Parker relaxed a bit, then he stiffened. “On the mouth?”
Gabe laughed. “You’re not worried about the bank robbery, but you’re concerned that I kissed your sister on the mouth.”
“Of course I’m worried about the bank robbery, but you said you were there and you kept her safe. She’s okay, isn’t she?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. You’re welcome.”
“Fuck.” Parker closed his eyes and shook his head. “I messed up. I should’ve thanked you first.”
Gabe let out a sigh of relief. “That’s okay. It must be frustrating to be so far away. I think I understand now why you wanted someone nearby. Someone she could turn to in an emergency. She’s your little sister. But she’s not helpless.”
“I didn’t expect her to need your help at all, never mind so soon.”
“But she did. I don’t know about you, but I’d feel better if she wasn’t working in a bank.”
“To be honest, I never thought a bank robbery would happen. It seemed like a pretty tame job to me. I guess now I have more to worry about.” He raised his eyes and seemed to gaze at the sky—or ceiling. It was hard to tell where he was.
“Worrying won’t help anyone. I promised I’d look after her, and I will. I’ll do whatever I can to keep her safe and sound until you get back. Maybe even help her find a new job.”
Parker inhaled deeply and let out a long breath. “I know you will. That’s why I asked you.”
“She’s coming over for dinner Sunday at my parents’ house. Everybody will be happy to see her. She’ll have a lot of people to turn to besides me.”
“That doesn’t let you off the hook, you know. I still want you to keep tabs on her—from a distance.”
Gabe didn’t know how to tell his friend he’d blown the secret part of the mission. He yawned. “Sorry, it’s late over here. I should get some sleep. I go on duty at six tomorrow morning.”
“Sure. Hey, listen, thanks for telling me what happened. I want to know everything, and I doubt Misty would’ve told me about it.”
“Well, if she does, act surprised. I already feel like a snitch.”
“And your country thanks you for your service.”
“Don’t be an asshole.”
Parker laughed. “No guarantees. Call me soon, okay?”
“Yeah, whatever.” Gabe hung up with a smile on his face. At least they were still friends.
For now.
