“Grandma,” Ford mumbles before crushing me in a hug. “Thank you for all you did for us when you didn’t have to.”
I hug Ford. I think we both need it. We’d gone from spending everyday together, working as a team to survive, for it all to change in a few weeks. And while we both loved the changes, it sometimes didn’t feel real.
“You two okay?” Deck asks with concern as he walks towards us. Ford and I continue to hug, but we turn our heads towards him.
“Yes,” I reply, releasing Ford, and wiping my eyes, I look up at Ford. God, when did he go from a chubby little boy to the man before me in the blink of an eye? “We’re okay, aren’t we, baby?”
“Yeah, Grandma. We are,” Ford agrees with a smile. “I’ll leave you two, I’ve got prospect duties to do before going home.”
“Come over for lunch tomorrow,” I tell him.
“I’ll be there,” he assures me before he jogs off to do whatever job has been asked of him.
Deck bends his head and kisses my neck, whispering in my ear, “How about we head home, darlin’?”
A shiver runs through me. I grin up at him. “Lead the way Mr. Ivor.”
CHAPTER 10
RED
Emily and I are finishing breakfast when my phone rings, flashing Maestro’s name.
“Son,” I greet.
“Hey, Pops. Hard-Drive has a lead on the ex’s car. You’ll never believe where it is. Can you both come down to the club and we’ll head over to where it is?”
“Sure, son. I’ll let Em know. Give us twenty minutes to get dressed.”
“That works, see you both soon.”
“Where are we going?” Em asks, closing the dishwasher door, and turning to me.
“No idea. Maestro has a lead on your ex’s car. He wants us to go with.”
Excitement lights up her eyes.
“Give me ten minutes,” she tells me, throwing the tea towel she’d been holding on the counter and rushing out of the kitchen.
Shaking my head, I chuckle. I walk over to the rack that holds my boots and sit to pull them on. True to her word, Emily is back in ten minutes, dressed in her leathers, with her cut in her hands. She sits next to me and pulls on her boots.
“I wonder if we’ll find anything? It’s been years,” she murmurs, pulling on the zip.
“If we do we do and if we don’t it doesn’t matter. I’m curious like you though.”
“Well then,” Em slaps her thighs and stands, tugging on my hand to get me to move. “Let’s get going, old man.” She grins at me.
Picking her cut up from where she’d laid it, I hold it out for her and settle it on her shoulders. I press a kiss to the back of her head. “Love seeing you with my name on your back, darlin’.”
She shivers and leans back against me. I wrap my arms around her in a hug. “Love that, Deck. Never thought I’d ever agree to be an Old Lady again. This time it’s different. What I feel for you is a hundred times more than what I felt for Jared. Not sure what I did right in another life but I’m damn well going to enjoy however long I’ve got with you.”
Tightening my grip on her, I kiss her temple. “Love you, Em.”
Em tilts and turns her head on my shoulder, smiling softly up at me. “Love you too, Deck.”
“Let’s get this over with so we can get back here. I’m sure you invited Ford for lunch.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she agrees, walking out the door. “And yes, I invited him for lunch and I’m sure the girls and RJ will be over, too.”
