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Holding out my hands to her, I laugh. “Your dad has impeccable timing.”
Ann puts her hands in mine. “Yep. Cockblocker.”
I pull her to her feet.
“We’re here, Dad,” yells Ann as she drags me outside.
He’s leaning against one of the bollards, staring out across the ocean. Hank is more tanned and visibly relaxed. The island is full of hotel staff, Ann, me, Hank and his woman, Suzannah, and her son, Jack—no other tourists.
It’s weird to see him around them. Hank is a completely different person. He dotes on Jack and Suzannah. Everything they want, they get. Although he’s careful to make sure they don’t give me too much information about where they’re living.
“Hey, Dad.” Ann embraces her father.
“You two ready for tomorrow?”
Ann nods. “Yep, we’re all packed up and ready to go.”
“Good. We’re leaving within the hour.”
“You just said tomorrow. Has something happened?” I ask.
“No. Just being cautious.”
Nodding, I reach for Ann and pull her back into me. “Cool. Where are we off to?”
Hank smiles. “Ann needs to get back to school. You’re now enrolled there too.”
Ann jumps up and down, smiling. “You’re going toloveNew Zealand.”
“New Zealand?”
Hank grins. “Yep, it’s where Ann lives and studies.”
“You’re not coming?” I ask him.
“Nope, but I keep tabs on my girl. You’ll be fine.”
Ann is watching her father. She turns and puts a hand on my chest. “I’m going to leave you to talk to Dad. I need to do another check to make sure we haven’t left anything behind.” She kisses me and gives me big eyes, a sure sign her father wants to talk to me.
Hank waits until Ann is inside, and he walks to the end of the pier where our hut is located. Dutifully, I follow him.
Hank stops. “I know you love her, and I know you’d never do anything to hurt her, so I’m only going to say this once. You can’t contact anyone from your old life. Not friends, not family, no one. Is that clear?”
“I know.”
Hank shakes his head and bares his teeth. “I need you to say the words, Simon.”
“I promise you, I won’t do anything to put Ann in harm’s way. Besides, there’s no one from my past I want to keep in touch with.”
“Not even your family?”
Shaking my head, I say, “We weren’t especially close. I was a disappointment.”
“You know you can never go back?”
“There’s nothing to go back to.”
Hank studies me for a moment. “Their loss is our gain. Let’s get moving.”
