Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
“ A little to the left.” Serenity pointed her finger to the left, carefully watching the camera. “Yeah, yeah, little more…uh huh…there! Stop!” She put her palm flat.
“You just might be the pickiest person I know,” Shiloh grumbled, climbing down from the ladder and brushing off her hands. She looked back up at her handiwork. “Still, it’ll be good to have cameras in the whole store.”
Serenity fumbled with the app on her phone. “What’s nice is that I can see them all from right here.” She held up the device and wiggled it a little before tapping on the app again. “Luca showed me how to hook it up last night, so…” She pressed a few more buttons. “There!” She grinned, showing Shiloh the screen, which was currently sending a live feed of Shiloh and Serenity looking at Serenity’s phone.
“That’s what my hair looks like from the back?” Shiloh screeched, patting her head. “Good heavens, why didn’t you tell me I looked like Sasquatch’s girlfriend?”
Serenity rolled her eyes. “Your hair is fine.”
Shiloh stepped over to move the ladder to the next place. “Remind me again why Assassin Boy isn’t here doing this?”
“He had to take a trip to Portland for some supplies. The twins are in the middle of a big project, and I didn’t want to wait any longer.”
Shiloh nodded. “Understandable.” She huffed. “Two break-ins in less than a month. It seems like some kind of epidemic.”
“It is kinda weird,” Serenity agreed. She tapped her foot. “So…”
Shiloh glanced over her shoulder while she climbed. “Uh oh…you’ve been thinking.”
Serenity scowled.
Shiloh faced forward again and shrugged. “I didn’t say it was bad.”
“Your words would imply otherwise.”
“So…” Shiloh pressed.
“So, I’ve been thinking,” Serenity stated, rolling her eyes when Shiloh snickered. “One of the reasons Luca doesn’t want to get married yet is because he doesn’t have a career figured out.”
Shiloh began messing with the new camera. “Uh, huh.”
“I have an idea.”
“Hold that thought.” Shiloh pressed a few buttons and glanced over her shoulder again. “Tell me where to go.”
Serenity studied her phone, her mind still churning over her idea. “Right, just a little. Little more…there.” She pushed a few buttons and smiled when the screen clicked into focus. “This program is pretty good. I’m glad Officer Montoya recommended it.”
“You mean, Grady,” Shiloh said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
“Why, Shiloh Baxter,” Serenity teased. “Do I hear a little crush going on?”
Shiloh snorted. “Uh, no. He’s a little too goody-goody for my type.”
“Goody-goody? Are you saying you want someone who breaks the law instead of upholds it?”
Shiloh grinned. “Maybe.”
Serenity laughed and shook her head. “Liar. You’d be appalled if a guy was a criminal.”
Shiloh sniffed and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. “Don’t pretend like you know me.”
“Don’t pretend like I don’t,” Serenity shot back.
Shiloh chuckled. “Who are you to talk? You’re dating an assassin!”
“He’s not an assassin,” Serenity groaned, throwing her head back. “When are you going to let the eyepatch go?”
“When they stop making mafia guys who look like Luca,” Shiloh said breezily.
“Oh, my word.” Serenity shook her head. “You’re ridiculous.”
“One of us has to be.” Shiloh picked up the ladder again. “Are there any more?”
Serenity held up a finger. “Just a sec.” She scrolled through the app, turning her body around so she could better number the cameras and where they were hitting in the store. “I think…we about got it.” She looked up at Shiloh. “Thanks for your help.”
“You owe me ice cream.” Shiloh grinned. “Blaire has a new flavor.”
“What’s in it?” Serenity began picking up all the garbage and supplies from unpacking the security system. Luca had helped as much as he could before having to take off. She was going to miss him this evening since he wouldn't be home until late.
They’d spent every spare minute together since talking about the whole police academy thing. Serenity still couldn’t believe she’d been so scared to talk to him. She could have saved herself so much heartache if she’d just opened her mouth.
Her and Luca were still trying to figure out the communication thing. Somehow, in their years apart, they’d both picked up the habit of keeping quiet about their sacrifices, while trying not to upset anyone else.
