Page 34 of Waggs

“What about graphic design? You got your degree, and you were really keen before having AJ?”

It had been a long time since Willow had considered a career in anything other than something that fit with her son. “Honestly, I don’t know. It’s been so long, and I don’t even know if I could do it now. Things move so quickly in the design world.”

“You should talk to Aiden and see what he says. He might have some contacts that could be of help.”

“I don’t know, Amy. We haven’t even talked about the future after this is sorted. His life is over there, and he has some great friends. You met Liam and Decker.” Amy had demanded her son bring his friends for dinner and Deck and Liam had charmed both Amy and Ben.

“I have and as much as it pains me to say it, if you love each other, where you live isn’t a conversation that should be a problem. He either moves home or you follow him to the UK.”

“What about you and Ben and AJ?”

“If my son is what you want and you decide to live that life in the UK, then Ben and I will manage. We’ll visit and you can come here whenever you want.” Amy sipped her coffee. “My point is, we’re not part of that decision. You and Aiden are, and we’ll work around you.”

“He loves his job, Amy. You should see him with his friends. It’s like he’s alive again and has a purpose.”

“I’m glad he found that.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Now, how about we make that boy sitting in that car out front come inside where I can ogle him, and you can pretend not to notice me ogling my son’s friends?”

Willow burst out laughing as Ben, who’d walked out the back door, rolled his eyes, smirked, and went to get Decker.

“Now, that my girl, is how you know you have a keeper.”

Decker looked decidedly uncomfortable as he was ushered into the kitchen and given an apron.

He cocked his head at her and looked like a deer in the headlights. “What’s going on?”

Willow smirked as Amy took over.

“We’re making blondies for my son and grandson, and I thought you could help instead of being stuck outside.”

Decker started to back away hands up. “No, I really should stay put.”

Amy placed her hands on her hips and Willow saw real life in her for the first time in a long time. “Now, don’t be ridiculous. We have that new security system and surely you can watch us better inside than outside. AJ is going to help, aren’t you son, and Decker here needs to loosen up a little. Maybe lose the tie and jacket.”

Decker glared at her but did exactly as Amy wanted. It was worth his wrath to see the woman who’d lost so much smiling again, and she had a feeling Decker knew it too. They hadn’t spoken of AJ’s parentage again and she was grateful, but she knew her reprieve wouldn’t last forever. She needed to tell Aiden, and soon.

Chapter 15

“I can’t believe you let my mom rope you into baking with her.” Waggs was watching the trucking yard through a scope two days later and still smiling about the way his friend had been hen pecked in to baking.

“Fuck off, Waggs. Have you ever tried saying no to your mother?”

“Oh yeah, and it never worked out well.”

He could see the last of the office staff leaving for the night including Jerry Edwards. Bebe, and Laverne, one of the other Zenobi girls, were apparently between jobs, and had turned up the day before. Bebe was more than that though, she was a good friend, one who’d come to mean a lot to him. With them around to keep an eye on Willow, AJ, and the house, he’d taken advantage of having both Liam and Decker available to help him break into the trucking yard offices and find the proof they needed.

Waggs had no doubt Bebe and Laverne could protect Wills and AJ as well as any man. Not as good as him maybe but that was his control freak tendencies kicking into overdrive.

“Looks like everyone is gone for the night.” Liam had applied for and got a job on the yard yesterday and started today so he was particularly grumpy. Working at a trucking yard was fucking exhausting and back breaking work.

“We should give it another half hour just to make sure.” Waggs wanted in there more than anyone, but caution held him back. If this was everything they thought it would be, there would be guards. Sure, enough ten minutes later, two guards walked into view doing a patrol around the yard.

“They’re carrying fucking assault rifles. That seems like overkill,” Liam grumbled.

“Not if they’re expecting trouble.” Decker responded. He was finally out of his suit and in dark tactical clothing. A mission was the only time he wore that kind of thing and everyone had pretty much got used to it, but after their conversation after the Costasis interrogation, Waggs wondered if there was more to it than just a style choice.