Page 66 of The (Maybe) Murderer Who Knocked Me Up

“Those are pretty,” she says.

“Uh, yeah. They’re Quin’s. I mean, of course they’re Quin’s. We’re in his house,” I stammer.

“I know what they are, Slade.”

Am I about to get another warning to stay away from Quin? Is this the real reason Shae came over to put Chime to bed?

Quin has already started his collection. It’s too late to warn me off, isn’t it?

Maybe it isn’t, and I’ve been celebrating my bond to Quin prematurely.

Shae sits down at the table and unbuttons the top of her coveralls. “I had a long day. Business has been good lately. More than enough to keep me busy. Plumbing is a good trade for an alpha who needs to put food on the table. People will always need plumbers.”

She looks up at me pointedly, waiting for a response.

“I’m sure it is.”

“None of my sons have been interested in the business, though. I figured Link would end up taking over at some point because school was never his strong suit, but then the football thing worked out for him. I don’t imagine he’ll want to snake drains now.”

Why is she telling me this? Is she trying to say that I should have gotten trained as a plumber instead of an electrician?

“There are all these new plumbing businesses out there that diversify these days. They do your plumbing, electrical, and appliances. Of course, they’re more than a one-woman operation, so they can do that. If I were to go that route, I’d need a partner who knew his stuff.” She looks up at me again, waiting for a response.

Is she saying what I think she is? She doesn’t even like me.

“I, uh, imagine you could find someone,” I say. “Your business has been around for a long time.”

She nods. “I have a good reputation.”

“Sure. I mean, you wouldn’t want anyone to ruin that.”

She folds her arms across her chest. “That’s right. If someone wanted to work with me, he’d have to prove himself.”

I still don’t know what this lady wants from me.

“They would to be lucky to have the opportunity,” I say, noncommittally.

She gestures to the seat next to her. “For Christ’s sake, sit down and let’s talk about this. If you’re going to be with my son, you need to have a job.”

I sit my ass down as fast as humanly possible. “Yes, ma’am.”

“As I recall, you had a knack for fixing stolen cars, back in the day.”

“Yes, ma’am.” There’s no use in denying it now.

“Well, you aren’t going to do shit like that anymore. As I understand it, you ended up in jail because you were protecting your brother, and I can forgive something like that. But you better keep your nose clean from here on out. Do you hear me?”

I bob my head up and down. “Yes, ma’am.”

“You’ll start work tomorrow, bright and early. The commute’s gonna be brutal, but you’ll have to make it work until you and Quin can move your trailer. If I’m not mistaken, Georgina’s old trailer could be removed, if there was a tenant interested in that spot.”

She’s suggesting that Quin and I move right next to her? And that I work with her? Clearly, she wants to keep an eye on me. Maybe that should bother me, but if Shae wants to give me honest work and an opportunity for my mate to live next to his moms, then I’ll take it.

“Thank you, ma’am. I swear to you that I’ll work hard and do everything I can to make your son happy.”

She considers me warily. “You better. Now go get the bottle of wine in the front seat of my van. You and I are going to drink from those goblets together and get to know each other.”

That’s a start. She may not like me yet, but I don’t mind proving myself. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s being useful. All I need is a chance.

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