Page 30 of Under His Protection
“How about it?” Liam says with a grin as he eyes me and Mack. “How about a wrestling match between the two big guys?”
“Come on, Dad!” Haley cries. “I want to see you in action.”
The others get in on the pressure campaign, egging us on. Even Erin says to her husband, “Come on, honey. You can take him.”
Haley stands and pulls me to my feet. “Come on, Philip. I want to see you in action, too.”
She’s laughing, clearly delighted at the idea of me going up against her dad. But it’s a no-win scenario for me. I don’t want her dad to kick my ass and embarrass me in front of my girlfriend, but at the same time, I can’t make my girlfriend’s dad look bad. And honestly, I’m not even sure which one of us would win in a real contest. But he’s older than I am, and I think that gives me a slight advantage.
Mack reluctantly stands. We both kick off our footwear and meet in the middle of the room. Apparently, Liam is acting as a referee.
Mack and I face off, both of us sizing each other up. We might be the same height, but I’ve definitely got a few pounds onhim. At least twenty if I had to guess. And, it’s been a lot longer since he wrestled than it has been for me. Almost a decade, I’d guess.
“Keep it friendly,” Liam says as he stands between us. “The objective is simple—the first one to pin the other wins.”
Oh, shit. I can’t pin Haley’s dad to the floor.
“Don’t worry, son,” Mack says with a grin. “I’ll go easy on you.”
Everyone in the room erupts in a loud “oooooh!”
“Son?” I laugh. “You are not old enough to be my dad, Mack.”
As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I want to kick myself. What I said is true, but by saying that, I also pointed out the age difference between me and his daughter. Not good to remind him.
Mack gives me a smug grin and says, “With age comes wisdom and experience, kid.”
“First it’sson, and now it’skid?” I laugh. “Make up your mind.”
By now, we’re circling each other, getting a feel for how the other one moves and looking for an opening. Yeah, it’s been more than a few years since I last wrestled, but it’s pretty much like riding a bike. Once you learn, you never forget.
“Get him, honey!” Erin says.
“Go easy on my dad, Philip,” Haley says. “He’s a lot older than you.”
Everyone laughs at that.
Mack makes the first move. He lunges at me, and instantly we’re grappling.Damn!He’s serious. He attempts to throw me to the ground, but my extra weight gives me the advantage. I manage to break free, and we resume circling each other.
“Come on, honey!” Erin yells. “You can take him!” She’s obviously getting a kick out of this.
Haley doesn’t want to be left out. “Come on, Philip! Don’t hold back.”
We continue to circle each other, one periodically attempting to grab hold of the other. It looks like we’re pretty evenly matched.
Frankly, I want this over. To speed things up, I rush Mack. He gets me in a headlock, twists me, and throws me to the carpet. Once he rolls me onto my back and pins me, I lie still.
“Woohoo!” Erin yells. “Great job, honey!”
When Liam taps Mack’s shoulder, Mack releases me. He jumps to his feet and holds out his hand to me. I grab it and let him pull me to my feet.
Mack pats me on the back, and from the grin on his face, I think he knows I threw the match. He offers me his hand, and we shake. To my surprise, he pulls me close for a hug.
“You didn’t have to do that, Philip,” he murmurs quietly, “because I would have won anyway. But I appreciate the gesture.”
* * *
On the drive back to campus, Haley is buzzing with excitement about us being asked to be in Layla and Jason’s wedding.
