“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “But I can’t. Too many people know my face.”

It’s such a nice face. “But you would if you could.”

“Yes.”

“Then tell me this. What training have you had that makes you so sure you wouldn’t be hurt if you were able to go undercover?”

“I went to the Academy. We were trained in—” He stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing as he realized she’d set him up.

She smiled up at him sadly. “I went to boot camp. I’ve been trained as well. In addition to that, I’ve been in active war zones. That’s more experience than you have.”

He stared at her helplessly. “I want to shake some sense into your thick skull.”

“But you won’t,” she murmured.

He frowned. “What?”

“You won’t shake me. You won’t hurt me. Ever.”

His hands dropped immediately to his sides. “But I did hurt you.”

She missed his touch, just as immediately. “Not physically. And not on purpose. Because you are not your father, Tom Hunter, and you never will be.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again. It appeared he had no argument left. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, but I only speak the truth.” She paused a beat, then asked, “How did you know I’d gotten the job? If you thought I hadn’t told Raeburn, he didn’t tell you.”

“I have access to Sunnyside’s employee database. It’s how I knew there was an opening.”

“And how you identified Penny Gaynor as approachable.”

He nodded once. “I was filling in that hole that Pebbles dug under the fence when I got an alert on my phone that the database had been updated.”

That explained his dirty clothes. “And I’ve been added.”

“Yes. They’ve done extensive background checks on you. They’re still searching.”

She lifted a brow. “Did they find anything that connects to you?”

“No. I did a deep check of my own, just to be sure that I knew about anything that was out there that could compromise you. You have no social media presence and no property registered to you, so that helps a lot. You’re in the white pages, but there is no phone number or other mineable information. They have a copy of your military record. It’s a damn good record, Liza.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. “That means a lot.”

“I’m proud of you. I just wanted you to know.” He cleared his throat. “When do you start?”

“Tuesday morning.” She hesitated, then asked, “Were you following me yesterday?”

He paled. “No. Did someone follow you?”

“Yes. I was driving Karl’s SUV. He keeps one at the apartment where I’m staying. I wasn’t driving my Mazda, so they can’t trace me to you.”

“You think that’s what I care about? Them tracing you to me? Really?”

She shifted uncomfortably. “No. But I thought you should know.”

His chuckle was bitter. “Oh, so now you’re telling me things I should know? Thank you so much.” He shook his head and squared his shoulders. “Text me your new address. I’m not planning to drop by. I promise. I’m going call my boss to get you protection there in addition to the protection we’re providing outside the Sunnyside gate.”