Chapter Four
Libra
God.I love what I do.I really, sincerely, love it.And I realize how lucky I am because of that.Lots of people do shit jobs to make ends meet, to feed their families, all that.I appreciate that I get to do this.Like now.It’s nine at night and I’m in the most beautiful house, or it will be when I’m done, listening to music and painting the walls in what used to be a sitting room, or as we call rooms like this, a formal living room.
Humming along to the music, I hear a knock on the door.“Come in.”I’m not expecting anyone.It could be Bella.I told her I was going to work late tonight.
“Hey, Lou.”
Turning my head, I see it’s not Bella.“Finn?Hey.”Finnegan Manning is a friend of mine.He grew up here as well and graduated two or three years before me.He’s also the sheriff here.Setting my paintbrush down, I turn to face him as I wipe some of the paint from my hands onto my jeans and ask, “What’s up?”
Finn’s standing inside the door.He’s got his hands on his hips and his head down.I’m not sure why, but for some reason I feel a little nervous about this visit.
“Is everything okay?My dad?”I mean, I’ve got my phone on me.If something were wrong….
“How long you been painting?”
I glance down at my phone at the time.“A couple of hours.”I smile.“What do you think of the color?”
There’s nothing over the top about my color choice, but I’ve never gone with this shade of yellow before.A second opinion is always nice.
“Yellow.”He nods.“Looks nice.”
“Technically it’s called buttercup.”It’s a soft yellow—neutral.It’ll look good with furniture and decor.
“I had a call.”
Here we go.
“Don’t tell me… Mona?”
“She called on behalf of her tenant.”He uses his thumb to gesture to the window.The window that overlooks the little bungalow to the north of this place.“Her ‘tenant’”—he uses air quotes—“is complaining about the light.”
I stare at Finn.Then, I look up at the ceiling.“That light?”I point at the small fixture that has been there since the house was built.At least that’s my guess.It’s old and not super effective.But it’s enough for me to see what I’m doing.
He rolls his eyes and sighs.“Apparently.Also, the music.”
I’m suddenly incensed.I point to the small radio I’ve got plugged into the wall.It’s an ancient one my dad used to use when he did construction work.Nowadays he works part-time at the hardware store when he’s not helping me with finish carpentry, thanks to his bad back.I look down at the old radio.Hell, it’s even got a dial on it, and I’ve got to work at it to get anything to come in clear enough.“That thing doesn’t even get loud enough to hear it from here to the kitchen.”
I growl.“In order for her to hear that music, she had to be right next to that window.”I point to the large window that looks out onto the side yard and her tenant’s place.I growl again.“I knew she’s been too quiet.”It’s been a week and a half since the city council meeting.I guess she’s decided to find a new approach.“You’ve got to be kidding me.”I rub my hands over my face.I’m sure there’s going to be paint there now but whatever.“What are they gonna do when someone lives here?Is he gonna call the police because the people that live here want the lights on in the evening?What if they want to watch television?This is effing ridiculous.”
Finn frowns and lifts one shoulder.“She’s got a hard-on for you and I don’t know why.”
“I don’t either.I really don’t.Well, other than the fact that she’s pissed she didn’t get this house.”There’s also a story around town that Mona and my mom didn’t get along.At all.They were rivals in high school, apparently, and since my mom isn’t around anymore, it’s my job to take the brunt of Mona’s animosity.At least that’s one theory.
Nothing I can do about that.
“And you don’t seem to take her shit.”He chuckles.“She likes obedient subjects.”
“She doesn’t like you either.”I smile, finally.
“For the same reason.I don’t jump through hoops for her.And, ordinarily, I would’ve ignored her call, except I wanted an excuse to talk to you.”
I blink a few times.“You did?”He did?I take a moment to look at our sheriff and a little flutter happens in my belly.I’ve always had a crush on the guy, I mean, who wouldn’t?He looks exactly like a guy named Finnegan should, with reddish hair and a few freckles on his face, except he’s built like a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers.The guy works out all the time, and he runs.I know this because I see him on my way to Bella’s shop almost every day.I’d say he eats healthy too, except, according to Bella, he gets his breakfast there Monday through Saturday.
I swear to you, Finn blushes.“I, uh, wanted to ask you about Bella.”
Of course, he did.
