“I love that dress. I think it’s a winner.”
“Thanks so much, sweetie. I hope Diego likes it too.”
“I’m sure he will. And I can’t wait to meet him.”
“Oh, he can’t wait to meet everyone too. Gabriella said Antonio has a whole list of questions that he’s going to grill him with.”
Dawn chuckled. “If there is anything I know about the Fierro family, it’s that they look after their own.”
“They do indeed. But I’m sure Diego is up to the task, being a retired San Juan firefighter and all.”
“I’m sure it’s going to be a lively night.”
Annette chuckled as they said their goodbyes.
“I don’t know what Mom and Dad will do if Annette marries Diego,” Luca said, picking up Dawn’s glass and taking a sip. “They love having her living with them.”
“Well, I’ve never seen Gran so happy in my life. She never had a chance really. This is completely new for her, and she’s loving being courted by a gentleman. She wants to take it slow and appreciate it.”
“Annette deserves all the happiness in the world.” Luca wrapped his arms back around Dawn and kissed the tip of her nose. “And so do you.”
“Well, I’ve got my knight in shining armor already. What more could I ask for?”
Annette was living with Gabriella and Antonio outside the city and had met Diego at a seniors’ center in downtown San Juan. Antonio used to drive her there, but now her sweetie picked her up.
They’d been dating for the past month, and Annette was over the moon. Dawn was so happy for her grandmother. She was equally happy for her mom, Lissie, who was set for early parole. Her mom had become a model inmate and had a job lined up in Boston after she got out. She would be living in a halfway house and helping to counsel former drug addicts. Dawn was proud of her mom. She hoped that one day, Lissie could move to Puerto Rico too, but baby steps. Her mom had her own path to follow.
“I’ve got some news about our PI biz,” Luca said.
“Oh? What’s up?”
“Well, while you were working your karmic magic with your new client at Karma Cleaners, I got a phone call from the Foundation Against Human Trafficking. They want us to look into another case. A ring that’s kidnapping girls from Haiti and bringing them here then to Miami.”
Dawn shook her head. “That’s horrible.”
“I want to get these bastards.”
“We will. We caught everyone who hid Mandy, didn’t we?”
“We did at that.”
Dawn was so proud of Luca. Since he’d decided to quit the police force and set up his own private investigation business, they’d been working with nonprofit groups who partnered with law enforcement to find missing children and women who were victims of violent crime. He was still using techniques he’d learned in college while majoring in criminal justice.
So far, between Dawn’s visions and Luca’s phoenix abilities, they had located five girls. It wasn’t huge money, but they didn’t have to worry. Her salary from Karma Cleaners was more than enough, and Dawn’s life couldn’t be more fulfilling.
She spent half her day at the new location of Karma Cleaners in downtown San Juan and then the evenings working with Luca. Sometimes weekends too. But she didn’t mind. As long as they were together, she was happy.
And if she couldn’t get around to shopping or cooking, Gabriella and Annette made sure their fridge was always stocked and they knew they were always welcome to a meal and a visit. Between those two mother hens and Antonio’s new wine-making business, the elders were happy too.
After so many years of being alone with only her grandmother, Dawn was lapping up all the attention from the big family around her. She adored Luca’s family, the noisiness, the laughter, the camaraderie. Luca shook his head at her when she told him that. But his eyes sparkled with joy just the same.
“Tell me about your new client,” Luca said, pulling her onto their balcony and sitting down on their comfy chaise.
She sighed and relaxed against him. She would never get tired of the view of the Atlantic Ocean. It truly was paradise.
Luca’s brothers had been hard at work helping to rebuild the devastated areas of the island after the hurricanes. Luca and Dawn often took part in volunteer fundraisers and events to help the hardest-hit communities. Luca donated his labor anytime he was free to do so.
Meanwhile, Antonio’s wine-making business was taking off, and part of the profits were donated to hurricane relief charities.
