"No, not in terms of man hours or money. The fact that it was attacked at all is scary, though. But who would have done it, Luke? I talked to quite a few angry people, but they didn't seem like arsonists. Not that I know what an arsonist seems like, but I don't imagine them as in their seventies, which the people who were complaining to me mostly were."
"Tom Barlow and Arthur Lowell?"
Sabrina startled, then made a face. "So it's not just me they were complaining to, huh?"
"They were the opposing team when the town had a council meeting about the railroad, yeah. They're old families in Virtue, although so is Sam Todd, who has been one of the movers and shakers behind it all."
"I met him! Sam and Lola. They were wonderful. In fact, the whole reason I'm here is through them, because he was in contact with some people higher up in the Gladiator organization—that's my architecture company, Gladiator Architecture, but they're a tiny offshoot of a much bigger foundation." Sabrina took Luke's hand and drew him out of the old Victorian house, making sure to close the door behind them before slowly heading back toward town as they talked. "Someone higher up in the organization reached out to the firm and suggested we put in a bid for the train station.Oh."
She stopped dead, staring up at Luke. "Do you think somebody up thereknew? About what Virtue really is? Do you think they got involved to keep everything in some kind of secret shifter inner circle? No," she said almost as suddenly. "They wouldn't have given me the project then, would they? Because I didn't know about shifters before…well. Yesterday."
Luke opened his mouth and shut it again, looking off toward the north where Sam Todd's estate lay. "Samisa fox shifter…"
Sabrina squeaked with excitement. "Maybe thatisit, then. Oh my God. Wouldn't it be cool if there were people high up in the organization who were secretly protecting and helping shifters? How would I find out? I can't exactly just go up and ask people. Can I?"
Luke snickered. "What would you ask them, anyway? 'Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to turn into a wolf in your spare time, would you?' But no, you can't. Secrecy, you know." They fell into step together again, passing the old quiet buildings between Luke's dream house and the library. "We do recognize each other, though."
"Shifters do? How? Can I learn to do it?"
"I don't know," Luke said, surprised. "Most of it is scent, which you probably can't pick up. I'm not sure if there's anything true humans can recognize."
"Rats. Although now I'm going to be trying, you know. You said there's a lot of shifters in Virtue. Am I allowed to ask you whoisone?"
Luke wobbled a hand. "We're not really supposed to out each other, although we're also allowed to tell our mates, because we know you're implicitly trustworthy."
"Nobody is implicitly trustworthy, Luke," Sabrina said wryly.
"But fated mates are," he replied just as simply. "You wouldn't be our mates if you weren't. Part of it is the safety of knowing our mates would never betray us, even accidentally."
"There's a lot of magic in your world, isn't there." Sabrina sounded wistful. "That's pretty wonderful."
"The magic is in your world now, too," Luke promised. "Now, have I distracted you enough, or do I need to introduce you to the librarian, since we're here? You'll like her."
"That sounds great. I—" Sabrina's phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket, glancing at the caller name. "It's Tiffany, I'd better take it. Honestly, I should probably get back to the site—" She answered the phone, and from her half of the conversation it was clear she'd be heading back to the site soon.
Luke found himself wishing he could fold her and her entire project into his arms protectively. Obviously it didn't work that way, but he wanted to be able to anyway. When she hung up, Sabrina glanced up at him with a funny smile. "What's that expression about?"
"You're impressive, that's what. I think it was good for you to step away from the site for a little while, but you seem to have gotten your feet right back under you, and it's impressive. I'm glad I'm here to see it, even if I wish you hadn't had your feet knocked out from under you in the first place."
Sabrina's eyes glittered dangerously for a moment. "Yeah, well, if they think a little arson is going to scare me off, they've got another think coming. This project meant a lot to mebeforeit led me to meeting the love of my life, so no way am I just going to tuck my tail and run. I do have to get back, though," she said with more regret than fire. "And I might not make that lunch date after all, given everything. Maybe dinner?"
"I could cook for you, if you wanted?"
"Oh my God." Sabrina lit up. "I forgot you said you cook. You are the best fake-turned-real boyfriend who has ever existed. Can I just give you my apartment keys? Is that too weird?"
Luke grinned. "I don't know if we're at 'exchanging apartment keys' yet, so I'll give them back. How's that?"
"Perfect." Sabrina handed him her keys, stole a kiss, and then hurried off toward work.
CHAPTER 21
Sabrina was a focused, job-oriented woman accustomed to juggling a dozen and one tasks at any given moment of any given day, and yet she was certain she had never had such an incredibly long, detailed, and exhausting day as today. The only respite had been the hour she'd stolen with Luke that morning, and now, on the other end of the day, she wasn't at all sure she would have made it through if it hadn't been for that little moment of peace in what were otherwise the most stressful and chaotic hours of her career so far. One of the construction workers offered her a lift home, and even though it was only a few blocks, Sabrina accepted the offer gratefully.
She hadn't precisely forgotten Luke had offered to cook for her, or that she'd given him her keys. She still patted her pockets for them, then, shaking her head, knocked on her own apartment door.
Luke opened it a few seconds later, decked out in Sabrina's own favorite pink apron. She laughed, and on the laugh, said, "Oh my God, that smells amazing," as the scent of whatever he had cooking hit her. "I think I love you." That, like the earlier discussion of kids, wasquitean escalation, and she'd meant itplayfully, but as soon as the words were out, Sabrina thought she may well have meant them.
After a heartbeat of looking like a stunned ox—or, Sabrina guessed, a stunned bunny—Luke's smile flooded his face. "I think I love you too." He got out of the way so she could come in, though she stopped long enough to give him a quick kiss on the way past. He closed the door behind her, and as Sabrina dropped into the couch with a groan, Luke produced a glass of rosé wine from a bottle she'd had in the cupboard. "I didn't know if you'd want one, but it seemed like you might after today."
