We haven’t discussed the logistics of filling her parents in on our relationship yet, and I want to have some time with her first before we tell them. She agreed with this approach. We both want to see where this is going before we fill her parents in on it. I don’t want to keep her a secret; on the contrary, I want to tell the whole world about us. But if I can present it to her parents as something that’s been going on for a while, Bruce may be less likely to kick my ass.
And he could. I’d put up a fight, but I know he’d win.
I hear their car as they pull into the driveway. I close my laptop and take another sip of my wine, pulling my phone from my pocket to check the time. They’re home earlier than I would have expected. Bruce and Marianne were always the couple that said they were going out for one drink and ended at some trendy bar. I stifle a laugh. I’m thinking about the way things were back in college. They’re different now. Of course they’re home already; we’re in our forties now. Even if they still look good enough to get into a trendy bar, I know their jobs are as demanding as mine is, and that means getting as much work done as possible from a laptop in bed.
I hear the door open and then, a few seconds later, the sound of footsteps. Then Marianne’s voice.
“Bruce, please, you have to calm down.”
Bruce charges right for me.
And he looks pissed.
“Bruce,” Marianne says again. She’s rushing after him and trying to talk some sense into him. “Bruce, give him a chance to explain.”
Her eyes snap to mine. Bruce keeps rushing toward me and stops when he’s a few feet away. He’s huffing and puffing as though he just ran from where he was instead of driving home. The first few buttons of his shirt are open. He probably drove all the way home prepping himself for a fight.
“Explain this,” he demands, thrusting his phone into my hands. I take it and give Marianne a look first. I need her on my side. Bruce puts one hand in his pocket and the other curls around the edge of the counter. I think if he dug his fingers in any more he might break something. I look at the phone again. There’s a text from a George, a last name I don’t recognize.
You should keep an eye on David. Maxwell mentioned something about Bailey after you’d left and David became pretty upset and stormed out. Just thought I’d give you a heads-up.
I swallow thickly and put the phone on the counter.
“What is he talking about, David?” Bruce’s eyes zero in on mine. “Did you do something to my Bailey?”
“Listen,” I say calmly, “let’s sit. Please.”
Bruce lunges toward me, twisting my shirt up in his palms. My heart leaps.
“She’s a fucking kid. What the fuck did you do??”
“Stop!” Bailey yells, appearing from behind Bruce, throwing herself at her dad. She grabs his big bicep and tries to pull him off of me. “Dad, what the hell are you doing? You’re going to hurt him! He didn’t do anything!”
Bruce throws his daughter a look and lets go of me, backing away slowly, still out of breath. I reach for my throat; the old fucker really gave it to me. If Bailey hadn’t intervened, I don’t know if I would have had enough restraint to not throw a punch.
“I need some fucking answers,” Bruce says, trying to straighten himself out, “and I’m getting a little impatient here. What the hell was George talking about?”
“Dad, George is gross, okay?” Bailey says. “You should have heard the stuff he and Maxwell were saying about me. David stood up for me. He told them to cut that shit out.”
“Then why did George tell me to keep an eye on David?”
“Probably because he wanted to cover his own ass if I went to you and told him he was talking about me like that.” Bailey crosses her arms over her chest. “And I’d be willing to bet he waited to send that text until he was well out of spitting distance of this house because he knew it might blow up in his face. But you know me, Dad. I know you trust me. You trust my word over George’s, don’t you? Who the hell is this guy, anyway?”
“So what is the truth, Bailey, David?” Marianne asks. “Is there…something here between you two?”
I throw Bailey a cautious glance.
“Yes, Mom,” she says. “There is something here. But David did not do anything wrong. I promise. Have you ever known him to mistreat a woman? In all the years you’ve known him, has he ever been disrespectful?”
Bruce lets out a heavy breath.
“You’re young, B. You’re still a kid. You still have so much growing up to do.”
“Dad, with all due respect, I’ll remind you that I’m not a kid anymore. I think I’m very responsible. I’ve never been rebellious, I’ve never stepped out of line at all. This is pretty much the craziest thing I’ve ever done, I admit that much.”
She looks at me with a little twinkle in her eye, the suggestion of a wink.
“So you’re saying this…this thing between you two…is a way for you to rebel against your mom and me?”
“No,” Bailey says with a little laugh, “no, not at all. I’m saying that I’ve had to grow up fast, and that’s made me very sure of who I am, and what I want. And I want David.”
“Are you serious?” Bruce pinches the bridge of his nose. “He’s leaving tomorrow. There’s nothing tying him here.”
“Bruce,” I say, “if you open my laptop you’ll see that I was looking at short-term rental properties. And there absolutely is something tying me here.”
I look over at Bailey and grab her hand. I think she’s as surprised by this as Bruce is.
“Goddamnit, David.” Bruce sinks down onto one of the stools and looks at the open wine bottle, then at me. “I think I need a drink.”
11
Bailey — One Week Later
David was able to extend his stay several days. My dad is still acting a little cold toward me and David, but I know he’ll come around when he sees how serious David is. For now, we’ll have to engage in a long-distance relationship, with a visit every couple of weekends in-between. I’m okay with that. It’s more than completely, absolutely worth it.
