“You learn to drive in a city?”
“My psych program was in Palo Alto. You do not survive California traffic unless you know how to thread a needle with a bumper. And before that, I rebuilt my first car. Old thing. 2001 Civic. Barely held together.” She smiles. “Taught me patience.”
I turn fully toward her. “You rebuilt a car.”
“Well, someone had to. The foster family I lived with that year had three kids already, and I needed wheels. I needed a way to get to school. So. Yeah, I rebuilt it.”
I stare at her, completely wrecked in the best way. That is it. That is the moment. Right here, under the Brooklyn Bridge, in the passenger seat of my own car, watching her drive. This is the second I fall for her. Hard. No going back. And the crazy part is…She drives like she already knows.
As she turnsdown Koa’s road, I shoot him a quick message that we are close.
When we pull into the driveway, one of the garage doors lifts.
“Pull right in there,” I nod.
She gives me a look. “Into Koa’s garage?”
“Koa and Nalani’s, yeah. I am leaving it here while I am out of town. The garage I lease from does not have the space I want until next month. Koa offered this up.”
She eases the Urus into the bay as if she were born driving this car.
The interior lights flick on, and Koa steps out into the garage, arms crossed, smirk already loaded.
He whistles low. “Well, look at that. Claudia is in the driver’s seat of your expensive midlife crisis.”
I try not to smile and fail. “It is not a midlife crisis.”
“Huh.” He walks around to the front, eyeing the matte black paint. “Had to be Italian. You could not just buy a normal SUV like the rest of us mortals.”
Before I can fire something back, Claudia is out of the car with Savannah in her arms, tucking her into her shoulder.
Koa’s expression softens instantly. “Hey, little one.” He grins at Claudia. “Nalani is inside. Kitchen. Surrounded by stuff.”
“Stuff?” Claudia asks.
“Photos. So many photos.”
Claudia smiles. “Good. I will go help her sort.”
She heads inside, Savannah curled against her, and I watch her go for a second too long.
Koa nudges me. “You....”
I sway the conversation from where he’s trying to lead it. “Dreading sitting on my ass in a hotel tomorrow, yeah.”
“So, Paul is good?” Koa asks.
“Good as he can be. The move drained him, then the meeting with the lawyer for the lease.” I run a hand over the back of my neck. “We will need to start the demo next week. He has contractors lined up from the list I gave him.”
“What is the plan for the layout?” Koa opens the back door and jerks his head for me to follow.
Nalani answers from where she’s perched on the massive kitchen island, sitting amongst the photo albums, “First floor will match exactly what Patsy had. Down to the wallpaper if we can find it.” She nods to Claudia, “Her idea.”
Koa nods slowly. “Respect.”
“The second floor will be Claudia’s place. Full renovation. New wiring. New plumbing. All of it.”
“And the upper floors?” I ask.
