For Auld Lang Syne (Navy Book 1)

Chapter 5

Devon had just begun to wash the soap out of her hair when the lights went out. Muttering an oath, she quickly finished rinsing her hair and then wrapped it in a towel as she reached for her pink satin robe. Pink was not a color she could wear in the real world because of her red hair so she only wore it in her lingerie.

The apartment, which she had lucked into, was perfect in design and looks, but the plumbing and the electrical needed some serious work. She had one half of the bottom portion of an old Victorian home with a sweeping porch and French windows that opened onto it, hardwood floors, two fireplaces, transoms, and pocket doors which all added to the beauty of the building. The kitchen had been recently remodeled as had the bathrooms but there was still some work that needed to be done on the old home.

Devon had settled into her job as a Navy Psychologist specializing in reading body language and facial expressions easily enough, but she had had a hard time finding a place to live. She had been bunking with her former roommate from college, Nina Maxwell, who owned a bar, Shotskies, but she knew that it wasn't going to be a permanent solution. Then she had gotten lucky.

Devon helped Nina by bartending when she was shorthanded, something she was well versed in since she had done it all through college, and one night Josh's friend, Will, had come into the bar. At first, Devon had been on edge, waiting for Josh to come in behind him, but it never happened. Will was a regular at Shotskies and everyone knew him. He had overheard a conversation between Devon and Nina, where Devon had been telling her about the woes of apartment hunting, and he mentioned this wonderful little apartment that he knew about.

Devon had been skeptical, but it was being leased through a registered agent and it was all above board, so she had taken a look and immediately fallen in love. The only issues, she later found out, was the electrical and plumbing. Granted, more issues could present themselves over the next few months as fall turned into winter, but only time would tell.

She had already learned that the electrical panel was on the bottom floor in the hallway, so tightening her belt on her robe she grabbed her flashlight aiming it at the floor, but as soon as she stepped out into the hallway she ran into a very broad chest and let out a little squeak of alarm before sending her flashlight beam up and highlighting a face she knew very well.

"Josh!" She saw a mass behind him and changed the direction of the beam of light. It landed on another man standing behind him. It was hard to tell, but he looked like he had dark hair and light eyes and he was just as tall as Josh.

When she turned her light back to Josh it was to see him frowning. "What are you doing here Devon?" He was calm but not happy about the coincidence.

"Well, it's nice to see you too, and I live here." She flashed her light at the open door behind her. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here too," Josh said over his shoulder as he moved to the electrical closet and opened the door. "What on earth do you have plugged in at your place?"

Devon's heart was jumping around erratically as she watched Josh's tall form bend itself into the little space beneath the stairs. She was glad the lights were out so that her overheated and excited face wasn't evident. Josh seemed to be taking the surprise very calmly so the least she could do was the same.

"Just the regular stuff. Would you like me to fix it? If I remember correctly, fixing things was never your strong suit." Devon was remembering an incident that involved her Easy-Bake oven and a small fire.

Josh shot her a look over his shoulder that would kill a lesser woman, but Devon knew him too well to let it quell her, and she gave him a sweet smile in return.