Turn of the Pipes (A Redpoint One Romance) (16 page)

"Pipe, within the hour. I'm not sure about the
hole in the floor. I'll get back to you," Rachel said.

"Get to it. Let me know if you need
help."

Rachel hopped into the hole, glad to be out of
the line of fire. Robots appeared, carrying the new pipe section.
Others began to lift up damaged floor sections. With the added
noise, she didn't have to hear about anyone complaining about her
and her work.

Robots lifted away the broken pipe. Balanced
on another pipe, she kneeled down to look inside the pipe fittings.
Still pristine metal, with no corrosion marring the inside. It
didn't make sense. What caused the problem in the first
place?

"Need the probe," Rachel said, reaching
upwards with a hand.

She was handed the probe, but by a warm hand
and not the metal of her bot. She looked up to find Ignacio on the
other side of the probe.

He shrugged. "I thought you might need help.
I've never seen you at work before."

For some reason it made her feel
self-conscious. "Nothing special about a plumber."

"Maybe not a regular plumber, but you're not
one. Not here on Redpoint One."

Rachel started snaking the probe deep into the
next length of pipe to make sure there were not other problems.
"Good point. Don't forget dealing with exotic animals."

"Be honest. That doesn't happen very
often."

Rachel grinned up at him. "Irvine does seem to
be unique in that regard."

"See any other problems?"

Rachel turned her attention back to the probe,
studying the images displayed at the end. As with the previous
break, the location of the failure had been isolated. Going to the
other pipe fitting revealed it to also be in perfect
shape.

Rachel handed up the probe and leaned against
the lip of the opening of the floor. "I don't get it. Did I tell
you about the break before we met that could have killed
me?"

Rachel immediately regretted mentioning it in
such a way when his face paled. She reached out to tug at the
bottom hem of his pants. "Relax, my bot was watching out for me, as
was Redpoint One."

"I didn't think being a plumber could be
dangerous," Ignacio said, running his hand through his hair. Did he
even know he had the habit?

"Not often." She reached out for the next tool
her bot handed her. She waved it at him. "No excuses to back out of
the date. I will not take no for an answer."

Before she ducked down to start getting the
joints ready for the new pipe length, she saw Arthur leave the
close huddle of the Exotic Pet Show and start heading towards
her.

Ignacio saw it, as well, saying,
"Incoming."

"Arthur I can handle. He knows what goes into
repairs." Rachel ducked down to run the tool around the exposed
edges of the pipe to get them ready for the new seals.

She popped back up just in time for Arthur to
arrive. It also happened to be the same time the larger robots
decided it was time to settle the new pipe into place. Rachel
scrambled to get the seals in place.

With the seals in place, it became too crowded
for Rachel to remain in the hole. She walked across several pipes
to the edge of the hole. Ignacio held out a hand, helping her up
the steep side. Her bot circled around them as they stepped out of
the way of the larger robots.

"What's the damage, Boss," Rachel
asked.

"Very unhappy committee, not that I blame
them. I spotted the damaged pipe on the way in," Arthur said. "It
had the same type of damage as the prior break."

"Would this break be the one you mentioned
before," Ignacio asked, to which she nodded.

"Damien just now found a similar one down
below in the life-support system," Arthur said.

"Not water? In this same general area?" Rachel
asked. In a way she was glad it wasn't only her department
affected, but the new development meant no system was safe. "Any
idea why?"

"Not yet. Tish is helping him. I'm hoping she
can get a feel for the reasons."

"I'm not reassured by any of this," Ignacio
said, running another hand through his hair.

"Trust me, I'm not, either," Rachel
said.

"None of us are," Arthur said, settling his
attention on Rachel. "This show needs to happen. Sorry, but we're
going into forced overtime."

"Days and hours?" Rachel asked, realizing she
most likely didn't have a weekend now.

"You got it. We go through every system in
this area. Every pipe, every conduit. We make sure it's ready for
the show," Arthur said.

Rachel's heart sank. She knew the reason for
it, but it meant one bad thing. Her free time had just disappeared,
which meant no dates with Ignacio. With how gun-shy he'd become,
would this mean she'd lost him for good?

So, just to remind him, she added, "I was
intending next Wednesday night. If I get this done in time, it's
still on."

It pleased her that he didn't try to argue. He
only gave a sheepish grin and nodded.

Arthur looked between the two of them, and
then while staring Rachel down, he pointed at Ignacio and demanded,
"This is the one who ruined the dress?"

CHAPTER
THIRTEEN

THE DEMAND OF the head of the maintenance department for
Ignacio's version of the dress fiasco should have been enough to
keep him away. Far away. Arthur Getty was obviously protective of
his employees in both work and personal.

The continuing memories of his dead wife
should have been sufficient all on its own. Instead, he found
Rachel's laugh reminding him of Marci. How she loved to laugh, even
while working hard. Of Marcie telling him to never forget the joys
of life.

Instead, Ignacio lived at the fair grounds
over the next few days. There was still plenty to organize and see
to. He ended up volunteering to help Paul with a few small projects
as another excuse to stay at the fair grounds as much as possible.
Not to help the fair, he admitted to himself, but for the chance to
see Rachel during the daytime. Loving the small glimpses he caught
of her.

