by Zee Irwin
11
Secret Stash
Lily
As if lunch with Jace hadn’t already set off my daydreams, him standing before me, out of breath, in his faded jeans that did nothing to hide the thickness of his thigh muscles, really sent my heart racing. His big blue Boston Police Department sweatshirt made his stature bulkier. Damn, the guy had muscles. I didn’t mind taking in every inch of him one bit. In fact, I wanted to steal the sweatshirt from him and wear it; I’d drown in it, but it’d be like having him all around me.
His hair was slicked back from the rain outside. One lock fell into his eyes as he gave me a sheepish grin. He was one hunk of man and it was finally time to admit how seeing him made my thighs tighten.
“Hi. You’re back?”
“Do you have access to the second-floor windows above your shop? And how about the roof?”
“Of course. I own the building.”
“Oh, yeah? Can I check it out? The CCTV cameras on the street only have so much reach. If I could get more cameras installed, we’d have more surveillance, and hopefully catch the bad guys.”
It was an odd request, but he wasn’t exactly a stranger anymore. I felt a certain level of trust with him. I set aside Molly and my book and scrambled out of the chaise. “Sure, follow me.”
As I led him away, I glanced back at him, only to find that his eyes feasted on my backside. The swish of my skirt brushed against my skin while I walked and matched timing with the clicking of my black heels. My hips swayed a little more, for his sake.
I took him to the rear of the shop. A small lobby off the alley allowed access to a stairwell and a service elevator. We took the elevator to the roof, where he poked around for a few minutes. Next, I let him into the apartment above the shop.
The sight still shocked me. Gone were the cozy living quarters that Aunt Barb had decorated in vintage style, everything to perfection. It wasn’t vintage to her, but simply things she had artfully collected or created over the years. Everything that made it feel like home.
The scene now was difficult to take in. An empty apartment with the damaged ceiling above the kitchen area, partially removed to fix the pipes from a long-neglected leak in the apartment above. It ruined the floors and cabinets. Everything needed an update, which was more than I could afford.
Jace toured the space, invading it with the scent of his woodsy aftershave. I didn’t exactly mind it.
“My uncle bought the building long ago, and he and Aunt Barb occupied this second floor. At first, my aunt operated a seamstress and dress shop downstairs, but arthritis set into her hands too early and that’s when Uncle Joe converted it to a bookstore.”
“The bones are good. I like the layout of the living room, dining room, and kitchen being open. What happened here?” He inspected the kitchen area.
“After Uncle Joe moved to Florida, Cassidy and I roomed together here until the water damage happened. Just my luck. I hired a company to fix it, but they ran off with my insurance money instead. I pressed charges and Daniel is helping me with the case, pursuing litigation, but the company disappeared. Now, I can’t afford to fix it.”
“Hm. Daniel never mentioned it to me. I’ll talk to him about it and see if I can help with the investigation. Would you look at these floor to ceiling windows across the front?”
“The windows are one of my favorite features, letting in all the light.”
He looked out the center window. “Yep, this would be perfect for a surveillance setup. Mind if I poke around the rest of the apartment?”
He headed toward the hallway. I wasn’t thinking when he approached a closed door and opened it. “Wait!” I shouted, but it was too late.
To say I did not prepare for him to view what was inside was an understatement. His mouth dropped and I’m sure he was thinking I must be some sort of hoarder. Hanging racks stood filled with dresses, while other clothes folded into piles everywhere. Handbags and shoes laid strewn everywhere with no organization. Piles of fabric and spools of thread hid my mother’s sewing machine on her old sewing table and spilled over onto the floor.
His eyebrows shot up at my collection of vintage lacy bras, panties, and garters hanging upon one wall from random nails and push pins. I taped photos for my dream closet to the wall. He pointed at them while giving me a quizzical look. Next, he turned to the closet, which stood open, revealing stacks of bowls in colors of turquoise, white, and yellow from floor to ceiling. “What is all this?”
I quickly grabbed his arm and pulled, but he hardly moved. “This room is basically my closet and storage.”
Changing tactics, I pushed against his chest, backing him out of the room, and ignored the electric pulse that raced between us. “Most of it is vintage dresses leftover from Aunt Barb and my mom, and the rest are things I buy from Jean-Marie’s. And the bowls are Pyrex. I collect them.”
With the door closed firmly behind me, I was sure my face held a pink hue. I didn’t know why I needed to defend myself and my collecting habits, but no one had ever seen my stash of old things before.
“That’s a lot of stuff for one little woman.” His lips twitched.
“I don’t have anywhere to put it in Maddie’s apartment, so here they are.” I shuffled past him with my skin glowing red now, and hot on my cheeks.
“You’re something else, Lily.”
I turned on him once we were back in the living room. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Simply that I’ve met no one like you. The way you dress, the cats, the shop, the books, and a secret stash of bowls and clothes?” His half smile teased as I huffed past him to the front door. He caught me by the elbow. “Hey, I’m not saying I don’t like you. In fact, there’s something special about you, Lily.”
I swallowed hard, and the moment lingered between us. Something stronger than friendly. He must have felt it, but he let me go.
