Page 14 of Stuffed

He knows…I thought.

No he doesn’t! How could he know!?

“I bet you’re wondering why I called you out here, ol’ buddy,” were the next words out of his mouth.

“Figured you wanted to hear about all the pussy I got while overseas,” I joked, trying to act like I wasn’t on edge.

“That wasn’t it,” he smirked. “But since you brought it up…?”

“None,” I smiled back, taking a seat on one of the lounge chairs. “Too busy.”

“All work and no play?” he asked, taking a seat beside me. “That’s a sure way to drive a man insane, buddy. Gotta get yourself a girl and fast. How long you been single, anyway?”

“Since the ex-wife,” I replied. “Little over three years.”

Why is he beating around the bush?

“Too long for a man to be without a good woman,” he nodded. “Long time to be without a family. You gotta rectify that.”

“Yeah…” I replied. “I’m working on it. But, hey—what’d you wanna talk to me about?”

“Well, that’s the thing, bud,” he replied. “I need to talk to you about you and my daughter.”

Here it comes…

“Uh…what about us, Randy?”

“I’m gonna need you to look after her for a while,” he said.

“Look after her?”

“I’ve got a job I’ve got to take,” he said with a sigh. “Steel beam fell on my lead engineer’s leg and crushed it into jam.”

“Ouch.”

“So I’ve got to head to Ireland for a little over a month and oversee the whole damn site,” he grumbled. “And while I’m gone, I want you to check in on Autumn and make sure she’s doing okay.”

Holy shit, I thought. Is this really happening?

“Doing okay?” I asked. “She’s at college, isn’t she? What do you want me to do? Go bust into her dorm and make sure there’s no frat boys in her room with her?”

“Oh, Autumn knows better than to get mixed up with any of those douchebags,” Randy scoffed. “But yes, basically I want you to keep an eye on her and look after her while I’m gone and unable to. That something you think you can do?”

“T—take care of her?” I asked.

“Am I speakin’ French here, buddy?” he laughed. “Yes! Look after the girl while I’m away.”

I sighed a deep sigh of relief and smiled.

So he doesn’t suspect anything…

“Yeah, Randy. I can do that,” I replied. “I take it Autumn doesn’t know about this trip of yours yet?”

Randy shook his head. “Haven’t told her yet.”

“When do you leave?”

“Tomorrow evening,” he replied.

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