There was one thing Dad insisted on. He wouldn’t let David stay at our house. I think he didn’t want to wonder how far our relationship had gone, and he certainly didn’t want to give us an opportunity to sneak into each other’s rooms at night.
I don’t think I would have done that, anyway, and I don’t blame my dad for making him stay at a hotel. The hotel meant that we had all the privacy we wanted. It was even better than having David at the house.
And now, after a week, I’m dropping David off at the airport.
“I’ll call you when I get there,” he says, tugging his duffel bag from the back seat. One of my pet peeves is when people let their cars idle at the drop-off curb of the airport, but now I know why they do it.
David wraps his arms around me and puts a kiss on my hairline. I’m sorry that he has to go, but I haven’t had a better time in recent memory than with him. It’s only been a week, but I don’t know how I’ll be able to find a better man than him. I’m falling for him.
“Please call me as soon as the plane touches down,” I say, smiling up at him. I’m not going to cry — we already have a video call set up for tonight, and it isn’t a long flight from DC to NYC, but I can’t help the heaviness I feel in my heart. I’m excited for what comes next, but I’m sad to say goodbye. I’m a mess of emotions. Disbelief, happiness.
“I will call you as soon as humanly possible,” he says, pulling his boarding pass out of his back pocket. “I even booked a first-row seat so I can be the last person on and the first person off.”
“But you hate the first row!” I say, snatching the ticket from him. I look at his last name, my fingers sliding across the smooth paper, refusing to let myself dance into dreamland.
He hugs me again, and this time I hold him a little bit longer and a little bit closer.
“I love you, Bailey,” he says. I pull away from him to look at his face.
; “I love you too, David.” I feel something stir inside me. “I’ve never said that to anyone.”
“I haven’t said that to anyone in a very long time.”
“Go,” I say, wiping a few tears from my cheeks. “You have a flight to catch.”
He takes my face in his hand and brushes a thumb over my cheek, then kisses me deeply.
“I’ll be back soon,” he says. “Very soon.”
David - Two Months Later
Epilogue
“Hey!”
We drive past Bailey’s parents’ place. Bailey throws me a look.
“You missed my parents’ house!”
“Shit,” I say, maintaining my composure. I glance in the rearview mirror. “I’ll turn around when I can.”
“You could have turned right there!” she says, pointing at a side street. She narrows her eyes at me. “Where are we going?”
“We’re going to your parents’ place.” I flip on my turn signal. “I just wanted to stop off somewhere first.”
Her interest is piqued. We drive for a few more blocks and I make a right, turning into the parking lot of a nice row of apartments.
“What’s going on?” she asks, her head whipping back and forth as she takes everything in. We’re underground now, and I pull out my parking pass and attach it to my rearview. Her voice lowers. “No, really, what is going on, David?”
“Wait just a few more minutes,” I say, cutting the engine. We get out of the car and I jog around to her side, grab her hand, and pull her toward the elevator. I slide my keycard into the slot and hit the floor we’re going to.
The elevator starts its smooth ride up, the glass wall on one side of the car revealing the view of the capitol building when it gets high enough. I grab Bailey’s hand when we get to our floor and pull her into the hallway.
“What is this place?” she asks, taking stock of our surroundings. The hall is wide, with gray wallpaper and modern light sconces dotting the walls. “Is this a hotel?”
“Nope,” I say. I unlock the door at the end of the hall and push it open. I hold it for Bailey, and she walks past me into the sun-drenched foyer. It’s just a two-bedroom and it’s a starter apartment, but I’m planning to put an offer in on it.
“This is so nice,” she says, taking a step inside. “But…what are we doing here?”
“I’m planning on buying it. If you’ll move in with me.”
She turns around in surprise, her lips parted a little.
“Really?”
“Well,” I say, taking a step toward her. “Yes. I know it’s small, but you’ve always talked about how you wanted to be close to the action and didn’t want to move to the suburbs right away. I think this could be a compromise.”
“This isn’t a compromise,” she says. “This is everything I’ve ever wanted. I just want you, David, and if this is where we are, then it’s where we’re supposed to be. I would love to move in with you, and this apartment is perfect for us.”
She takes a few more steps inside, the heels of her shoes clicking on the hardwood and echoing off the walls. Pausing at the kitchen island, she turns around to face me.
That’s when I pull the small black box from my pocket and go down on one knee. Her lips curl up at the corners and her brilliant eyes widen.
“Since we’re going to be living together, I thought it might be the right time to propose. The past couple of months have been amazing, and I want to promise you right now, right this second, that I want you forever. I’ve never been so sure about anything before. Please marry me and make me the happiest man in the world.”
“Yes!” she screams as I stand up. She throws herself against me and nearly knocks the wind out of me. “Yes! YES!!”
“Calm the hell down and let me put the ring on you, babe.”
I only let her get away from me long enough for me to slide the ring on her finger. She looks down and marvels at it with what I can see is gratitude. But I’m the one who should be thankful. I pull her back into my arms — where she belongs — and give her a slow, long, winding kiss.
