My Father's Best Friend

by Ali Parker

  “I didn’t go to school in the fifties, Raven.”

  “That’s not what I mean.” She laughed.

  “Oh, really? You weren’t trying to suggest that all the kids hung out at the movie drive-in, and French kissing was obscene?”

  “I’m pretty sure they were having sex back then.”

  “Yeah.” I shrugged. “They probably were.”

  “So now you’re going to ask me if I am?”

  I stopped my jaw from dropping just in time. “We can talk about that if you want.”

  “Dad and I have.” She picked up a handful of paper clips from the holder on my desk and started linking them together. “And I’ve never done it. Not that Dad knows anything about that. I don’t think I’d tell him if I had.”

  Raven quickly looked back at me.

  “I don’t have to tell him anything about this,” I quietly affirmed.

  Raven nodded. It suddenly occurred to me that we could one day soon be crossing the boundaries of what was appropriate for a student and counselor to discuss.

  But we were so much more than student and counselor. I was her dad’s girlfriend. New girlfriend, yeah, but one who had come to really care for the both of them, like, a lot.

  I loved them both. It was too early to say that, but it was the truth. I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing Andrew or Raven be hurt. Especially not by some polo-wearing dude with too much body spray on.

  “Do you want Jason to be your first?” I asked.

  Raven studied the carpet. “Maybe? I don’t know. I really like him, but if he is my first, just not yet. You know?”

  She looked back to me, and I nodded. “Definitely.”

  There was more I needed to say, but I had to be careful how I broached the next part. “One more thing. Guys like Jason, I mean, boys Jason’s age can be ...” I waited for the right word to come to me before realizing there wasn’t one. “Horndogs,” I finished. “They can be super horny.”

  Raven laughed. “Girls can, too.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, I know.”

  “They’re just better at controlling themselves in high school.”

  “I can’t argue with you there.”

  “I think I know what you’re going to say,” she earnestly went on. “And I can handle myself around guys like Jason. I took care of him last week, didn’t I?”

  “Um, I don’t think I’d be doing my profession justice if I said slapping a person equated with properly dealing with them.”

  Grabbing her backpack, Raven stood. “But I’m not going to let anything I’m not ready for happen.”

  I stood as well, studying her, wishing I’d been that confident at seventeen.

  “Okay,” I answered. “I’m really happy to hear that. I’m here to talk if you ever need to, and your dad is as well.”

  “I know. Thanks. Hey, I have to get to German club.”

  “Okay. Have a good time. See you later.”

  “You too.” Raven gave me a grateful smile, but whether it was due to our conversation happening or due to it ending, I couldn’t tell. I hoped the former.

  She left the door hanging open behind her, and I leaned against my desk, arms crossed. It seemed Raven had more decisive of a mind when it came to boys than I’d expected. At her age, I was too susceptible to others wants and needs. More than once, I let myself get caught up in doing things I didn’t really want to and not just with boyfriends.

  So at least she had her own mind. That was good.

  Yet still, I couldn’t help but worry.

  “Just don’t get your heart broken, Raven,” I whispered into the quiet room. “There’s no good in that.”

  Chapter 40

  Andrew

  Raven ran down the stairs like a monster was after her.

  “What’s up?” I asked, going to the living room doorway. “You okay?”

  “What?” She wrinkled her nose and ran her fingers through her hair. “Yeah. Everything is fine. I’m going out.”

  I took in a long breath, calming my racing heart. When I’d first heard her steps coming down the stairs, fast as they were, I’d freaked out for a second. Now I noticed she wore a jacket and beanie.

  “On Sunday night?” I questioned. “You didn’t ask me.”

  “It’s only six o’clock, and I’m just going to Taylor’s house.”

  “Taylor?”

  Each time I checked, Raven had a new friend. It’s what I’d wished for a month ago, but now I was left feeling weird about her burgeoning popularity. Who were these kids she was hanging out with?

  “Taylor?” I asked once more, letting it hang there.

  “Chuck.”

