Page 73 of Holiday Hostage
I struggled even as I laughed. “Damn it, Dad. Remember what we talked about?”
“What?” Dad set me on my feet. “I’ll hug the stuffing out of your friends too once you introduce us.”
I rubbed my shoulder when he turned far enough away that he wouldn’t see me. “These are my partners, Tarron and Maverick. And Payton is our current mission.”
She stood and extended a hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cameron.”
Dad’s lips puckered. “Pshaw. None of that ‘mister’ business. Just Tucker will do.” He clasped Payton's hand between both of his. “Meant what I said. Mind a hug?”
She stepped into his arms with a laugh, and he lifted her off the ground, spinning her around until her laughter took away the last of the anxiety that had followed his barging entrance.
Mav shot me a look, his brow arched.
He’d noted my lack of details and wanted to know how much we could trust Dad with the depth of our problems.
I flashed my fingers in a quick and silent answer. I trusted Dad implicitly.
My issue was with letting him know the danger because he’d feel obligated to step in and help us.
Putting myself in the path of danger was one thing. Risking Dad was out of the question.
Maverick nodded, and then Dad was pouncing on him, shaking his hand and slapping his back. “You don’t look like the hugging type.” He hugged Mav anyway. “Give me a couple days and I’ll change your mind.” Dad’s hazel eyes–something I’d inherited from him–sparkled with that delighted mischief I’d grown up with and taken for my own.
Payton crossed the room to stand beside me. “I like him.”
“Everybody likes Dad. He’s one of a kind.” I ran a hand through my hair and down the back of my neck.
“You look like him.” Payton rested one arm across her stomach and darted looks at Dad, then at me. “He just has more lines in his face.”
“Dad believes in love, laughter, and sunshine. Lots and lots of sunshine. Without sunscreen.” His leathery skin gave that away, and he couldn’t care less. He said it gave him character.
“So.” Dad rubbed his hands together and squinted at us after giving Tarron a hug that caused the man to turn wide-eyed. “What’s going on?”
“Well, it’s not a New Year’s party.” Maverick headed to the chair and lowered himself slowly into the seat.
“What brought you here?” I jumped into the conversation before Dad could question him further.
Dad shook his head and dragged one of the oversized chairs in the corner toward the coffee table.
He parked it in the center of the room where he could see all of us and leaned into the thick cushion. “Needed some time away. Thought a week of solitude in the cabin might do me good.”
“Why?” I questioned him with narrow-eyed suspicion. “What happened to you and Debra going to the city for the holiday?”
“Eh.” Dad’s cheeks pinked.
He scratched the back of his neck and crossed his ankle over his knee.
The clear signs of discomfort brought a pulse of concern, but he waved me off when I started to speak. “Debra and I are good friends. We thought it might be more, but that’s not going to happen. We parted on good terms.”
Payton leaned forward and patted his knee. “I’m sorry.”
Dad covered her hand with his. “Thank you, darlin’. Now, tell me the truth about this mission.” He angled a look at me. “And don’t even think about holding back.”
Damn. Dad knew me too well.
“Mav, you start us off.” He had a better memory and told better stories.
Maverick sat forward and rested his elbows on his bent knees. “Payton was kidnapped by a group of mercenaries. Her father hired us to retrieve her.”
