Page 67 of My Best Friend's Dad

Tony stayed close, but he kept to the background as promised. I grabbed a drink from the makeshift bar in the kitchen and took a sip, the cool liquid helping to relax me. Tony stood near the doorway, his eyes constantly scanning the room, but he gave me an encouraging nod.

“Go have fun,” he mouthed, and I couldn’t help but smile.

As the night went on, I decided to let loose. I had a few more drinks, the alcohol making me feel lighter, more carefree. Tony watched me with an amused look on his face, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Be careful. Don’t have too many or you know who is going to be upset with you,” he said softly when I grabbed another drink.

You know who. More like I’m gonna show him.

“I will,” I promised, giving him a playful wink. “Just having a little fun and what Vincenzo doesn’t know won’t hurt him, am I right?”

He sighed and shook his head but didn’t say anything else, which I took as a green light.

The party got wilder as the night progressed. Someone started a game of flip cup, and soon, everyone was gathered around the table, cheering and laughing. I joined in, my competitive side coming out as I tried to beat Mark and his team.

“Come on, Jenna!” Sophie cheered. “You can do it!”

I focused as best as I could, flipping the cup perfectly on the first try, and everyone erupted in cheers. I’d played before, but I was on fire that night. When my team won, we all ended up drinking in celebration.

After the game, the girls and I decided to dance. The boys cleared the living room, creating a makeshift dance floor, and we huddled in the middle of it. I found myself swaying to the beat, my movements becoming looser and looser as a soft buzzing tingled beneath my skin.

Claire, clearly tipsy, stumbled over and grabbed my hand. “You’re such a good dancer, Jenna!”

“Thanks!” I laughed, twirling her around. “You are too!”

The night continued, and the drinks flowed freely. I felt myself getting tipsier, my laughter louder, my movements more exaggerated.

At one point, Tara came over, her eyes wide with curiosity. “So, what’s the deal with Tony? He’s kinda hot. Is he single?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never asked,” I laughed, feeling giddy.

“Well, I’m going to find out,” Tara said with a mischievous grin. She sauntered over to Tony and flipped her hair over her shoulder. I watched as she threw herself at him, and he did his best to politely turn her down. He glared at me, and I shrugged my shoulders, chuckling to myself.

Serves him right.

I decided to grab another drink. The kitchen was bustling with people, but I managed to pour myself a generous glass of punch. As I took a sip, the room swayed slightly, the alcohol making everything feel wonderfully light and carefree.

Maybe I was a little more buzzed than I should be. Whatever. I was just having fun, right?

Suddenly, someone shut the music off in a hurry, and I heard someone shout, “Cops! The cops are here!”

Panic erupted as people started scrambling, trying to make a quick escape. My heart pounded, and without thinking, I bolted right out the back door.

I stumbled into the backyard, the cool night air hitting my face. I thought I was in the clear until I felt a firm hand wrap around my arm. My heart skipped a beat, and a gasp flew free from my lips. I was just about to tell off whoever had grabbed me when I turned around to see a stern-faced police officer.

Oh, shit…

“Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.

“Uh, just… getting some fresh air,” I stammered, trying to sound innocent. Was I going to get in trouble? I had a clean record. I’d never been arrested before.

“Not so fast,” the officer said, leading me back toward the house a bit more roughly than I would have liked. With every step, my heart dropped a little bit, but I didn’t fight the cop. Even as tipsy as I was, I knew better than that.

Once we got inside, Tony was already talking to another officer. He spotted me, a look of relief quickly coming over him. With a curt nod to the cop that he had been speaking to, he turned to me and quickly intervened.

“It’s okay, Officer. She’s with me,” he called out.

The officer looked between Tony and me, skeptical. “And you are?”

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