Serenity was working on reminding herself that her needs mattered. Luca’s needs mattered. If he’d been dead set on the academy and she’d had problems about it, it didn’t have to be an all or nothing. Relationships were built on compromise. Theirs was still a work in progress.
Serenity was just grateful they had a second chance. Or was this a third chance now?
It was a lack of communication that had killed them the first time, and it had almost killed them the second. Perhaps it was time to start learning how to change that.
“Earth to Ser!” Shiloh waved a hand in front of Serenity’s face.
Serenity blinked and shook her head. “What are you doing?”
“Bringing you back down from Cloud Nine,” Shiloh said wryly. “I answered your question about the ice cream, but you were in la-la land. Plus, you never told me what you were thinking.”
“Well, what kind of ice cream was it?”
“Honey pistachio with lemon marshmallow swirl.”
Serenity blinked. “Do I even want to know what name she gave it?’
Shiloh flared her eyes dramatically as she smiled. “Honey, I Pistachio You a Question.”
Serenity shook her head. “That’s a mouthful.”
“This mouth.” Shiloh pointed to her lips. “It’s gonna be a mouthful right here.”
“Good grief.” Serenity stuffed her phone in her pocket. “Come on. We’ll see if she’s still open.”
“She is,” Shiloh said confidently, grabbing her jacket. “But seriously, what did you want to say earlier?”
Serenity stopped walking and pinched her lips together. “I have an idea.”
“Uh, huh…”
“About how we can work out the whole career thing.” Serenity chewed her lip harder.
“Uh, huh…” Shiloh said slowly.
“But I’m worried it’s overstepping.”
Shiloh put her hands on her hips. “You know better, Ser. Spit it out so we don’t end up with another long drama night. I need my beauty sleep.”
Luca’s thumb bounced on the steering wheel to the beat of the music playing in the background. The drive today had been long and boring, particularly since Serenity hadn’t been able to come with him.
Several hours in the truck with her would have been fine, but by himself? Yeah…he had no desire to do that again. He’d much rather spend his time cuddled up watching the Mariners play ball while Serenity napped on his shoulder.
Or kissing her…that was even better.
One side of Luca’s mouth quirked up as he thought of kissing Serenity. It seemed a little odd when he realized she was the only girl he’d ever kissed.
They’d begun dating as teenagers. Serenity was his first real girlfriend. And during their time apart as adults, Luca hadn’t been interested in trying a relationship with anyone else. Now he was over thirty years old and had only ever kissed one girl or woman.
It wasn’t a bad record, as far as records went.
If he had his way, he’d make sure it never changed.
But how?
Luca’s jaw set and his tapping stopped. He had to get this figured out. They couldn’t move forward in their relationship until he had a way to support her, and right now Luca didn’t have any ideas at all.
He’d thought of everything from becoming a P.E. teacher to buying into his brothers’ business, but none of them felt right. Something was always too forced. He was educated and capable, but Luca also didn’t want to get into a career he would hate in a year or two.
Police work wasn’t his dream, but it would have been fine. It would have been along the same lines as what his original dream had been. But what did he want now?
“Serenity,” he whispered into the dark cab.
All he wanted was her at his side. But he had to have a way to support them first.
His cell phone rang, and Luca glanced down to where it sat in the cupholder of the truck. Frowning, he pressed a button on the steering wheel to answer. “Hey, Shiloh.”
“Assassin,” Shiloh said in return, making Luca snort. “How’s the drive tonight?”
“Long,” Luca retorted. “What can I do for you?”
“You can give me a sec… There’s been an emergency.”
Luca’s eyes widened, and he straightened in his seat when he heard a bunch of shuffling on the other side of the line, his hands tightening on the wheel. It took all his self control not to floor the gas pedal. Was Seri hurt? Had there been another break-in?
“Okay…whew…that was close.” Shiloh’s voice was a little lower than before.
“Shiloh,” Luca said tightly. “What’s going on? Is Seri okay?”
“What? Oh.” She laughed softly. “Sorry. Not that kind of emergency.”
Luca frowned. “Explain.”
“Sheesh, you’re bossier than I am. Okay…I’m trying to hide this conversation from Serenity and she unexpectedly came upstairs, so I had to move without being seen.”