“I can’t wait to tell my parents,” she says, putting a hand to her temple and admiring her ring. She shakes her head. “I love you so much, David. I’m so excited!”
“Can we come out now?” her dad yells from behind the kitchen wall.
Bailey’s eyes widen and she hits me softly with the back of her hand.
“I was just about to jump your freaking bones,” she whispers to me, then runs to her parents as they come out.
I fold my arms over my chest and watch Bailey as she hugs her dad and shows her mom the ring. Bruce breaks away from his daughter and strides toward me, puts his hand out, and we shake. For a second I think he might be even happier than I am.
Then I look past him and see Bailey’s smile.
Nope. He’s not happier than me.
I’m definitely the happiest man on earth right now.
The End
Pining For My Ex’s Dad
Preview
Riley is twenty-one and still terribly inexperienced. She also has a tendency to grow bored with things quickly, picking up hobbies and interests and then forgetting them soon after. She can’t sit still. She loves moving and being in the thick of things. Her one and only boyfriend was the exact same way, but this meant he never stayed faithful.
But he’s old news.
One thing she hasn’t forgotten, though?
His dad.
Mark is handsome, powerful, kind, and alone. He’s sick of hangers-on, women wanting him for his money, and all of the trappings of his high-class lifestyle. He’s also Riley’s ex’s dad, which means he has a unique view of this intriguing younger woman.
Riley has an idea. Home from college for the summer, she decides she needs to make Mark hers. She trusts him, she knows he’s a good man, and she wants her first time to be special — even if she can only have him for one night.
She has no idea that Mark has other plans for her.
“Pining For My Ex’s Dad” is a short, sweet, high-heat romance with a guaranteed HEA.
1
Riley
Girl, you’ll be a woman soon!
That song came out decades before I was born. I didn’t realize its true meaning the first thousand times I heard it. But then, a few days ago, my best friend, Katie, told me what it meant.
When I told her about my plan.
See, I used to date this guy named James.
My belly does a deep, rolling flip when I turn onto the street where his dad lives. Vast, perfectly-manicured lawns stretch away from the sidewalk, gating houses from the outside world. Three years ago, James gave me the code to access the world behind the black iron gates but the passcode is different now. I ring the bell outside and identify myself, and whoever’s monitoring the swiveling security camera lets me in.
I thought my fingers would tremble. They aren’t trembling. I’m cool as a cucumber as I roll along the curling road approaching the modern, sleek home beyond a moonlight-drenched lawn with its minimalist fountain in the center. There are several other cars here. His dad is having a party, which I knew already. Word of these parties always just kind of got around.
Rumor has it that James’s dad filed seventeen patents by the time he was twenty-five.
There was even a rumor that he was asked to be a guest shark on Shark Tank. I would have loved to watch him, but I know I’d be a little jealous if the entire world got to see him. Is it wrong that I always thought that he was, in some small way, mine? I know that I have absolutely no claim to him, but I always thought that we had a unique connection.
See, James was a jerk. And I think he still is a jerk, or at least that’s what I’ve been able to surmise from social media. He posts photos of himself on boats with scores of women wearing the sexiest little outfits I’ve ever seen. I think he thinks it makes him look like a badass to spend money the way he does, but I think it makes him look insecure.
I don’t know why I dat
ed him. I think I was attracted to the idea of him. I was attracted to the idea that I could be someone else. Maybe, if people could see me in a different light, I’d be able to escape my family’s bad reputation. It’s my fault for putting myself in a situation where the guy I dated never really wanted me.
Jerk!
I cut the ignition and peer at the house through the window, my fingers curling around the steering wheel and my chin cradled against them.
This is it.
I’m here to seduce Mark. My ex’s dad.
He probably won’t even remember me. Riley…who? That’s fine, though. I’ve changed a lot in the past three years, in ways both superficial and deep. I’m more confident now, a byproduct of going away to college and being among people who don’t know who I am or who my family is. See, my mom had an affair with two fathers of my classmates before running away to Arizona. This made my dad and me social pariahs. We were guilty by association.
Mark never knew James was out there until an ex of his showed up out of the blue with a teenage son. James was raised by an army of nannies and I don’t think he had many good role models, if any at all.
Why am I doing this? Well, I think it’s a way for me to finally say goodbye to this town and to move on from it and all the people in it. That, and I can’t seem to get Mark off my mind. It’s been three years and he’s the only man I ever think about. What better way for me to get him out of my system than to do this? I have a tendency to have great enthusiasm at the beginning of things and then to lose interest soon after.
I have all the knitting needles and unfinished blankets to prove it.
In my head I always go back to that one night when I caught James with another girl at a party. I don’t know why I was even at the party, but of course I left as soon as I caught them together. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I knew that it was the last straw. He couldn’t keep me around anymore to be his personal tutor and security blanket. I was done. My dad was out of town that weekend and I didn’t know who to turn to, so I went over to his house. His dad was home. He opened the door and I could see on his face that he already knew something was wrong.
Pining For Dad's Best Friend Page 5