  “Is that supposed to be funny?”

  Raven stepped forward and planted a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be back at eight.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “Text me if anything—no, call me if you need me. Promise?”

  “Yep.” Spinning on her heel, she waggled her fingertips at me and disappeared through the front door.

  And I was left alone, just me and the quiet house.

  It had happened before, but in prior days, I filled silent hours with busy work. Some nights, after Karen went home and Raven shut herself in her bedroom after refusing to talk to me yet again, I would go into my office and sift through account information that I’d already been over a dozen times. It was my way of escape.

  But it didn’t work anymore. I didn’t need to go and sit in the office all by myself to know that.

  I pulled my phone from my back pocket and longingly looked at my texts from Lanie. I would have invited her over in a heartbeat if it wasn’t Sunday night. Without exception, she always spent that evening with her best friend.

  Weird as it was, I was forty-five and feeling everyone but me was out having a great time. Leaving the thread with Lanie, I pulled up another one.

  Drink? I texted Saxton.

  Thirty minutes later, I rolled into the country club, finding the place bedecked in its usual over-the-top Christmas glory. The lobby practically glowed red, green, and silver, thanks not only to the ceiling-scraping tree but to the garlands and reindeer display in the corner as well.

  Passing my coat and scarf over to the coat check, I entered the bar and swept my gaze across the walls. Saxton wasn’t there yet.

  But Bob was.

  He saw me right as I saw him. Surprise flashed in his eyes, and he stood, motioning for me to come over.

  My heart leaped into my throat. Bob and I hadn’t seen each other since our conversation about Lanie. It wasn’t unusual for us to go much longer than that without talking, but things were different now. I was dating his daughter. It was probably up to me to check in with him every once in a while, give him a little feedback on how things were going. Yet I’d done none of that.

  Hoping the shame didn’t show on my face, I reached for his hand. “Bob. How are you doing?”

  He accepted my shake with a smile. “Swell. Just had dinner with my accountant. What are you doing here on a Sunday night?”

  “I’m meeting Saxton for a drink.”

  “Ah.” Bob’s eyebrows rose a slight bit. He’d never hidden his mixed feelings for Saxton.

  “Join us.”

  He pursed his lips, considering it. “You know, I will. Thank you. Have a seat here.” He clapped me on the back and gestured to the chair across from his.

  “I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch,” I said right away.

  Bob frowned as he raised his glass tumbler, gesturing for the waiter to bring us a fresh round of drinks. “Why’s that?”

  “Well,” I cleared my throat. Damn. Was he really planning on making me say it? “I feel I should have let you know how things are going with me and Lanie.”

  His laser-focused attention was back on me. “And how are they going?”

  I looked him straight in the eye. “Great. Also, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope it’s all right that she—”

  Bob waved his hand. “It’s just fine. Janice wante
d her to join you. She thought it would be good.” He paused. “And so did I.”

  The waiter arrived, and Bob turned all his attention to him. “We’ll need three glasses of–” He looked my way. “Saxton still drink bourbon?”

  “As far as I know.”

  Bob nodded. “Bourbon it is, then.”

  “Did I hear my name?”

  Saxton appeared out of nowhere and took a seat between me and Bob. “Good to see you, Bob.”

  Bob nodded his way, his eyes narrowing only the slightest bit. He and Saxton had had their good times together, but those times more often than not ended up with Bob calling Saxton immature or idiotic. This usually happened behind Saxton’s back, although Bob had called him out to his face once or twice before.

  “What are we talking about?” Saxton asked.

  “Lanie,” Bob answered before I’d decided whether or not I even wanted to divulge the topic.

  Saxton’s eyes cut to me. “That the girl you’ve been banging?”

  Bob’s jaw ticked.

  “That’s Bob’s daughter,” I slowly answered, feeling caught somewhere between wanting to laugh and wanting to die from shame. “And, um, she is also who I am seeing. Yes.”

  Realization swept across Saxton’s face. “Oh. That’s right.” If he felt sorry at all for the crass comment, it didn’t show.