He took his sweet time, touring the place again, peeking into the other two bedrooms and bathroom. My heart beat so fast. Would he hurry already? Being this close to him alone was producing all kinds of daydreams.
“I’ll bet you get a premium rent for the apartments upstairs?” His eyes widened after I nodded.
“There’s also room in the basement for a little studio apartment. Uncle Joe had the plans drawn up, got permits and everything. Maybe someday I’ll have the money to fix this place up. I could move back in and not have the added expense of rent. Right now, I’m strapped.” I moved to the door. “Listen, I better head down to the shop.”
“You have a cash making machine here, Lily. Aside from major repairs in the kitchen, the rest of it is light remodeling. It wouldn’t take much to tear out these old carpets, refinish the floors, give the walls a good cleaning and coats of paint. The window and door trim and molding could use sanding and staining or painting. Hmm.”
“What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking about how we’re both in a pinch. You need this apartment finished, and the other in the basement built. I’m looking for a place to stay while I buy a fixer upper. So, how about a deal? I’ll move in here, fix this place up. We could, say, swap my labor for the rent? You buy all the materials and large items. I think in about six months or fewer I could have this place move-in ready for you. In the process, I could set up surveillance cameras, monitor the street, and help your community watch get going.”
I didn’t know how to respond, almost speechless. “Wow. That sounds good, but I can’t afford much in the way of materials, much less things like kitchen cabinets and new appliances.”
“I may have some ideas to save you money.” He walked to the center window again. “Yep, this could work.”
I joined him there, on his scarred side, and dared to look until he turned his head toward me. I shifted my gaze out the window. “You’d do all that work? For me? Why?”
“What can I say? I have a thing about helping those who need it most.” His voice came out dark, soothing, lulling me into the moment. “An
d maybe there’s something about the both of us, helping each other?”
How could I say no? It had been the darndest twenty-four hours I’d ever experienced, starting from the high of hope of meeting Blue92, to the low of Jace walking out on me, to the awkwardness of his drunken state and apologies, and finally to this new collaboration. Was this Fate having a little fun and laughter bringing us together?
Whatever the reason, I figured I’d ride along and see where the journey ends. At the very least, Jace and I might end as friends. When he wasn’t looking, I caught his reflection in the window. For the first time, I felt like I saw him, not the scars that might have previously held me back.
12
Blessing Before
Jace
Dozens of shop owners and managers crammed into the Prince Street Meeting Hall, an old church turned community center. The venue opened to us last minute after Lily decided there wouldn’t be enough room in the shop to hold a proper meeting.
The women had prepared for the meeting throughout the day. Armed with handouts, charts, and more, they were ready to convince the group to go all in on the Prince Street Community Watch program and the group purchase of security equipment.
Before the meeting started, Frank sauntered up to Lily as she stood beside me. We were progressing through some last-minute troubleshooting with the laptop and projector so she could show her presentation on the big screen.
He brought Lily in for a hug, interrupting us. “How’s my Lily tonight?” His arms wrapped around her but his eyes set on me with a warning in them like Back off, she’s mine. I didn’t like that one bit.
She pushed away from him, laughing him off. “I’m not yours, and I’m fine. Please take a seat and we’ll call you up when it’s your turn to speak.”
Frank stared me down from his seat in the first row. My eyes never flinched, and I’d like to think I won that contest with my intimidating looks. He was too much of a pretty boy, and I dialed in his type right off the bat. I somehow couldn’t picture Lily with this player at all.
The meeting started well, with Lily running through the details and pros and cons of a community watch initiative. As she spoke, my chest might have puffed out in pride over her for getting this movement going. She was a determined woman, not letting anything stop her.
I observed each shop owner as they spoke.The first one robbed was Goldie’s, who sold the combination of estate jewelry and rare coins. Next came the sporting goods store, Treadware, where the robbers had enough time to grab some primo shoes, gear, and various sports memorabilia. Finally, Frank took the center stage. I could understand Goldie’s and Treadwear, because there were plenty of pricey items stolen that would make the crooks some money, but the pizza shop didn’t fit the pattern. Sure, the robbers made off with a wad of cash, but what explanation was there for the fire?
“I got robbed, and it sucks. My shop is in ruins, burned by fire My business halted for a time, but I will not let the bastards get me down. Sure, a community watch is a great idea. We should look out for each other. But I’ll also watch out for myself. I have a gun now and I’ll use it to defend myself if I have to.”
That didn’t sit well with me, and I couldn’t let Frank go off half-cocked. He proved I was right. Everything had to be all about him. “Excuse me, Sir,” I stood up to address him and the crowd. I didn’t want to call this idiot sir, but I needed to present a professional front. “That’s within your right to protect yourself, but it’s better to call 9-1-1 for any emergency. We don’t want to see people get hurt. So far, the criminals haven’t given us any indication they’re using guns. But what if you approach them mid-robbery and they pull a gun on you? Again, we want to catch these crooks with minimal loss of lives or people getting hurt.”
