Page 26 of Slippery When Wet

“Really?”

“Yeah. I usually have it rented out, but it's empty right now,” I repeated even though she knew that. “It was an investment.” I kept sounding like the worlds lamest middle-aged man.

“Investments are smart,” she noted before sitting down on the grass. I could have easily stayed where I was across from her, but fuck, I couldn’t. She was like my very own siren. I walked over and sat next to her, enjoying the shade and cool breeze. “There is this place on Main Street right off the boardwalk I’ve been thinking about buying,” she shared, and I had a feeling this wasn’t something anyone in her life knew about.

“You have?” That surprised me. “For you to live in or?—“

“I don’t know. I mean, I could. It’s a building. The shop on the first floor used to be a yarn store back in the day, but it’s empty. It’s been empty for years.” She paused and then kept sharing. “I talked to my friend Susie, you know, the girl from the Aquatic Center?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, she and I, we’ve been friends since high school. I think it would be good for us to do it.”

“It’s smart. That building is a three-story, right?”

“Right,” she whispered, looking at me through new eyes.

“I’ve seen it.”

“You have?” I nodded.

“It doesn’t need much. The biggest thing is getting someone to fix that elevator, but other than that, all the renovations it needs are cosmetic. Some paint, and the floors would need to be cleaned. The carpets, too, unless you wanted to pull them up and put in new floors or tiles.”

“You sound like you’ve done this more than a couple of times.” She pointed at the white with red bricked Spanish-style home behind her.

“Maybe.” I shrugged and shared a little more. “I own a couple of the white and blue condos over by the beach, by the pier.” She stared at me but didn’t say anything. “I didn’t come from money. My mom and dad lived paycheck to paycheck. We had what we needed, but I’ve seen them struggle when emergencies hit. Anyhow, my older brother, Adam?—"

“Your brother’s name is Adam?”

“Yeah.”

“Are all your siblings A names?” I chuckled.

“Yup. My mom was kinda nutty that way.”

“I like it,” she whispered softly.

“Good.” Suddenly, a vision of little ones running around us popped in my head. Little kids with her dark eyes and bright smile. All of them with the same initial for a first name. “Anyhow,”—I cleared my throat—“Adam talked my dad into buying this house that I swear to god was falling apart. But Adam had big plans, and my dad went along with it. Adam worked construction, and my dad was an electrician, so they were able to do most of the work themselves. Not to mention me, my youngest brother, and two sisters and mom, well, we all pitched in where we could. They fixed it up and flipped it. Then did it all over again two more times. Then Adam talked my dad into keeping it. Renting it out. It made a huge difference to how my parents lived and how we grew up. By the time my little sister went to college, they didn’t have to worry about tuition. Not that they were swimming in it, because college costs a whack, but they were comfortable enough to be able to help her out and still live comfortably. Instead of stressed out when the washing machine broke down. Ya know?”

“Yeah.” She nodded.

“So, I learned and invested in shit. Created a nest egg in case one day…”

“What?”

“I was SEAL, Abby. Single and getting up there age-wise. I knew the money I saved was either going to be in case I met someone—" My eyes never wavered from hers because I knew I’d done just that.

“Or?”

“Or it was going to be split between my siblings and parents if something happened to me.” Her hand immediately found mine, and she leaned against me, her head on my shoulder. And fuck me, that silent sweet gesture tugged at my heartstrings.

Heartstrings I hadn’t known I had before her.

“I’m really glad nothing happened to you, Abel.”

“Me too, princess. Me too.” I kissed the top of her head. Her dark hair was hot to the touch, and she smelled like sunshine and honey. “Okay, let me put this stuff away, and we can head out to the beach to get that bonfire started, okay?” I stood up, and she followed. We worked side by side getting my stuff together. I was almost ready to haul the shit to the truck when I noticed the way she was eyeing the pool

“You know… there are no cameras here.”