“Why are we hiding this conversation?” Luca asked, his heart calming down, but his curiosity jumping up a notch.
“Because you don’t want her to know about your proposal, right?”
Luca’s eyes widened. “What?”
Shiloh sighed. “You two are ridiculous. Listen, I’m the best friend. Get used to me knowing things.”
Luca shook his head. “I don’t know how I feel about that.”
“Not my problem. Anyway…Ser has told me that you two have talked marriage, but you want to find a job first. Are we on the same page?”
Luca slumped in his seat. “Yeah.”
Shiloh laughed softly. “Awesome. Now look…I love my bestie, and I’m not looking forward to losing the best roommate I’ve ever had, especially since I don’t have anyone to replace her. And by anyone, I mean that I’m still in the single category because, you know…men are trouble. Which is why I’d like to have one, but still?—”
“Shiloh,” Luca warned.
“Yeah, yeah…sorry…the job. Got it.” She cleared her throat. “What if I told you that there’s a building across the street and three doors down from Serenity’s shop?”
Luca waited for more. “There are lots of buildings on Main Street,” he said warily. “Am I supposed to know exactly which one you’re talking about?”
“What if I told you the owner is moving out and looking to sell?”
Luca’s frown deepened. “I’m not following, Shiloh.”
“Aaaand, what if I told you that Lighthouse Bay doesn’t have a fitness club within ten miles of Main Street?”
Luca froze. “I’m listening.”
Shiloh’s signature cackle came through the line. “I knew you’d catch on. I’ve seen the size of your arms, and from what I understand from the weirdo twins, you did a lot of work helping wounded vets get back in shape, correct?”
“I wouldn’t say I helped them get back in shape as much as I used physical movement as part of their therapy. But yes, that was essentially what I did.” His mind began to churn with ideas. There weren’t enough wounded vets in the area for Luca to plan an entire business around what he’d already been doing, but it wouldn’t be that hard to get his fitness trainer license, and if he could get a loan to get started, he’d work right by Serenity. They could eat lunch together every day, and he’d be there if she needed help. It would be an amazing set up. And fitness training was a career choice he could handle as a lifetime commitment.
He’d never tell Shiloh what a genius she was. The woman would never let him hear the end of it.
“It’s okay, you can say it,” Shiloh taunted.
“Say what?” Luca asked, though he knew exactly where this was going.
“Go ahead and tell me how amazing I am…I’m listening.”
Luca rolled his eyes and sighed. “This is a really good idea, Shiloh. Thank you.”
“Ha! It’s not every day you get a compliment from an assassin. I’ll take it.”
Luca cleared his throat. “I’ll have to figure out financing and stuff.”
“The owner wanted me to list it next week. Let me talk to him, and we’ll see what we can work out. He actually owns the whole building and is retiring and moving closer to family. Maybe you can work out financing through him.”
“It’s worth asking.” Luca rubbed his head. “Ask him to hold the listing, but give me a few days to think things over and try to come up with a plan, okay?”
“Will do, oh…and you don’t have to tell her right away, but eventually, I expect credit for bringing you two together. Bye!”
Luca sighed again when the line went credit. “Serenity’s worth it,” he reminded himself. Shiloh was a handful, and since Serenity didn’t have any family close by, Luca was all too aware that taking on Serenity meant taking on Shiloh. “Unless I can find someone else to take her on,” he mused, scratching at his chin. “But who?”
Shiloh couldn’t surpass Serenity in Luca’s eyes, but she was still a lovely woman. Dark haired and golden eyes, lightly curvy and a wide smile. She was charismatic and spoke her mind, but never crossed into the point of rude. She was the perfect real estate agent since she knew how to speak to people and was a hard worker.
But she also had a mind of her own and had no problem handing out opinions when she felt they were necessary…as evidenced by her phone call.
Was there a guy in Lighthouse Bay who might be interested in Shiloh and her bold personality? Did Luca want to become a matchmaker just to have time with Serenity? Maybe…
“Still,” Luca continued talking to himself. “The fitness idea has merit. And it solves my problem with Serenity.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Looks like I’ll be taking on a sort of sister-in-law soon. The poor twins.”