Page 92 of Stealth Mission
“Fine.”
“Your standard answer.”
I shrug tiredly. “What else can I say?”
“How about telling me the truth about what’s going on?”
I groan and close my eyes. “Not now, please.”
He squeezes my shoulder. “I didn’t mean now. How are you getting home?”
“I don’t know.”
He pulls a set of keys from his trouser pocket. “Take Matilda.”
I roll my eyes. “Worst name ever for a truck.”
The corners of his mouth pinch. He chuckles warmly. “You’re the one that named it.”
“I was five. What can I say?”
He hugs me, pulling me into a familiar embrace. When he steps back he nods toward Evan. “That one’s latched on to you.”
I groan as I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Please don’t say it like that.”
A slow grin takes over Peter’s entire face. “It’s a good thing.”
“It’s not.”
“In my book it is. ‘Bout time you had someone to look out for you.”
“He’s a tourist. He’s in town for like three days.”
He narrows his eyes, studying Evan. “Not so sure about him just being a tourist.”
A weird tingle buzzes inside my belly. “Why do you say that?”
“Just a feeling in my gut.”
Well, he’s right, but it’s not my business to say.
However, I don’t like this conversation at all now. Peter’s an excellent judge of character. He always warned my grandfather about my dad. Too bad my mother was fooled by his slick talk.
“Anyway.” He swings his gaze back to me. “I’m worried about you. Take that man’s help if he’s going to take some of the heat off you from your father. I’m not the only one around here concerned about you.”
God. Am I that much of a sad case?
“I’m really okay, Peter. I’m just trying to get my footing with the business. Once I get that loan from the bank, the product line Grandad was working on will launch. Everything will be good.”
“He’d be very proud of you.”
The sting fills my chest again. This time the weight of it all is almost too much. “Well, I haven’t succeeded yet.”
“You will.” He hugs me, but before he lets me go, he stiffens. “Well, damnit.”
“What?”
“You might not want to look right now.”