Page 2 of My Favorite Girl

“Dan, youwillbe a part of it. I’d like her to move in here. I want to focus on family and less on work. From now on, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me around here, whether you like it or not.”

Fuck this shit. I push the door shut, but he juts an arm out, holding the door open.

“What do I have to do to make you cooperate with me? Amabella is an important part of my life, and I will not have your attitude ruin my relationship with her.”

“There’s nothing?—”

“Felix tells me you’re about to get your driver’s license. I’ll buy you a car. Any car you want if it means you’ll work with me.”

The nerve of this man. Now he’s bribing me?

But the proposition makes me pause.Anycar? It’s not an empty promise. My father has always thrown money around to fix his problems.

“Fine.” I can play along to get what I want. Doesn’t mean I have to be genuine toward my father and his new girlfriend.

“Thank you. You and I will be having lunch with Amabella this Saturday.”

I lift a brow. “Just us? No Felix, Tyler, or Killian?”

He straightens the lapels of his jacket. “I’d like to introduce you and your brothers to Amabella individually. Less chance for chaos.”

“Can’t wait.” My voice drags over each word. My brothers would have made this lunch bearable.

I go to close the door again, but he holds it open. “One more thing, Dan. Amabella has a daughter named Ally. She’s a year younger than you and will be joining us for the lunch. She’s a quiet girl and doesn’t have many friends. You’ll be welcoming to Ally as well, understood?”

Jesus fuck. Fine. Anything to get this conversation over with. “Sure. Me and the daughter, best friends. Are we done here?”

My dad nods and leaves. I’ll be asking for a Ferrari after all this is over.

Chapter 2

Dan

Two days later, Saturday, May 15

The daughter

“Remember, best behavior,” my father mutters like I’m five years old as we wait for his girlfriend to answer her front door.

She lives at The Hawk Grand Hotel on the Upper East Side, a few streets away from us. When I asked why she lives in a hotel, I got some cryptic response about the girlfriend having a rough past, and that she’s cousins with Daxton Hawk, the guy who owns this hotel, and he housed her here to help out.

Along with my best behavior, my father insisted I wear a suit to set a good impression. He’s nervous about today’s lunch with the girlfriend and her daughter, afraid I’ll mention something embarrassing about his fabulous parenting skills. I’ll let him sweat, but I’m not an idiot. I want that car.

The door opens, and a woman in her early thirties, at least ten years younger than my father, smiles at me. This is Amabella, I suppose. She’s beautiful, with an elegance his usual women don’t possess. Amabella has long, blond hair and iswearing a floral dress fit for this time of year as we grow closer to summer.

She doesn’t spare a glance at my father before pulling me into a hug. “Dan, I amsothrilled to meet you. Your father has told me so many wonderful things about you.” All lies from him, I’m sure. The little he does know about me, he doesn’t like.

The woman’s warm and excitable nature is unexpected, and before I can reciprocate any kind of response, she laughs and pulls back, holding me by the shoulders. “Sorry, I should have introduced myself first. You’re probably freaking out. I’m Amabella.”

“It’s nice to officially meet you.”

Only now does Amabella turn to my father. She pecks him on the lips, and they exchange a few cutesy words. I look away, disturbed by the sight of my father smiling against her mouth.

“Please, come inside,” Amabella says to us. “Our lunch reservations at the restaurant downstairs aren’t for another forty minutes.”

We follow her through the front door to a small but sophisticated apartment. The living room and kitchen are combined in an open floor plan, with a balcony to the side.

Amabella stands with Dad near the couch and calls out, “Ally, honey, Josh and Dan are here.”

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