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“I need to speak with you about something.”
I groan inwardly. That doesn’t sound good at all. I’ve got this terrible feeling that we might be going home, but if that’s the case, I just don’t want to know. Still, it’s not like I can resist. I grab the robe and pull it on, getting out of bed and shuffling my still-half-asleep body to the door.
“Sit down, please,” Dad says, gesturing to the chair in my suite. He’s pacing the floor, which I can’t help but notice makes him a little hypocritical.
I do as I’m told, suddenly a lot more worried. “Dad?” I say, wishing he would get it over with and tell me instead of letting the tension build up like this.
“Darling, I’m sorry,” he says. “I honestly didn’t know this was going to happen. If there was any way to get around it…”
I rest my forehead in my hands. “You’re going to work,” I say, my voice muffled.
“Yes,” Dad says. “I’m really sorry. I know you’ve been enjoying yourself here, and I wish we didn’t have to end it so soon. But you know what my job’s like. And this is really urgent.”
I sigh, pushing my hair back from my face. “Dad, this is supposed to be our vacation.”
“I know – but the thing is, it’s my job that paid for us to come here in the first place. If I don’t work, we can’t do these kinds of trips, you know?” Dad sighs too, finally sitting down on a bed opposite me. “Ever since your mother and I divorced, I haven’t been able to keep up with the bills like I used to. This is just the way things are now. I can’t turn down the opportunity to make more money – and this is a lot of money.”
“Are you struggling that much?” I ask, worried now that we’ve wasted money by coming here.
“No, not struggling,” Dad says, shrugging his shoulders up and down helplessly. “I’m doing fine. It’s just that I got used to living in a household with two incomes, and now I just have one. I’m making it sound more dramatic than it is, probably. I can keep up with the bills. I can even save up for luxuries like this. But if I lose my job, that won’t be the case anymore. You see?”
I nod sadly. “I understand,” I say, giving him a wan smile. “Hey, welcome to adult life. That will be me soon, now that I’m done with school.”
Dad nods. “Sorry to say it, kiddo. And I know this trip was your graduation present. I feel terrible about cutting it short.”
“Well…” I look up at him, inspiration striking me. “It doesn’t have to get cut short for me, does it?”
Dad frowns. “What do you mean?”
“You have to go to work, and I get that. But I’m already here, the room is already paid for, my flight home is already paid for. Why change it all and incur more fees? I might as well stay and enjoy it.”
Dad narrows his eyes. “You want me to leave you alone in a foreign country?”
“I am an adult, Dad,” I point out. “Like you just reminded me. I can do this by myself. It’s not like we’re getting into anything complicated or dangerous. Just walking around Monaco. How much safer could I be?”
Dad hesitates. “But, what happened last night…”
I shake my head dismissively, even though the thought of it does make my blood run cold. “It was nothing. Nothing happened. Honestly, I feel safe. Nico was looking out for me, and I’m sure that there are plenty of Monégasque strangers who will be just as kind.”
Or exactly as kind as him, I think. Because if I’m here on my own, there’s no way I’m not calling him to see if we can spend some more time together.
“Well,” Dad says, thoughtfully. “I would feel a lot better if I knew that someone was looking out for you. And he did give us his number. Maybe I can give him a call…”
“Okay,” I say, nodding rapidly as I seize on this idea. “Sure, I’m okay with that. I don’t mind having a… a… chaperone. Or a bodyguard, or whatever you want to call it. I’m sure that will be fine!”
“Alright, I’ll see what he says,” Dad says, turning away slowly as he looks through his phone for the number.
I can feel my heart pounding fast and hard in my chest. This is it. My chance. Not only will I have the freedom to see Nico again, but my Dad is even helping to make it happen. I won’t even have to lie about who I’ve been with. Although, if I get my way, I will definitely have to lie about what we’ve been doing.
“Hello, is this Nico?” I hear dad say, watching him with wide eyes. I realize I’m clutching the end of my robe tightly, tension running through me. What if he says no? What if I end up having to go home after all?
