揑 never knew residency was a requirement, Dess,?I say absently.
Troy抯 lips curl up, regaining my attention. 揈liza from R & D, right??
揧eah.?I don抰 look at him.
If I say anything more, he抣l be like a dog with a bone. I抦 also not sure he抯 smart enough to keep his yap shut about it in front of my daughter like he should.
It抯 only natural, I suppose, considering old times.
We were in the Navy together for four years before he came to work for me. We may have drifted apart over the years, but he still knows me better than almost anyone.
That happens when you share a bunk on a cramped spy ship and have to breathe another man抯 body odor every night.
And the fact that he knows me so well梠ld me梚s scary as fuck.
I look at Destiny. 揧ou and Eliza have gotten chummy, haven抰 you??
揅hummy??She stares at me like I抳e grown another head.
揊riendly.?
揙h, yeah. She抯 a badass. I like her and she seems good with you,?Dess says with a wink.
揝ee, Big Daddy??Troy throws a shit-eating grin across the table at me. 揝he抯 even in good with the kid.?
I glare at him.
Then my eyes trace to Dess again. I remember I抦 here to make peace, not snap his head off in front of my daughter.
揜ight, right.?Troy holds his hands up, lowering his voice. 揇on抰 think you抮e off the hook, my man.?
Destiny抯 gaze slowly sweeps from Troy back to me. 揥hat are you guys talking about??
揘othing important, baby girl. Did you email that turtle sanctuary to see if they抎 let you drop by one day??I change the subject swiftly.
Troy continues to look over his drink at me, damn him.
And about that time梡erfect timing?the waitress returns with a tray stacked with our food. She places a steaming plate down in front of each of us and smacks her head. 揙h, I抦 such a dummy. I forgot to refill your waters. Let me grab that.?
揘ot a problem,?I say politely.
I抦 so happy for the distraction that she could抳e poured the whole tray on my lap and I抎 still thank her.
揋od, I抦 starving!?Destiny cuts into her fish, scraping her knife loudly across the plate.
I can抰 even get after her.
With the kidlet gushing about the best fish she抯 ever had, I don抰 have to suffer Troy and his diabolical sense of humor. If I抦 lucky, I might keep Little Miss Science Chick off my brain for five minutes.
When the waitress returns with our water, I order a second bourbon to help take the edge off.
Am I really okay with Eliza teaching my kid to surf?
My stomach twists at the idea of Destiny梠kay, either of them梠ut there far enough on the water to get into trouble. I抣l scare up an extra lifeguard later and make sure they抮e discreetly waiting in the wings to step in if anything goes wrong.
Hopefully, I抣l also have another day to come up with whatever I抦 going to say about that kiss.
That goddamned kiss.
When my new drink arrives, I swallow half of it in one gulp.
It抯 been that kind of day. I tune out while Troy and Destiny make conversation.
揌ey, Dad, can I check out the arcade next door??
I glance over, about to tell her to eat first when I realize she抯 cleared her plate.
Damn. I抳e only taken a few bites.
It feels sinful to lose my appetite with such a delicious dinner.
揌ave you eaten today? Before now??
揂 few bananas and an acai bowl for lunch,?she tells me.
揧ou only ate fruit??My brow furrows, hoping I don抰 have an eating disorder masquerading as a new fad diet on my hands.
揑 was busy.?
揃efore your dolphins? And with things that aren抰 digital??I gesture to her phone.
She nods. 揟he signal out here kinda sucks anyway. Troy just told me it gets better in town.?
I smile. 揟here抯 a booster in the conference room if you need it. A little time off the grid could be good for you梐s long as you remember to check in. And let抯 try for three square meals tomorrow, okay, little bee??
揢gh, I抦 fifteen, Dad. Not five. Don抰 call me that.?She sits up straighter with an indignant look. 揅an I go to the arcade now? I saw some old-school pinball machines…？
揧our phone still gets a signal here, right??
She nods.
揟hen go. But don抰 talk to any strangers and you only leave to come straight back here. Got it??
揧es, sir.?She pushes her chair out and stands awkwardly.
Oh, right. Old-school, she said. That probably means the machines still take coins or tokens.
I fish a twenty out of my wallet and hand it to her. Her face twists like it抯 not enough, but she knows better than to keep milking me for more.
I watch her leave, noting that she looks too much like a grown woman in that dress with her pink bag swinging off her shoulder.