  The waiter arrived with our drinks, and I took a grateful sip, letting the sting of alcohol burn away what discomfort it could.

  “It’s a shame you’ve settled down again,” Saxton said without any warning.

  I cringed and placed my glass down harder than I meant to. Across the table, Bob scowled.

  “Nothing against Lanie,” Saxton quickly said to Bob.

  “You’ve never met Lanie,” I pointed out. Saxton was digging himself a grave here, and I wasn’t in the mood to help him climb out of it.

  “Yeah, well, from what I’ve heard, she’s a nice girl.” He shrugged.

  “What’s wrong with Andrew having a girlfriend?” Bob demanded.

  Saxton bit back his grin. “It’s fine at a certain point, sure. You’ve been married for years, Bob, but don’t you ever wish you hadn’t been so quick to tie yourself to one woman? Men need to play the field while they can. Have fun. Guys get to do that for a lot longer than women, so why shouldn’t they?”

  “What do you mean men get to do it for longer?” I asked, noting the rising tension at the table.

  “Men are considered hot for a lot longer than women.”

  I stared at Saxton. “That’s what our society tells us, but that doesn’t mean it’s true.”

  Saxton turned to me, languidly tossing his arm over the back of his chair. “If a guy can still get up with a twenty-five-year-old when he’s fifty, shouldn’t he? Andrew, man, you should understand this better than anyone else.”

  I felt my lips draw tight against my teeth. “Mine and Lanie’s age difference has nothing to do with us getting along. She’s the first woman younger than me that I’ve ever been interested in.”

  “Let’s just move on,” Bob cut in, sending an irritated look Saxton’s way.

  “Fine.” Saxton tested out his bourbon and smacked his lips. “We’ll agree to disagree.”

  Bob’s eyes briefly connected with mine, and I felt compelled to mouth “sorry” but kept my face flat instead.

  “Saxton, I’d ask you how that girl Matilda is,” Bob started, “but I assume—”

  “Right. She’s old news. That was, what? Months and months ago.”

  Bob took a long drink.

  I raked my fingers through my hair, resisting the urge to sigh. This wasn’t turning out to be the casual and fun night I’d hoped for. Thankfully, Bob was on the ball.

  “What are your holiday plans?” he asked Saxton.

  Saxton lit up at that. “Hawaii. The whole week.”

  “Who’s the lucky lady?”

  “I haven’t met her yet. She’s waiting somewhere for me in Honolulu. Her and her friend, I’m hoping.”

  I snorted into my drink, and Bob grinned. As grating as Saxton could be, he always kept the mood light. It was nice to have someone like that around.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I discreetly checked it under the table. Instead of it being Raven or Lanie, it was my cell phone provider sending me an ad for an upgrade.

  Damn.

  I’d known this for a while now, but I no longer cared to hear from anyone but Lanie and Raven. They’d become the only two people who mattered in my life.

  “What are you smiling about over there?” Saxton asked, a mischievous grin on his own face.

  I snorted and put my phone away. “Nothing. Hey, I want to ask you both something—some advice.” I shot Saxton a warning glance, silently begging him to keep it chill.

  “What’s that?” Bob asked.

  “I’ve been kicking this idea around for the last few days. I’d like to take Lanie on a weekend getaway. Do you think she’d be into that?”

  Bob knew Lanie better than I did, of course, and even though Saxton and I had some serious disagreements when it came to women, the truth couldn’t be denied. He was good with them.

  Bob smiled. “I’m sure she’d love that. It’s been a while since she’s gone anywhere.”

  “Yeah?” His answer had given me a fresh excitement.

  “Hell, yeah, man,” Saxton inserted. “Every woman likes a weekend getaway. It’s what they’re all secretly dying for. It shows them they’re special.”

  “With you, it shows them they’re special for that one weekend,” Bob said, laughing.

  Saxton grinned devilishly. “Hey, special is special. It doesn’t matter how long it lasts.”

