Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34
O ne month later . . .
“We’re going to need a bigger conference room,” Cassidy told Greer as they looked at the room that would be filling with people over the next six months.
“We’ve done a good job if I don’t say so myself.” Greer grinned at Cassidy and they did their childhood handshake in celebration.
“Ladies,” Warrick said, joining them, “Grant has sent someone from the PJs. Here’s his file. Elizabeth found someone at her bar in Quantico. Here’s his file. She and Abby had been working hard recruiting out of the U.S. Also, Sutton has approved Avent’s resignation. He’ll be joining us shortly too. Draven has sent a candidate and so has Deming. Then Aiden’s friend, Byron “Wick” Wickens, is on board. Lastly, our Rahmi nominated candidate came in person to deliver his file.”
Warrick turned to the door as Kori walked in. “I hope I’m qualified to join the President’s Guard as the Rahmi representative.”
Cassidy rushed over to him and hugged him tight. “I’m so glad they sent you!”
“I requested the assignment. Nash and Nabi have everything in hand here. I’m ready to make a difference.”
In a discussion with the leadership—Birch, Epps, and Sutton—Cassidy had pointed out that the threats went beyond the United States and it would be helpful to have inside help from allied countries. It had been discussed, and since Rahmi already had an idea about the guard, if not the specifics, they were the first ally brought in. Draven, with an American queen, was second. And then Deming third. They were slowly expanding to become a global organization.
“We’re lucky to have you,” Warrick told him. Cassidy had noticed Warrick and Kori had a bit of a bromance going on. It was nice seeing Warrick develop deep friendships and become part of the town. Ahmed had made it his personal mission to become Warrick’s mentor and, while Cassidy and Warrick were in leadership roles, that didn’t mean they weren’t also in the field together. She loved working with Warrick on missions. They made a great team in and out of the field.
“I’ve heard everyone else is doing well in their new roles,” Kori said to them.
Cassidy nodded. “Dylan and Abby plan the ops, but also have plans to step back after a couple of years. They want to train their replacements and move to a more managerial role. We’re going to add more cyber-combatants, who can fight behind and in front of the screen. We need to expand our spy network along with boots on the ground. It’ll still take a couple more months, but then we’ll be up and fully running.”
“Any leads on how Thurmond was able to hang himself at a black site?” Kori asked.
Cassidy shook her head. “We don’t know how information got to him. He was in solitary. He somehow used his own clothing to do it. It seems near impossible for him to have done so, but the video footage shows that no one entered his cell.”
“He was either way stronger than we thought, or someone did a good job at scrubbing the footage. The tech team is pissed they can’t figure it out one way or the other,” Warrick added.
“I bet that really pisses Kale off. Just let me know what you need me to do.” Kori looked around and smiled. “I’m ready to kick some ass.”
“We are too,” Greer told him.
“We have a meeting scheduled for Monday. We have been tracking down all the people Dustin named. We’ve tapped phones, hacked devices, and some have tails on them. We’ll have an update on Monday.” Cassidy smiled at him and pointed to the table. “Pick your chair.”
Warrick snuck out of Cassidy’s house while she was in the shower. They’d moved back into her house and out of Desert Sun Farm after the summit. Warrick had flown to D.C., packed up his things, and moved to Keeneston permanently. He jogged to the end of the driveway and turned right, heading for a thick group of bushes.
“Did you bring it?” Warrick whispered.
“Of course I did,” she smiled. “Thank your father-in-law for me. He’s sent a lot of business my way. Although, it’s very strange how none of you want to come to my store.”
Warrick chuckled as he took the small velvet box from her. “I promise I will when it’s time to pick out a Christmas gift.”
Now that he’d been legally declared Warren Hawkins, he’d been surprised when a lawyer called him to inform him of the life insurance, banking accounts, property, and trust that were now legally his. Including a house in D.C. they could use when they were in town for business. The first thing Warrick had done when he got this information was go see Pierce. Warrick asked his blessing to marry Cassidy and then where to buy a ring. That was three days ago. Now he had the ring in his hand and the woman of his dreams to ask if she’d marry him.
Warrick hurried back inside just as the water shut off. He shoved the ring box into his coat pocket and sat down on the sofa as Cassidy rushed about.
“Do I smell peach cobbler?” Cassidy asked as she walked into the kitchen/living area with her jeans and a pretty blue sweater on.
“I can never turn up to family dinner empty-handed. You know that.”
Cassidy lifted the foil and took a deep inhale. “If I don’t watch out, my grandmother is going to divorce my grandfather and run away with you.”
“Your birthday is in a couple of weeks. I think we should have a big party. What do you think?”