Before Frank could retort, Lily broke in. “Frank, please take a seat.” She touched his shoulder and motioned to his chair. “We’re very fortunate tonight to have a member of Boston Police Department here to answer questions. Detective Jace Delfino, please continue.”
Lily beamed at me and motioned for me to take over the center position at the front of the room. She sat down next to Frank, and the asshole smirked at me when he put his arm around the back of her chair, landing his hand on her shoulder. I really needed to find out what the deal was between them.
With all eyes on me, to serve and protect was where I excelled. Although I wore a dark blue turtleneck with the B.P.D. embroidered in white on the collar and a sports jacket over it, like a shield hiding my scars, I called forth my intimidating ways, and stood strong.
“Thanks. And first, Lily, you’ve done an excellent job organizing this meeting and pulling together the community for this cause. My colleagues on the force are doing all they can to investigate. Folks, you want to protect your businesses, and your livelihoods. But you can’t control the bad guys. What are the things you can control? Yourselves, your surroundings. . .”
I was in my element, a leader, recalling my military training. In these situations, I used my scars like a tool, like proof I’d survived the worst and could handle anything, even all the people staring at me. I continued for a few minutes, sharing the best practices that I knew could help these shop owners.
As I wrapped up my speech, I stared hard in Frank’s direction. “And please don’t take matters into your own hands if you happen upon a robbery. We don’t want any of you harmed by these people because, remember, we cannot control the bad guys. Questions?”
Several hands shot up, and Lily helped call upon the people. I answered all questions as best I could and deferred anything else to contact the police department.
After the meeting, Analise took orders for the security systems while Lily and I answered more questions as people left. Frank hung back talking to a few of the shop owners, but always his beady eyes watched Lily.
Seeing how she handled herself boldly and confidently by my side, I have to admit it was a turn on. It occurred to me how tonight we presented a unified front, like a team. Or a power couple? I’d never been a part of something like that, but she and I would make a good one. I could do without Frank butting in, though.
When the last of the crowd left, Lily exclaimed success. “We did it!” She, Analise, and I shared high fives all around. “Fifteen orders, and possibly more by the deadline next week. We’ll get the max purchasing discounts for sure. And, everyone signed on for the Community Watch.”
Analise wrung her hands. “I’d say it was successful. I still worry though.” It was a good thing Lily took the lead between them.
I shared a look with Lily. “Listen, we didn’t want to say anything in front of everyone, but I’m moving into the apartment above Lily’s shop. I’m doing some remodeling on the side for her, but it also means I’ll be monitoring the street when I can.”
Frank came up then. “What’s this? You’re moving in? Lily, you didn’t tell me.”
She scoffed. “I didn’t know I had to tell you everything about my life.”
“Oh my. Our own police officer on our block protecting us?” Analise covered her heart with a hand and beamed at me, and if I wasn’t mistaken, she batted her eyelashes as well.
“Please keep this to yourselves. To everyone else, I’m simply a casual resident on the street. I don’t want people coming up to me expecting more.”
“Oh, of course. It’ll be our little secret.” She reached out and touched my arm.
“Lily, a word, please?” Frank pulled her a few yards away, and I kept my eye on them while I helped Analise pack. He spoke animatedly to her and then put his hand on her arm. She brushed him away and spat back at him with words I wish I could have heard. My hands balled up. In my head, I dared Frank to touch her one more time. It’d be the last time he’d try. Instead, he sulked away and left.
One of Analise’s daughters tugged at her sleeve, ready to leave. “Yes, sweetie, it’s time to go. It’s been a long day and a late night. Lily, we’ll stay in touch, okay? Nice to meet you, Detective.”
&nb
sp; When Lily drove us back to her shop, I could finally relax and let down my guard.
“Well, Detective Delfino, you certainly made an impression on the neighborhood . . . and Analise.”
I glanced at her. Was that a spot of jealousy I detected? “No, you did Lily. The way you shared information and made your case to the public like that? You made an impression on me.”
“You mean the quick lawyer training Maddie gave me at home this week might have helped? She made me practice commanding a room like I was running a trial.” Her chuckle was the first I heard from her all week. With the meeting over, she might finally relax.
“Maybe, but honestly, it was all you up there, all your passion and going after what you need in life.”
“Well, growing up with Simon who got all the attention, for obvious medical reasons, I guess I’ve always had to fight for what I needed.”
“Yeah, about that. You said it was an accident?” I saw an entry to dive deeper into her history and the detective in me pursued it, needing more answers to the mystery of Lily.
“Simon was ten, I was twelve. My parents were arguing in the front seat, which wasn’t unusual for them. My dad didn’t see a truck had run a red light until he was at the intersection. It slammed into our driver’s side. Simon lost the use of his legs. I had scratches, bruises, and a concussion, but we survived. My parents weren’t so lucky.” The way she quietly recited everything so matter-of-factly sounded like a speech she had rehearsed and given a hundred times.
“I’m sorry to hear.”
“It seems so long ago, and like it was someone else’s life. When I think back, it’s like their faces have disappeared. The sound of their voices faded. I can’t really remember details, but I recall their constant arguing. They must have been like oil and water.”