“Yeah, he came out when I met them at their house. Why?”
“He’s the one giving Lila a hard time,” I say, leaning in a bit to keep my voice lower.
“I can still hear you,” Lila says, folding her arms over her chest. “Did you tell Max I got suspended?”
Max gives a soft smile. “She just said you had some trouble with a kid at school.”
“Just know, that if you try anything, I know karate.”
Max’s expression is somber but I can’t hold back, letting out a loud laugh.
He turns to look at me, as if I’d help him understand. His eyes are somewhat pleading, the gold flecks more prominent.
“I think I missed something,” he says raising an eyebrow.
“Lila took a full year of karate, but her skills look more like a fire dance than self-defense.”
“Hey, you’re not supposed to be telling secrets to a future felon,” Lila says.
I turn to Max and we both laugh. It feels good to have something to laugh at and someone who can enjoy in the little quips Lila comes up with.
“What do you suppose your crime will be, Max? Breaking and entering?” I say with a grin.
His look is playful, and something loosens in my chest, almost like a wall is breaking down. Not for him, of course, but a sort of healing taking place.
“That sounds plausible.” We stare at each other for a moment longer, and I feel my smile drop a bit. It’s not a connection I feel with him, is it? It’s just that I haven’t really interacted with a guy younger than twenty years my senior since Curt left.
I try to return to the original conversation, hoping it will push down some of the buzz running through my body right now. “Okay, I communicate with a Richard Farley. I think his email says he’s from outside Penrose Beach.”
“Would you mind if I take a look at one of his emails?” Max asks.
He takes a small step forward, and I catch a hint of hiscologne. It’s more of a deep ocean scent, and I’m drawn to it more than I should be.
I open my email and search for the property manager. At least I hope he’s the manager.
I scroll to the bottom where the contact information is, and Max pulls out his phone, taking a picture of it.
“Okay, I’ll contact Richard and get things figured out there. Then I’ll get a contractor in to work on the rest of the apartments.”
“Rusty’s not the one to trust with a project like this,” I add.
Not that I know Rusty more than the two times I ran into him in town. I’m not sure if he even came to the jobsite more than once, sending a crew to do things. I’m not attacking him personally. Just his ability to execute a construction project on time.
Max glances around again. “I’d agree with that. I just received a bunch of ‘progress pictures’ that he sent in, and he only changed the angle of your apartment to make it look like they were different apartments getting done.” He runs a hand through his short hair and looks up at me. “Do you know any contractors who could take this on?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Before summer? No chance. I’ve only been here a few months, but Steve and Burt have been nonstop since February.”
“Can I get their number?”
“You can, but I wouldn’t count on them having time.”
He rubs his hands over his face. “What is it with this town and summer?”
“It’s tourist season. Everything revolves around it, or so I’ve been told.”
Max looks at me, as if trying to put the puzzle pieces together in his head. “So everyone preps for months…for what? Three months?”
“Pretty much. That’s when everything’s full and the beach is packed.”
