“Go way back. We served in the Marines together and have been best friends ever since.”
Aine nodded behind her father’s back and mouthed, “Sorry.”
“Hey, Daddy,” said Ava, joining them. “I see you’ve met Tabon.”
“How drunk is your mother?”
Ava sighed. “Very.”
“I’m not surprised.”
Razor downed the rest of his drink, that was, by request, all tonic and no gin.
“It was nice meeting you, sir,” he said. “Sorry to run, but I’ll be leaving in about a half hour and still need to pack and check in with the other groomsmen to see if there’s anything we need to help with before we go.”
His eyes met Ava’s, and she nodded, checking the time on her phone.
“When do you have to leave for the airport, Daddy?” she asked, seemingly jarring him out of a deep thought.
“I need to be going as well.” He stood and kissed each of his daughters.
“Did you say your name was Tabon?” he asked, offering his hand to shake.
“That’s right.”
“Interesting name.”
“It’s a family thing. I’m the fifth.”
McNamara nodded, as though he’d stopped listening to Razor, and hugged first Ava, and then Aine.
“Let me know when you plan to be back in the city. We’ll have dinner,” he said.
“Interesting man,” Razor commented once he was certain their father was far enough away not to hear him.
“Our dad has always been…intense,” said Ava.
“He works a lot,” added Aine. “But you probably know that, don’t you?”
Razor shook his head. “No.”
He looked at Ava who had an odd look on her face.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “So, are we following you, or are you planning to give me the address?”
There was an odd tone to her voice, almost as if she was annoyed with him.
“Why don’t you ride with me, and Gunner can take Aine and the other two girls?”
“No. That won’t be necessary. We have our own car.”
Her voice remained clipped, which worried him.
“Yes, I know. And I don’t. I rode here with Gunner. If I ride with you and the rest ride with him, you won’t get lost.”
“I don’t think so,” she said, folding her arms again.