Cassidy stopped and her eyes went comically wide. “Oh my gosh, I never asked. Is the birthday you have on file at the CIA the same birthday we’ve all be celebrating the last couple of years? Is that your real birthday?”
Warrick stopped mid-reach for the cobbler. “I never thought about it. After my parents died, birthdays were meaningless. But no, that’s not my real birthday.”
“When is yours?” Cassidy asked.
“It’s actually two days after yours. I didn’t lie about my age. I am still four years older than you.”
“Then we have to have a party, but it has to be a joint party. No more hiding. Warren ‘Warrick’ Hawkins. Are you sure you don’t want us to call you Warren?” Cassidy asked as she slipped on her coat and walked out to the car.
“I’m sure. I think Warrick is who I made myself. It’s part of my past and part of who I am now. I am happy to go back to being a Hawkins, though. I like having that connection back with my family. So,” Warrick said as they drove to family dinner, “Cricket told me she likes this boy in her kindergarten class. I think we need to invite him to family dinner.”
“You are not going to beat up a five year old boy!”
“I will if he’s eyeing my almost sister. I need to know what his intentions are after he asked her if they could make slime together.”
“It’s just slime.” Cassidy laughed as they got closer to the farm.
“Making slime together is a gateway to dating. What’s next? Building Legos together? Do you know where that leads? To making a Lego house where they live together. Not on my watch.”
Cassidy was laughing so hard she was in tears when they pulled up to the Davies house. Cars were filling the drive and surrounding grass as more and more family arrived.
Warrick got out of the car and opened Cassidy’s door as Dylan and Abby joined them.
“Hey,” Dylan said seriously. “Did you hear about that boy who wants to make slime with Cricket?’
“We need to nip this in the bud,” Warrick agreed as they walked inside talking about volunteering to read books in the classroom to do some recon on the kid. “Marcy,” Warrick said, breaking off from Dylan as he entered the house. “I brought a peach cobbler.”
Warrick bent down and kissed Marcy’s cheek before carrying the cobbler into the kitchen. The house was full of people, kids, and laughter. His parents would have loved it. It was the atmosphere they’d tried to create with their friends and staff at every embassy they’d been stationed.
“How’s running the guard going?” Cy asked him as they all chatted before the dinner bell.
“Going well. The threats have quieted, but we know they’re making moves behind the scenes. We’re trying to track as many as we can. Right now, the plan is to watch and learn.”
“Follow the leader style. Start with the little guy and follow him to his boss and so on and so on until you find the leader.”
Warrick nodded. “Exactly. We’re slowly mapping out their network so we can see the big picture. It’ll be a marathon, not a sprint.”
“I imagine you’ll start getting more movement closer to the election,” Cy told him as the dinner bell rang.
Dinner was a boisterous affair. There was talk about the children, pregnancies, jobs, and school events. They talked football, politics, about Holt Everett being nominated for a big music award, and that Sam had proposed to Nikki, who had accepted and was moving full time to D.C.
“Andy and Tandy will be the next couple to get engaged,” Cassidy told the table confidently. “I saw them walking down Main Street hand in hand today. They are completely in love.”
Warrick had met the redheaded sheriff’s deputy and his attorney girlfriend when he moved to town. They were a really sweet couple. “Hey, sweetheart, should I put a bet on it on the app?” Warrick asked, pulling out his phone.
“Already did, dumpling.” Cassidy winked at him and he’d never been happier.
“Oh! I got some insider info on one of the bets,” Warrick told the table.
Everyone stopped moving. They’d been passing empty plates down to the end of the table when he dropped that gossip nugget. Warrick had taken the ring from the box and slipped it into his pocket before dinner. His fingers closed around the diamond engagement ring in his pocket as he turned to the table.
“What is it? Did you sneak a peek at Jace’s medical records for a due date?” Stella asked. “Not that I would ever do that. Such a breach of privacy.”
“He probably listened in on a confession. Father Ben can sometimes talk a little too loudly,” Porter said. “Not that I would know. Horrible invasion of privacy.”
“No way,” Greer said with a roll of her eyes. “Wiretaps.” Greer paused. “Not that I’d ever do that. Really not nice or legal to invade peoples’ privacy like that.”
“No. I didn’t do any of those. I got it straight from the source,” Warrick told the table.
“Did you flirt with Nikki to get her wedding date?” Colton asked. “Not that I would ever do that since I’m a happily married man,” Colton added when Cady smacked him.
“It doesn’t work,” Cady said to him. “I already tried.”
Colton wrapped his arm around his wife and kissed her. “That’s my girl.”
“So, what’s the gossip?” Kate, Landon’s wife asked, leaning forward to make sure she didn’t miss it. Her phone was out and the betting app was already up.
“An engagement,” Warrick said, conspiratorially to the table.