On the upside, he finished the last few things
in the building he oversaw well before the first few show animals
arrived. The animal owners expressed their pleasure at the upgraded
enclosures and environmental systems, making all the extra time
worth it. All while running back and forth to see to his own
animals. In the process, he got a good workout, and congratulated
himself on getting a lot done.

And Paul wasn't fooled for a
moment.

"You really have it bad," Paul said, punching
his arm as he walked by.

"I always want the show to do well," Ignacio
said, giving him a sour glare.

"Not what I meant, and you know it." Paul set
down a tablet computer on the volunteer desk and picked up another
one. "More new arrivals. If you want a second date, you better get
it on before we're all too busy to sleep."

Ignacio chose to ignore him, turning back to
focus on figuring out how to fit in two new exhibits. Emergency
requests to be included in the show happened every year, but this
year he was finding it harder than usual to find room. There were
simply too many signed up, and not the normal amount of last minute
cancellations.

Paul was not to be put off. He stopped next to
him, whispering obnoxiously loud, "She's watching you as much as
you're watching her."

Ignacio scowled at him. "Okay, that's
enough."

Paul grinned, backing out the door. "Take my
advice. Make it soon."

The comment should have made him furious. He
didn't like interference is his personal life, but instead he
followed Paul out of the temporary on-site offices of the Pet Show
to see whether he could spot Rachel as she worked on the pipes.
Maybe he could catch her watching him.

Instead, he ran into three older women. The
center bleach-blond one stepped forward, dressed in the most fancy
ornate overalls he'd ever seen, with all the seams studded with
lines of rhinestones. "Sorry to bother you, but might you be
Ignacio Manetti?"

"Breeder of Newts?" the woman with dark
silvery-gray hair added.

Ignacio didn't know why he suddenly broke out
in a sweat. Many on the station knew about him, including what he
bred and the many organizations he worked with. The women appeared
friendly enough. Yet, he was suddenly wary, as if he were in some
sort of trouble.

He cleared his throat. "Yes, that would be me.
Need advice on a pet?"

The silvery-gray woman giggled. "Of a
sort."

"Quick question," the center woman said.
"Lasagna or pizza?"

He knew he was frowning, but he couldn't help
it. What a ridiculous question, but he knew many pet owners
humanized their pets. Usually to the pet's harm. "Neither. Most
newts will eat aquatic animals and insects. What particular type
are we talking about?"

The silvery-gray woman laughed. The
brown-haired woman finally spoke up. "No, we're talking about you
as a human."

"Lasagna or pizza? Which do you prefer?" the
first woman asked again.

"Lasagna. What is this about?" Ignacio
asked.

"What did I tell you, girls? I was right," the
brown-haired woman said. "More the formal type."

The center one scrunched her face, revealing
lines telling him she did it often. She then smiled at both women.
"Okay, now we know. Shall we?"

"Thank you for your time," the second woman
said.

With that, all three turned and disappeared
among the activity on the fairgrounds. Ignacio stood in the same
place staring after them, the small computer held limply in one
hand.

He felt like he'd been steamrolled.

***

"Sometimes I wonder when he has time to take care
of the newts," Rachel said to Tish as she loaded her supply cart
one morning. "Every time I turn around, there he is."

"On the other hand, he is one of the main
organizers and consultants on the pet show. It really could be
coincidence," Tish said. "You know, with the types of failures that
have been happening lately, I'm starting to think I need a supply
cart, too."

"Ask your bots. I'm sure there are extras
around here somewhere." Rachel dropped a valve into a storage
compartment in the cart. Then she stared at it, gnawing on a lip.
"Thing is, even though he's always there, he doesn't come up and
talk to me."

"You've been really busy, too. I'm sure he
sees that," Tish said. She slipped on her belt and came to stand
next to Rachel's cart. "Worried about him trying to break up with
you again?"

"He really has bad widower's guilt," Rachel
said.

"Then go up to him, instead."

Rachel grinned. "As you said, I'm busy, too.
Every time I get a free moment and look around, he's gone again.
It's as if he has a second sense about it."

"Look, either do it, or stop complaining about
it. I would prefer you did it. Then I wouldn't have to hear about
your regrets for the rest of your life." One of Tish's bots circled
at her feet, beeping up at her.

"I think you're wanted," Rachel
said.

"We have several big repairs to make today."
Tish pinned Rachel with a twinkling glare. "Talk to him. I dare
you."

Rachel prepared to respond with a comment
about being childish teenagers to take part in a dare when she
heard a familiar voice coming from the main maintenance platform.
She stiffened. "Director Stemski?"

Tish lost her smile. "I hope nothing else big
broke down."

Rachel rushed into the next room along with
Tish. Director Stemski stood tall and dignified in his blue and
gold uniform suit. Arthur looked as good in the jeans and t-shirt
he wore out into the repair field. Rachel decided it must have
something to do with the air of authority around each one of them.
Both men were good at what they did and knew it.