Page 7 of My Best Friend's Dad

Whatever had just happened between us was gone.

I headed to the guest room where I had my things. As I peeled off my damp swimsuit and pulled on a fresh set of clothes, my mind replayed the conversation with Vincenzo. His concern was touching, and his advice lingered in my thoughts, but it was my fluttering heart that was really spiraling out of control.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to shake off the lingering tension that I could still feel between us even though we were rooms apart. Tonight would be challenging enough without my overactive imagination complicating things. I just had to focus on being a good friend and enjoy dinner with the two of them.

I needed to stop thinking about Vincenzo like he could be anything more than my best friend’s dad.

For good.

CHAPTER 2

Vincenzo Santoro

I glanced at Jenna, who was still watching me with those big, beautiful, thoughtful eyes.

“I’m going to get changed out of my bathing suit,” Jenna said, while turning toward my daughter.

“Sure, we’ll be eating dinner soon, if it’s ever ready that is,” Bella teased.

“Ten minutes,” I sighed, shooting a mock glare at my daughter.

As Jenna walked away, I couldn’t help but follow her with my eyes. The way she moved, the confidence in her stride—it was all too enticing. Not wanting Isabella to notice, I quickly turned back to the stove.

I continued stirring the sauce, but my mind was miles away. The rich aroma of perfectly spiced tomatoes, basil, and copious amounts of garlic filled the room, but it did little to calm the storm brewing inside me.

Despite my best intentions, my thoughts kept drifting back to Jenna.

Jenna Michaels, with her bright hazel eyes and quick friendly smile, was more than just Bella’s best friend. She had always been a fixture in our home, and I had grown fond of her over the years.

But lately, things had changed.

The way she looked at me, the way my heart responded, all of it was deeply unsettling. I shouldn’t be thinking about my daughter’s best friend like this. It was wrong on so many levels, yet I couldn’t help myself.

I tried to focus on the task at hand, tasting the sauce and adjusting the seasoning, but my mind kept replaying the conversation we had earlier. Her defiant tone, the spark in her eyes—it stirred something deep within me. She deserved someone good, someone her age, not an old man like me with a troubled past.

I sighed, setting the spoon down and wiping my hands on a towel. It wasn’t just the age difference that bothered me. It was the promise I had made to myself after Maria died.

I had vowed to be the best father I could be, to protect Bella and keep her safe from the darkness of my past. Falling for Jenna, acting on these feelings, would betray that promise. It would put everything I had worked so hard to build at risk.

Maria’s face flashed in my mind, her gentle smile, and the way she used to laugh. Losing her had nearly destroyed me. I had buried myself in my work, first in the family business and then in my restaurants, trying to numb the pain. But nothing could fillthe void she left behind. And now, with Jenna, those old wounds threatened to reopen once again.

“Dad, you’re being weird again,” Bella said from her spot at the kitchen table behind me.

I forced a smile, trying to push Jenna out of my mind. “Just thinking about dinner, sweetheart.”

Isabella rolled her eyes and took a sip of water. “You always overthink everything. It’s just spaghetti and meatballs.”

She was right, of course. I tended to overthink and worry too much. But this was more than just dinner. This was about the future, and more important, about the people I cared about the most.

I turned back to the stove, stirring the sauce again, trying to distract myself from the thoughts swirling in my head.

What was I thinking? This wasJenna.

Sweet, young Jenna.

She had her whole life ahead of her, and I had no right to complicate it with my feelings. She deserved someone who could give her everything, someone without the baggage I carried.

Someone better than me.

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