Page 22 of Surprise Baby for Daddy's Best Friend

Isipped on my drink as everyone yelled at one another from across the table. The smell of salt was still fresh on our clothes and the itchiness of the sand wasn’t improving my mood. They managed to fit me next to Maurice while the rest of the wedding party sat toward the other end of the table.

The restaurant was busier than we all expected. It wasn’t exactly my choice of meal for a dinner. I would have covered everyone, but once again, Mandi refused to let me do anything. If it were any other day, I would have ignored her requests, but this was her friend’s wedding. Not mine. Instead, they chose a more affordable place that was a combination of a hibachi and buffet-style place I had never been to. I couldn't even recall the name of the restaurant since my focus was mostly on Kim.

Mandi and Kim sat together with the rest of the bridesmaids and Amanda, while the groomsmen sat on the other side. At least they were mindful of sitting them separately. Still, seeing the one groomsman that partnered with Kim earlier didn’t sit well with me.

I tried to shove the annoyance deep inside, but it wasn’t going well. Instead, it rattled in the back of my mind like a wild animal trapped in a cage.

"Jared? Jared!" Maurice called out and pushed my shoulder. "Are you ok?"

I jumped and shook my head, "Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm good. Sorry, I was lost in thought."

"Don't worry about it. I get it. Being out here has probably been rough," he grabbed an oversized bite of chicken. "Like I was telling them, it's nice we all got to come out here to enjoy the celebration without being part of the wedding party."

I grunted and took a bite of the strange concoction of noodles and teriyaki sauce with the multitude of vegetables I had chosen for my meal, "Yeah. It's good for my mental health."

Maurice nudged me with his elbow, "From what I've heard, it's been more than your mental health that's had a boost this week." A sly smile crossed his face, "So, you gonna tell us who the lucky lady is?"

I shook my head. There was no way I'd be telling my best friend that his daughter was the one sneaking into my room every evening.

Kim glanced up at us and gave a quick smile and wave. Maurice returned the wave. "Those girls are something else with how much energy they have. Hard to believe they're all growing up. I'm sure you're excited for Mandi to find someone to fall in love with. I know I want Kim to find someone, but she always seems picky with the guys she goes out with." He sighed and shook his head, "I swear, I can never get a firm grasp on what's going on in her head. You get it, right?"

I nodded and refocused on my food. I had a firm grasp on many things when it came to Kim, but they weren't what I wanted to say out loud.

"So..." I tried to steer the conversation away from me as naturally as I could. "Who do you want Kim to find? She's a nice girl, so I'm sure you have some high standards."

Maurice shrugged and sipped on his margarita. His face scrunched up for a split second before settling down again, "I just want her to find a guy she can be happy with. Maybe one with a good head on his shoulders. She's strong-willed and likes to dig her heels in when she doesn't like something." He took another sip, "Not many could keep up with her though. So I'm keeping my standards at a bare minimum for her. You?"

I mulled over the thought. I hadn't thought much about who I would want Mandi to be with. She was a good girl who deserved the best, but I never imagined what the best was. "There was a boy she was dating in college. He seemed to be a good kid. Didn't have her daddy's rage, which I hope she continues to make sure she doesn't find."

Amanda's mom, who found herself close to us instead of the rest of the wedding party giggled and slapped me on the arm. I stiffened and took a deep breath. She wasn't trying to attack me. I wasn't in danger. I continued my mantra to avoid snapping.

"You boys are being too serious," her voice slurred. Too much alcohol. She was supposed to be the girls’ designated driver and I wasn't sure any of them would be sober enough to drive tonight. "Girls will go after a boy that reminds them of their father almost every time. Those good traits you showed them, of how a man should be shape their tastes."

"You're right. My wife loves to tell me all the time that I'm almost exactly like her dad." He rolled his eyes. "Not always a good thing though when she wanted me to shut up," he started to laugh again. "Could you imagine Kim choosing someone like me? I don't think I want to imagine a younger version of me parading around. Got enough of that from Carl when he was growing up."

Amanda's mom waved a hand in the air, "From what I hear, Kim's looking more for someone older, so you don't need to worry about a young boy walking around."

I choke on my drink and thump on my chest trying to clear my throat. "What?" I gasped through coughs.

"Mom!" Amanda hissed from across the table. "We can hear you. How much have you been drinking?"

She shrugged and took another sip of her drink, "Maybe my third glass? So what? I can enjoy myself too."

Amanda rolled her eyes and turned back to Carl and the others. "I swear, she gets like this whenever she gets tired of being uptight and then loses all control."

"Better to loosen up after keeping everyone on schedule. I successfully did it."

I turned back to Maurice to see if he had caught what her mom said, "You ok, Moe?"

He raised a brow, "Yeah, I'm good. She must be drunk or something because I don't think I've ever heard her talking about liking older men before. Not sure how I'd feel if I heard her dating someone my age or close to."

I went silent. I was the older man she was into. It wasn't like I minded the age gap. She was a full-grown adult and I never knew her as a kid either, so there wasn't anything wrong with our relationship. But the way Maurice talked about his daughter seeing someone like me, didn't settle well in my stomach.

"I think I'm going to get some air," I muttered and stood up.

"Need someone to go with you?" Maurice grabbed my arm to stop me. "I can come out if you want."

"Nah, I'm good. I think being around so many people is just grating on me."

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