Talks

The shop was never silent, between the sound of power tools and the steady beat coming from the stereo system they had hooked up silence wasn't something that happened very often…which was why Eli liked the hour before they opened, and before the other guys got into work. Being the boss he got to set his own hours, and Eli liked to think that opening at ten during the week and eleven on Saturday was pretty decent, especially since they were generally open about an hour later than the time on the door actually listed; either way he still showed up early, getting everything ready for a busy day or making sure the inventory was done right…and anything that needed to be ordered got ordered. This morning though he was pouring over different moving companies, he didn't have a lot of things and Veronica and him had decided that since her furniture was in better condition they would donate most of it, and toss the rest.

The things he couldn't part with made the move and since he'd spent over half the previous night going through everything he had to admit, he didn't have a lot he wanted to take with him. A knock sounded on the door and Paulo stuck his head in looking tired but happy to be there like usual. "Hey boss man, you're here early…I thought it was my day to go over inventory." He said stepping further into the office without waiting for permission; he didn't need it anyway. "It is, I had some other things to do and the only phone book I have is here." He said nodding to the book open on his desk.

"What you need a phone book for?" Paulo asked, and Eli shrugged. "I'm just looking up moving stuff." He didn't really need a truck, other than to carry out the garbage; something made him look up and as soon as he did he wished he hadn't. Paulo was staring at him like he was a new man, or had a couple extra heads. "What?" "You're moving and you didn't tell any of us?" The man seemed almost hurt, and well he kind of understood since they were pretty close, but all he did was shake his head. "I'm staying in Neptune, I'm moving in with V." The grin on Paulo's face made Eli snort. "That's great man so when's the wedding?"

Eli groaned before resting his arm over the phone book and putting his head onto that. "I haven't even asked her to marry me yet man, and I've had the ring for months." He carried it with him all the time it as getting a little ridiculous. "Wait a minute you haven't even asked her yet? What the hell is stopping you? You picked that ring out months ago, fuck I went to the shop with you to get it." "Yeah I know; but there hasn't really been a chance to ask her okay? I don't want it to be just random." Paulo nodded his head. "Hey man I get that but you're going to be living with her that changes things." Eli looked at him through his arm before lifting his head up and looking at him.

"How? You and Leah have lived together since you were teenagers." Paulo nodded his head "Yeah that's true but I had a ring on her finger since the day she turned sixteen. We got engaged three years before we moved in together." Paulo paused before continuing. "If I had the money back then I would have married her first like her mama wanted but we didn't so we improvised." Eli sighed pinching the bridge of his nose while he thought. "I guess you're right I really should get off my ass and ask her." Picking up a pen he wrote out a note to himself before closing the phonebook.

Looking at Paulo he smirked. "I have a proposal to plan, you think you can handle the shop today?" Paulo lifted a brow a matching smirk stealing across his face. "Course, I can do all the same things you can do." Eli snorted. "Sure, just remind Hector that he has three clients coming in today strictly for him." Paulo nodded. "Anything you need done?" Eli paused thinking about it before shaking his head again. "Naw, just inventory and the parts order filled. I did the coin order last night so just make sure the money gets locked up in the safe."

Paulo nodded and clapped him on the shoulder as walked by, coat in hand. "Go get'er man." Eli snorted "I have to convince Veronica Mars to marry me, this is the same girl whose never really wanted to get married…she spent her last two years of high school parked out front of the Camelot catching men cheating on their spouses." Damn he never realise just what he was getting himself into with this. Paulo laughed. "Better make it a good proposal then." He groaned and nodded his head, he had his work cut for him. "Let me know how it goes." Paulo said as he walked into the office grabbing the clip board with the printed out inventory list. "I will but I have a lot of planning to do, anyway call if you need me back here." Eli said as he left the shop heading to his apartment to start packing and plotting.