I sighed, rubbing my hand across my face. “Didn’t seem right?”
“There’s something shifty about the way he was acting.”
“Shifty?” I laughed. “What does that even mean, Dad?”
“He couldn’t have left fast enough.”
“We’re only friends,” I groaned, pushing my head back into the couch cushion. “I swear. In a few days, he’ll be gone, and I’ll never see him again.”
“Uh-huh,” Dad muttered as he sat down next to me. “It’s my duty as your father—”
“No,” I told him, cutting him off. “It’s not your duty to run background checks on every person in my life. You didn’t do that with Allison.”
Dad’s gaze moved toward the floor.
I gasped. “You didn’t, Dad. Please tell me you didn’t have Allison checked out?”
“Well, I…”
“What is wrong with you?”
He placed his hand on mine, still shifting his eyes away from my face. “I’m a father, Makenna. Your father.”
“You know you’re a weirdo, right? I mean, normal parents don’t do things like this.”
“If they could, they would,” he argued.
I rolled my eyes. “I have to get ready for work. How long are you here?”
“Just until the morning. I’m here for work but wanted to spend some time with my girl.” He smiled, reaching for my hand and giving it a light squeeze. “Can you make some time for your old man?”
I turned, curling into him, missing him more than I could even explain. “I’ll always make time for you. Always.”
“Good.” He hugged me back, running his hand up and down my back. “I’m going to come to work with you and check out the ship.”
I froze. “Dad…”
“What? I may have pulled a few strings…”
I sighed, knowing it was pointless to argue. Dad did what he wanted. He always had, and even as he aged, he never would or could change. “Fine. Fine. It’s going to be boring.”
“It’s been forever since I’ve been on a ship. I wanted to see how things have changed.”
All I could do was shake my head. “I’ll be ready in five.”
“That’s my girl,” he said as I pushed myself off the couch, walking toward my bedroom like I was headed to prison.
Today was not bring your dad to work day, but in Mark Dixon’s world, there were no boundaries, especially when it came to me.
I turned halfway to my bedroom, staring at my dad. “Did you call Chief and get the okay?”
He nodded, smiling as he kicked back, relaxing like he’d been in my apartment a hundred times.
“Do his background too?”
Dad’s smile widened.
I huffed and stalked away.
