Page 68 of Tracking Payton
Colin just gave him a duh look. “Oh, I don’t know, how about the fact you’ve been sleeping with his only daughter.”
Oh yeah, that. He had every intention of it, but he didn’t think it had to be now. “Later, there’s a lot going on.”
Colin rolled his eyes. “You know, for a Delta, you’re a pansy.”
Those were fighting words. Alex stopped in his tracks to face off with Colin. “Let’s go one on one and find out.”
“I’m good. I’ve been the recipient of those fists before. I just find it funny you’ll tackle a bad guy about to shoot your girlfriend but are afraid to tell her dad you’re boning his daughter.”
“One, I would never phrase it that way. Two, it’s not fear it’s—okay, I can’t lie, it is. But that’s only because I’ve wanted Payton for so long, and you know my situation. I live in a different state. I’m gone more than I’m home. I never expected this to be permanent.”
“Do you love her?” Colin asked point blank.
“I do.” Alex didn’t hesitate.
“Do you think she could love your ugly mug?”
The corner of Alex’s lip twitched. Leave it to Colin to try and make a serious moment humorous. “She does,” he said more confidently than he felt. While she’d never said the words, he had felt it in every touch, in every look she gave him, in every kiss. Neither had officially said the words yet.
But should he? Would it be cruelty to tell her only to leave? He wasn’t in a position to leave the army yet. He still had a few years until retirement. He loved working with his team and didn’t want to leave. Ortiz had been willing to do that for his girlfriend and kid. It might sound shitty of him for not willing to give up his career for a woman, but it wasn’t like he was asking Payton to give up her job. Nor would he ever ask.
He’d seen her in action; he could never ask her to give up her career to follow him. Sure, the police force in Texas would be damn lucky to have her, but he was gone so much with missions. Would it be fair to ask her to move only for him to never be around?
He couldn’t do that to her. She had a home here. A life. She was close to her dad.
“Then you guys will figure it out. I say tell her and work it out. You’ll always regret giving her up without a fight.”
“Giving who up?” Nick snapped behind them; they didn’t know how he’d snuck up on them.
Alex whirled around like a guilty child getting caught. “Nick, how long have you been standing there? I thought you were headed home to change.” Had he heard what he and Colin had been talking about or just walked up now? Alex tried to read his face, but it was blank.
“I’ll ask again, giving up who?” Nick repeated, ignoring Alex’s question which meant he had heard their conversation but wanted Alex to say it to his face.
Alex looked to Colin for help, but the man just held his hands up in surrender. His eyes dancing with merriment. He was enjoying this too much. Ass. Well, he might as well come out and say it. “Payton, sir,” Alex replied standing up a little straighter.
Nick stepped up to him so they were almost chest to chest. Nick was only an inch or two taller than him. “I think you have some explaining to do.”
Alex’s eyes darted around for an escape, but he didn’t find one. He was not prepared for this conversation yet. With no way to retreat, he plunged ahead. “I’m in love with your daughter.”
Nick didn’t so much as blink at his revelation. Alex expected some kind of reaction and not just staring. Perhaps he’d shocked him. “And now you’re giving her up like she’s a piece of trash now that you’re done with her?”
“No,” Alex profusely denied. “Never. I want to be with Payton. She and the military are the only things I’ve ever loved. I just have nothing to offer her. You know the life of a military spouse. It isn’t easy, and it’s not fair to ask her to move.” If anyone would understand the turmoil, he felt it was Nick. He’d been through it. Most of his friends’ girlfriends already lived in the area so they didn’t have to make a big change.
Savannah had made the biggest change in moving from the Congo. Mia and Hector were moving from Florida. If they could do it, why couldn’t she? No, he couldn’t think about that. He and Payton were the exception. She had a career here. Her dad. Her whole life had been here in Colorado Springs. He had no right to even be thinking about asking her to give that all up.
Alex felt like squirming under Nick’s penetrating gaze. It was like the man was peering straight into his soul. He knew he wasn’t good enough for Payton. No man was. He respected Nick enough that if the man told him to back off, he would. Even if it broke his heart.
“You’ll figure it out,” Nick said cryptically then walked away again.
Strange.
“What the hell was that?” Fake death must have changed Nick. He was never so calm talking about men and his daughter. No one was ever good enough for her. He gave the stank-eye to any man who even looked at her.
“So what are you going to do?” Colin prodded.
Alex didn’t say anything. What was there to say? There was only one conclusion. Give her up.
Colin chuckled behind him. “I see Nick’s not the only one who’s perfected ignoring questions.”
