Page 33 of Wild Card (The Trident Trilogy 3)

“The entire sentence, please,” Dad says, smiling. God, he knows me so well.

“I promise I won’t go anywhere without Mason from right now until we get back here.”

“Very good,” he says, kissing me on the forehead.

“Damn. Nice work, Mack,” Mason says, laughing. “She would never make me that promise.”

“Mase,” I say, raising my eyebrows, “you might want to remember who you’re in the relationship with—”

“It’s been clear from the very beginning that this was going to be a package deal.”

“Hmm,” I say, squinting as I look back and forth between them. “Maybe we should go back to you two not liking each other.”

“Too late, babe. Mack loves me now,” Mason smiles as he backs up a little bit to give me one last second alone with Dad. Dad hugs me again.

“Are you still going down to the Outer Banks tomorrow?” I say, not lifting my head from his chest.

“Yeah. Chase and Mar are coming with me.”

“Are you going to see Carol?”

He laughs softly. “Yeah, she agreed to have coffee with me, but she’s pissed that I disappeared without telling her, so we’ll see where it leads us—if anywhere.”

I look up at him. “Are you in love with her, Dad?”

He takes a deep breath and slowly nods.

“Use your words, please.”

He busts out laughing—the sound vibrating in his chest. It’s the first time I’ve heard his unbridled laugh since he’s been back. “Yeah, Mills. I think I might be. Is that okay?”

“It’s perfect.”

He smiles. “Get on the plane. Text me when you land.”

“Okay, let me know how it goes with Carol.”

Mason walks back over to us and laces his fingers into mine.

“Bring her home, Mason,” Dad says as Mason pulls me toward the plane.

Mason looks back at Dad. “I’ll make sure she always gets back to you, Mack. For the rest of my life. I promise.”

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