the booth to look more her way but also to see behind them better. She could tell he was nervous. “So Melanie, I’m not going to get jumped by your boyfriend or anything am I?”
She really liked his smile. From this angle it felt like his blue eyes were deep pools that someone could fall into. God she needed to get laid. “No boyfriend,” she reassured him.
“Good.” The waitress sat down his coffee and walked away without a word. But Levi pulled out his phone. “Take a picture with me?” He held it up. In the camera she could see a guy coming through the back entrance, so she leaned in and smiled while he took several photos. They were just on the edge and he got some good ones of the guy walking in and passing them. “You’re a pro,” he whispered and turned the camera around to snap some pics of the two mystery guys standing and shaking hands.
“This feels like a novel I’ve read,” she said with a laugh. Only in the books, the chick she was playing usually got together with the detective or something. Melanie didn’t know if that was a good idea in this case. Although he was definitely her type and more than attractive enough, there was that layer of danger with him being connected to DeLaney in a way she didn’t understand that told her it would be a bad idea.
The man in the suit seemed tense, and the other guy appeared to be delivering some sort of package. The whole situation felt like a puzzle she was piecing together without all the right pieces. Levi leaned in slightly and spoke in a hushed tone. The man in the suit just sold all the client information including case information from the law firm he works at.
The guy that had come through the back got up from the table and started walking toward them again. Levi turned and pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. “You have pretty eyes,” he said, tilting his head. Melanie held her breath because she was almost positive he was about to kiss her, but the waitress returned with their orders, practically slamming the plates onto the table in front of them. Levi rolled his eyes then turned to look at the woman. “Thanks,” he said with way too much sarcasm.
“No problem. Anything else?”
Levi looked at Melanie who shook her head and took an unsteady breath.
“I think we’re good.” He turned back to her and put his hand on her upper arm. “You ok?”
Melanie nodded quickly and straightened up to face the table again. No, she wanted to shoot the waitress for stopping her from getting the first kiss she’d had in over a year. Instead, she would settle for hash browns and bacon. After she took a bite to settle her nerves, Melanie looked up and saw that suit guy was gone now. She wondered if Levi would leave too or worse if he would move back to the other side of the booth.
But Levi poured some syrup on his pancakes and picked up his fork. “So Melanie, you live around here or was this just fate?” he asked, letting the corners of his lips tug up into a smile. She really needed to quit looking at his lips.
“I live down the street in the Beckman Complex.”
He let out a low whistle. “Nice digs. Maybe Andrea overpays you too.”
They both laughed at that and she felt herself blush. “No doubt. After my first year she gave me a raise that blew my mind but that she insisted I deserved.”
“You did.” Something about the way he said that made her believe Levi knew more about Andrea and DeLaney in general than she originally thought. “I wasn’t just playing a part when I said your eyes are beautiful,” he said while holding her gaze.
If it was possible, she blushed further. “Thank you.” She shoved another bite in her mouth to keep from saying something stupid. “So, what led you to become a private investigator?”
Levis smile softened as he spoke. Ive always been curious about people and their secrets. Its like putting together a puzzle, just like what were doing right now. Plus, the adrenaline rush is hard to beat.
She couldn’t deny that. The brief rush she got earlier just being part of this one small investigation was very exciting. As they continued to chat, she found herself drawn to Levis effortless charm and sense of adventure. Despite her initial reservations, she relaxed some. It had been a long time since she shared a meal or an actual conversation with someone outside of work or her family. It was possible she’d been more lonely than she realized.
Once they finished their food, Levi leaned in again. I think its time to wrap this up. He reached for the check the waitress had left earlier after refilling his coffee. Then he laid some cash on the table. “Ready?”
She nodded and let him help her out of the booth. When he put his hand on her back to lead her out the door, she thought her heart was going to beat out of her chest. Outside in the warm evening air, she adjusted her purse and looked at Levi, contemplating her next move.
Its getting late. Let me walk you home, Levi offered.
Melanie considered his proposal and decided it felt like the right thing to do. Sure, Id like that.
As they strolled down the dimly lit streets together, the silence didn’t seem awkward. She wasn’t sure what to say or ask though.
“What kind of gun were you gonna shoot me with earlier?” he finally asked, bumping his shoulder into hers as they walked. She looked at him in surprise which made him laugh. “Hey, it’s good you carry. Just curious what kind.”
“It’s a thirty-eight. Andrea bought it for me.”
Levi hummed, glancing behind them. She looked too, but the sidewalk was empty and only a few cars were parked on the street. “Good,” he said with a nod.
By the time they reached her building, she felt uncertain about how to end this. Thanks for the company and the adventure, Levi, she said, trying to gauge his reaction.
His smile was genuine when he said, It was my pleasure. Do you want to do this again sometime? Maybe without the investigation part.
Id like that. Her heart was pounding.
“Good,” he said with a nod. “I’ll call you tomorrow and we can set it up.”
As he walked away, she couldnt help but wonder what an actual date with him would be like. The events of the evening had reignited something in her, a spark she hadnt felt in a long time. And as she stepped into her apartment, she knew that this chance encounter might be the beginning of something really fun. But as she put her purse down she realized he didn’t even ask for her number. Her heart sank. Hopefully, he would find a way to call and wasn’t just saying that stuff only to ghost her.