And that’s how Colin found himself, eight hours later, after a particularly long and frustrating day when he’d been up to his eyeballs in patients because of understaffing issues, in a cramped position under his car, securing a GPS tracker to the underside of the back right wheel well.
He’d identified the in-between: He would give Maddison the benefit of the doubt while maintaining his own peace of mind. Plus, Kade was about as dangerous as a milkshake.
“What are you doing?”
He looked up to find his daughter. “I could ask you the same. Doesn’t really look like surfing attire to me.”
It didn’t look like attire at all. Even though the fog had burned off, the temperature was still below seventy, yet she was wearing a flowy skirt whose hemline was an inch above the danger zone and a pair of thigh-high boots that reminded him of the one time a pharmaceutical rep took him to a strip club.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Colin asked, because there was no way Maddie was wearing a bra under that crop top.
“Hashtag Free The Nip, Dad. Look it up.”
Oh, he knew exactly what she was talking about. But it was clear she didn’t fully understand the movement. Thank God.
Her eyes narrowed. “Wait. What areyoudoing?”
“Checking the tires.” He stood, kicking the device box under the car and out of sight. Only not fast enough.
“No, that’s a tracking device. Are you spying on me in my own car?”
“No, I was spying on you inmycar. And I don’t remember you asking to sign up for surfing lessons.”
“Because I knew you’d say no. And I want to feel safe surfing this summer.”
She had him there. Maddie had been wanting to get better at surfing since she’d picked up the hobby a few summers back. Granted, she’d picked it up in hopes of getting picked up by some age-inappropriate punk but maybe, this time, he’d been too quick to jump to conclusions.
And if it had to be any guy, Kade was a good entry point.
“Fine, but you’re not wearing that swimsuit I most definitely did not buy.” Relationships were about compromise. Relationships that involved a teenage daughter were about picking which battles to fight.
“Mom bought it.”
Of course she did.“You went behind my back, Mads.”
“I asked her because—”
“You knew I’d say no?”
“Because I don’t want to be the only girl on senior cut day to wear a razorback one-piece,” she said, her voice catching and breaking his heart a little.
He didn’t know what a razorback was, but it sounded a whole lot better than bikini.
His daughter sounded distraught. Maddie had a huge heart, which tended to make her a people pleaser. And sometimes, that caused her to give more weight to other people’s opinions than her own.
Colin stood and opened his arms. “Come here.”
When she didn’t roll her eyes or scoff, but instead walked into his arms, Colin felt his world go right. Boys, hormones, and crop tops couldn’t hide the fact that she’d always be his little girl. Although when he pulled her into a bear hug and she tucked her head under his chin, he registered that she didn’t fit the way she used to. Also, her arms were draped by her sides and she felt as if she were enduring the hug rather than participating—but he’d take what he could get.
“Maybe we can work something out,” he offered.
She pulled back, those big, daddy’s girl eyes staring up at him, the tip of her nose dotted pink from tears. “Like what?”
His heart rolled over. “Why don’t we start with surf lessons.”
“Really?”
Colin took a deep breath and had to unclench his jaw when he said, “Yeah. Kade seems like a stand-up guy.”