“Andy already made his move!” Camila said happily.
“They really are such a cute couple,” Riley said as her sister, Reagan nodded in agreement.
Warrick grinned and shifted in his seat so his knees brushed against Cassidy’s thighs as he looked past her and down at the end of the table. “It’s not Andy and Tandy.”
“Cassidy, show us your hands,” Piper ordered.
Cassidy held up her hands looking genuinely surprised. “It’s not me.”
“Yet,” Warrick added before sliding out of his chair and down onto one knee beside her.
The entire Davies family gasped as one.
“Shh, Ash. I’m getting a new brother,” Cricket hissed from the kid’s table.
Cassidy’s face went from comically surprised to happy and then tearful in a split second. Warrick felt people move and knew there were phones recording this moment. He was glad for it. He wanted to always remember it.
“Cassidy Davies, you snuck into my life in the dead of night. You stole my heart that night in France and have never given it back. I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s more than safe in your capable hands. You brought me from the shadows of a hidden existence and showed me there was more to life than revenge. You taught me to love again, how to be a part of a family again, and how to remember the past, look forward to the future, and live in the present. A present that has you in it makes looking forward to the future full of love, life, and new adventures. I love you, Cassidy. Will you marry me, sweetheart?” Warrick held up the ring and waited. It was as if time stopped and each second was an hour.
“Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you. You’re my pookie wookie snuggle bear.”
Cassidy’s hand was shaking as she held it out for him to place the ring on her finger. His hand shook as he slid the ring into place. The second he did, Cassidy was in his arms. He kissed her as her family cheered.
Warrick had never been happier. He’d never felt more complete. He’d never felt such love. When they ended the kiss, the celebration only ramped up. Cricket flung herself into his arms to kiss her new brother’s cheek. Even Jace and Dylan welcomed him with a hug and whispered threats. But they smiled when they threatened him, so Warrick knew they were just doing some brotherly bonding.
Tammy cried and hugged him tight. Pierce slapped his back as Tammy continued to hug him. “I know your parents would be so happy for you,” Tammy said, finally letting go of Warrick and wiping her tears away. “I know how happy we are for Cassidy to marry such a wonderful man.”
Damn. Warrick felt a little choked up as he hugged Tammy again. “Thank you, Mama T.”
Tammy burst out into tears even harder when Warrick called her that. He’d been thinking about it and Tammy had never pushed herself into that role. Neither had Pierce. However, they’d filled it nonetheless.
“Mama T?” Jace questioned, trying not to laugh. “Sounds like a rapper.”
“I like it. It’s badass,” Dylan said, wrapping an arm around his mom and kissing the top of her head.
“Oh! I almost forgot,” Warrick turned to where Cassidy was showing off the ring to her cousins and went over to join her. “Our birthdays are two days apart. I thought it would be fun to celebrate them together with a big party. What do you all think?”
Tammy clapped her hands together and held them to her chest. “Yes! We have to do that.”
“I can host it on the weekend after your birthdays. I know that’s a couple of days post-birthday, but the distillery has an opening that night if you want to host it there,” Cady told them. “I’ll already be putting up all the lights for the fall season and setting out all the fall decor. It’ll be super pretty.”
“Cady, that would be perfect,” Cassidy told her. “Is that okay with you, Warrick? Or were you thinking of something smaller? Like family only?”
Warrick chuckled. “Sweetheart, ‘family only’ isn’t smaller,” he said, gesturing to the house near bursting with people. “I’d love to invite everyone. They’ve welcomed me to Keeneston with open arms.”
“What a lovely idea. And I’ll help you plan it. Besides, you’re the birthday girl and boy. You shouldn’t have to plan your own party,” Grandma Marcy told them with a kind smile.
“That’s right,” Jake added. “That’s what grandparents are for.”
“You just want to make sure you have your beef jerky there,” Warrick accused Jake.
“Everyone should have jerky for their birthday,” Jake muttered.
“That’s very kind of you both. I’m sure Cassidy and I would love the help. It’s not like I’ve ever planned a birthday party before, but how hard can it be?” Warrick asked with a shrug.
“Oh, bless your heart,” Marcy muttered.
“I’ll take care of the food, Grandma,” Landon told her and then the party was on.
Warrick stood with his arm around Cassidy as they lost control over their own party. Not that he minded. He only cared that they were all there.
“They won’t notice if we sneak out now,” Cassidy whispered.
“And miss dessert?” Warrick smiled down at her and gave her a wink.
“I have something even better than dessert in mind.”
Warrick kept his arm around her as they took one step backward, then another, and another until they made it to the door. Cassidy slipped the door open without so much as a creak and then they were running hand in hand for their car, their love, and their future.