Page 54 of Stolen Voices

“Tell me what you need from me?”

“Your brothers are flying down tonight. I need you to pick them up here at home tomorrow morning and then meet us at the Canyon State Park for backup. We need to help Cam get his head out of his ass before he ruins everything he’s worked so hard for.”

“What time?”

“What kind of stupid-ass question is that? You know what time,” he huffs.

I mumble, “Sorry.”

He ignores me, giving me strict instructions. “Take the short trail to the ocean view benches and don’t be late.”

How the fuck my dad can make me—a grown man—feel like a brainless child is beyond me. He’s not wrong, though. I know the time. We all know.

Each of us has a special thing we do with Dad. For me, it was going to the movies. Jace was surfing, and Mason… Fuck if I know. Mason was cryptic even then.

For Cam, it was baseball. Dad used to pick him up at five in the morning to go running when he was in college. Even then, we all knew Cam was going to be in the big leagues. His dedication to baseball is unparalleled.

I mock-salute the phone and roll my eyes. “Sir, yes, sir.”

“I should smack you upside the head for rolling your eyes at me.”

“I didn’t roll my eyes,” I lie.

“You’re a shit liar. Now, since I have you on the line, tell me about you. How’s work?” Dad asks, bringing a smile to my face.

That’s my dad. Mark Miller is the best man you’ll ever meet. A man I aim to be every day.

He’s also the best dad out there. Ever present and understanding, he has always made each of us boys feel seen and heard. He was at every practice, game, or school event with a smile on his face, ready to cheer us on. Win or lose.

“Work’s good. Busy.” I lean back in the driver’s seat, and fill him in on Hudson’s vacation and the happenings with his family, purposefully leaving out my new job as “watcher” of all things Callie Wright.

Dad will figure out where my head’s at before I do, and that’s not something I’m ready to hear, let alone admit to myself yet.

I will admit watching over Callie is a job I’ve become addicted to since Hudson asked me to fill in for him.

The rope around my chest constricts, thinking about how I didn’t want tonight to end. Not after I held her in my arms as she cried and told me about her dad, or after we fell into an easy conversation like two friends catching up, chatting about our childhoods and eating pie. Especially not after I walked her to the waiting car and the ache in my chest grew, knowing I’d have to let her go.

When she smiled at me, her dark eyes glittered under the fluorescent lights, and it was like a punch to the solar plexus, pulling every molecule of air from my lungs. I wanted so badly to sink my fingers into her silky, long hair, pull her closer, take her sweet mouth with mine, and kiss her until her knees gave out.

Fuck. I want her, and it tears me up inside because I can’t have her.

The earlier tightness in my chest returns as my gut twists. Desire and fear grapple with each other, making my stomach feel like it did when I was at the carnival in sixth grade and ate a funnel cake, ice cream, and a hot dog in one sitting. Not a brilliant combination to scarf down before getting on a roller coaster.

“Eli?” The bite of my dad’s voice snaps me out of my wild thoughts.

“Sorry, what were you saying?”

My dad chuffs a laugh. “You seem distracted, son.”

“Just thinking about work.” I run my hand through my hair, hoping he doesn’t press for more because I have no idea what I’ll say. I don’t want to lie, but I also don’t want to talk about what—or who—is really distracting me.

This is what Callie does to me. She robs me of all common sense, like the sexy thief she is. My every thought is about her. It was bad enough before, but now that we are spending more time together, it’s gotten worse. I’m afraid I’m going to lose control and make Callie mine.

That won’t be good for either of us. Not only do we work together, but she’s over ten years my junior. All people will see is an old pervert taking advantage of a young, gorgeous, and talented woman with her whole life ahead of her. I won’t be like Harold.

My dad sighs. “Alright, but just know I’m here when you’re ready to talk.”

“Thanks, Pops. I’ll see you tomorrow morning with Jace and Mason. Tell Mom hi and that I love her.”