“Luckily? As if I was going to allow any other option.”
“I hope my security detail is that good,” Sadie says. I quickly look at her and she gives me an expression that shows she wishes she could retract her statement. Too late.
“What security detail?” I cross my arms over my chest.
“Just a couple of guys to keep an eye on her at college,” Rick says, trying to brush it off like it’s nothing.
“Fire them. I’ll do it.”
“You’re headed to Cabo to go fishing for six months starting tomorrow. Remember?”
“Change of plans,” I say, staring down my best friend. He says nothing so I turn up the heat. “Fish aren’t biting there, but they clearly are here.”
“What do you mean? The marlin are running like crazy right now.”
I just stare at him until he catches my drift.
“I’ve already hired them, Soren. Plus you’re retired. Why do you want to take some security detail for a college kid.”
Sadie clears her throat. “Hello. I’m here. I can hear you.”
“It’s not some kid, Rick. She’s your daughter, the most prized part of your life. You need to protect her, with all she’s got.”
“What trouble can she have?”
My eyes move to the cop car, my eyebrows lifting as I look at the three big kids wedged into the back as I make my point clear.
“Fire them. Hire me. I owe you anyway.”
“You don’t owe me.”
“I owe your father for taking me in,” I say, unsure if Sadie knows the entire story. “And I told him if he ever needed me to help his family I’d be here. Today is that day. Rest his soul.”
My eyes narrow letting Rick know I’m not taking no for an answer, and finally, he relents. Wisely.
“Okay, I’ll cancel the detail.”
Sadie claps her hands and jumps up and bounces on the balls of her feet twice, until her dad sees and she immediately stops.
“You start next week.”
“Protecting family is a round the clock responsibility. I start now.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“My room still how I left it?”
“Twenty years ago?” he says, his mouth wide open. I respond by not responding.
“I mean…yeah, I guess. More or less.”
“Let’s go home then.”
Rick shrugs his shoulders just as the Uber arrives.
“Be careful,” he says to his daughter, moving closer to her to give her a kiss on the cheek.
“She goes with us.”