  “Where are you thinking about taking her?” Bob asked, getting serious. Suddenly, the conversation felt like an interrogation.

  “Uh, the San Juan Islands?”

  Bob nodded in approval. “Janice and I went there a few years ago for our anniversary. We went to Lopez.”

  “Forget Lopez,” Saxton said. “There’s a sweet resort on Orcas. It has heart-shaped hot tubs. That sounds cheesy as shit, but trust me, they do it well.”

  Bob and I both laughed at that. Thankfully, Saxton didn’t go any further and make suggestions as to what I should do with Lanie once we got in the aforementioned heart-shaped tub.

  “I have to go,” Bob said, looking at the time on his phone. “It was good to see you both. Andrew, I’ll make sure not to say anything to Lanie, but trust me, she’ll love the surprise.”

  Winking, he got up. Saxton turned in his chair, watching Bob until he left the restaurant. The second he was gone, Saxton turned back toward me.

  “So he’s okay with you fucking his daughter?”

  “We didn’t discuss it in those exact words, but yes, he’s fine with me and Lanie dating.”

  “Wow.” Saxton thoughtfully tapped his fingers against his lips. “Nice.”

  “Do you know of any resorts other than the heart-tub one? I want to get a good idea of what the area has.”

  “Oh, shit yeah. Here.” Pulling a pen from his pocket, he grabbed a napkin and started making a list. “There’s The Cove. That’s the one all the old people go to. It’s fancy, though. Some chicks dig it. There’s a whale watching boat tour they do every day. And then, there’s this other place, here. It’s farther in on the island. If a chick likes hiking and that kind of stuff, I always take her there.”

  Saxton went on, pumping me with the knowledge of an official San Juan Islands guide. As he listed the pros and cons of each island and resort, my mind drifted.

  Up till then, finding time alone with Lanie had always been difficult. We’d had that one night in the hotel, but even that hadn’t been perfect. I’d had to jump up and sneak home early in the morning before Raven woke.

  If I could get two whole days for just me and Lanie, the thought was almost too good to handle. No work. No obligations. No one else demanding our attention.

  The only thing that remained
was running the whole thing by Raven. I wasn’t sure how she’d feel spending the weekend without me. I’d already discussed it with Karen, and she’d offered to sleep at the house while I was gone as she sometimes did when I went on business trips. Because of that, I didn’t have any anxiety over the issue.

  Two days and two nights.

  I could already think of a hundred different ways to fill all those hours.

  Chapter 41

  Lanie

  The doorbell sang, and I immediately got to work smoothing down my hair and patting under my eyes, checking for any eyeshadow that had fallen there. It didn’t matter that Andrew had seen me in all kinds of rumpled states. I still got butterflies when I thought of seeing him, and I wanted to look good for dinner at his house.

  The door flew open, and Karen smiled wide. “Lanie,” she cooed, pulling me in for a hug.

  We’d only met once before, but Karen had one of those personalities. She could make friends with anyone.

  “How are you doing?” I asked, face still pressed against her shoulder.

  “Good, good. Come in out of that cold.” She quickly shut the door behind me. “I was just headed home. Raven and Andrew are somewhere downstairs, and dinner is in the oven.”

  As she talked, she worked fast, taking and hanging my coat in the hall closet and winding her scarf around her neck. “There’s a cake in the fridge. You’re not allergic to coconut, are you?”

  “Nope. I love it.”

  “Oh, good! It’s coconut with layers of strawberries.”

  “Wow. You really didn’t have to go all out. It’s only Monday night.”

  “Stop. It’s my job.” Karen buttoned her coat with flying fingers. “You have a good night, sweetie.”

  “You too.” Before I could say bye, she was gone, the door closing behind her.

  Tentatively, I peeked into the quiet living room. There hadn’t been a peep yet from Raven or Andrew, and I briefly wondered if the giant house had even more rooms than I had initially thought.

  “Hello?” I called.

  No answer.

  Still feeling self-conscious about walking around the house all by myself, I slowly took a few steps down the hallway. “Andrew? Raven?”