Page 13 of Surprise Baby for Daddy's Best Friend

"So," Carl broke my focus on the alcohol. "How do you know my dad anyway?"

I scrunched my face trying to remember that far back, "Well, we went to high school together. Tried to debate me."

“If by debate you mean you debated me with your fists.”

I shrugged and waved it off, “By the by. He wasn’t a good fighter, but he was willing to stand up for things, even if I found it stupid. He was also the reason I bought my first property. It’s what got me started in real estate and business just grew from there.”

Carl leaned over so he could get a better look at me, "And you didn't stay in contact with him after that?"

"No,” I shook my head sadly. “When you’re juggling multiple businesses, the idea of personal time gets pretty thin. I was divorced and raising Mandi by myself, so there wasn’t any time to play catch-up with anyone. Didn’t help that when I did come around, people were pricks about any money I had and called me a sell-out.."

Maurice sighed and shook his head. "They're not pricks. You were just an asshole to them whenever you came back from vacations, completely trashed the entire time. Then your first wife came back and we never saw you again."

"Your first wife?"

"Yeah..." My voice trailed off at the thought of her and how she slandered my name into the mud. Not like all of it was a total lie. A lot of itwastrue and I wasn't proud of it. "I'm not one to ask for marriage advice beyond don't do what I did. Heck, my best advice at this point is to not find someone to get involved with."

"And that's a lie," Maurice pointed to me with a finger while holding his glass. "I might not have been here last night, but Terrence said you had a lady over. Said she was really enjoying her time."

I turned silent.

Maurice smacked me on the back, "Hey, don't act like that. You're just trying to enjoy yourself. Nothing to be ashamed of." His phone buzzed and he unlocked it to view a text. "Oh shit, the girls are back. Guess I can finally introduce you to my daughter."

"There you are, dad. Thought you had work to get done?"

I recognized that voice and nearly choked on my drink as I turned around and met Maurice's daughter's gaze.

"Oh! You're dad's old friend?" Her smile faltered a little as she stepped closer.

Maurice turned from me to his daughter. "Did you two meet earlier?"

I shook my head, "No. I don't think we've met." I didn't want this to get awkward.

Kim narrowed her gaze. "Yeah, you look familiar, but I don't think we met dad. I would remember."

Maurice waved a hand in the air as if to clear the instant tension, "Well, either way. Kim, this is Jared. We've been buddies since before you two were born."

She held a hand out to shake mine, "It's nice to meet you, Jared."

Hearing her say my name again sent a shiver of desire slithering down my spine.

"Same," I exchanged a look of understanding with Kim. Neither of us wanted to bring up last night. Especially now that her dad knew about me fucking someone last night and Terrence listening to it. "I need to go to the bathroom," I put my glass down and stood up. "I'll be right back."

I slammed my head against the cold wall of the bathroom stall. I couldn’t be so stupid as to want to fuck my best friend’s daughter. And yet, the image of her on top of me wouldn’t disappear.

5

KIM

Ipaced back and forth in the room while gnawing on my knuckle. I wasn't expecting to run into Jared again. And certainly wasn’t expecting to hear that he was my dad's best friend! I had been too dumb to put two and two together. We were part of weddings, and he was close to my dad's age. There were too many coincidences.

"I can't believe this!" I groaned in despair.

Mandi jumped from her spot on the bed and stared at me. "What the heck was that for?"

I gave her a sheepish smile, "Sorry. I'm just a little frustrated."

"Did you run into that guy today? I know you left us when we got back." She climbed onto her hands and knees and crawled to the edge of the bed as if she was about to get the juiciest gossip ever, "Did you run off to have a quick fling?"

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