Page 10 of Wounded Fox
Typical bureaucratic bullshit. It didn't matter that there were civilians whose lives were in danger, the government wanted to cover their asses.
"I'm surprised they even told us that."
"Wes has friends in high places."
Ah, yes. Westley James. He too was part of that op and it would make sense that someone would want to share the information with him. It would mean Wes owed them a favor and a favor from Wes was as rare as a golden egg.
"Thank God for him, then."
We discussed a few more mundane things like getting Valerie's shop back in order before hanging up. Unfortunatelywe were in a holding pattern until we could get more information to work with.
Since there was nothing else to do, I decided it was time to start winning over Valerie. It wasn't going to be easy because, for whatever reason, she was mad at me. Hopefully with time together, I could get her to open up.
In the meantime I was going to play dirty by making her favorite dinner. There was no way she was going to resist that.
CHAPTER SIX
Valerie
I didn't bother leaving the guest room until Aaron announced dinner was served. Despite the room being a huge slap in the face, it was the lesser of two evils at the moment.
Every detail of the room, even down to the canopied bed, was exactly as I described to him when I was picturing how our house would look one day. Except back then, I never thought I would be the one sleeping in it.
I was still thinking about the letters we used to share when I stepped into the kitchen and got another slap to the face.
"Is that lasagna and fresh baked garlic bread I smell?" I paused just inside the doorway and considered turning around and running back to my room.
"It is," Aaron replied casually.
The man didn't play fair.
"You remembered my favorite dish you used to make?"
Even as a teenager, Aaron knew how to cook. It probably had something to do with the fact that Ms. Hill was a single mother, so oftentimes Aaron would cook for the two of them, or threewhen he invited me over, which was more often than not. I had a great home but I preferred spending my time at his.
"I remember everything about you, Val. You might not want to see it but you have been on my mind every day since I left Willow Creek."
No, I didn't want to see it because that would mean everything I thought for thirty years was a lie and I couldn't see how that was possible.
I ignored his comment and took a seat at the small table in the kitchen that was already set with two steaming plates of lasagna and a basket of bread. My mouth watered from the enticing aromas.
Aaron and I ate in silence for the first few minutes and I almost wished it stayed that way because the next conversation threatened to ruin my favorite meal.
"What's your plan for tomorrow?"
I finished chewing my bite of garlic bread and wiped my mouth on the napkin before setting it back down on my lap.
"I need to go to the shop and deal with the blown-out window. Clean the glass up off the floor and see what inventory was ruined because of the shooting."
It was a good thing insurance would pay for most of the damages because there was no telling how much inventory I lost due to glass flying around. If I had to make an educated guess though, it would be everything on the shop floor.
"I've taken care of the window. A new one will be installed first thing tomorrow morning, and last I knew, Maverick and Nolen were there cleaning up the glass."
I put down the fork I’d just picked up and cleared my throat. "You didn't have to do that." It was bad enough I was staying with him, I didn't want to add owing him for things on top of that.
Of course Aaron shrugged it off like it was no big deal. "My team and I are the reason you were shot at and the damage it caused. The least we can do is fix the problem."
Well, when he put it like that. "Okay, but I plan to turn it in to my insurance." One of the things I had done while hiding in the guest bedroom was to call the company and get the ball rolling.
