Page 10 of One Night with my Best Friend's Dad

Scarlett pouts and points at the mistletoe again. So Anton, being a gent, leans in and presses a chaste kiss to her cheek before whispering something in her ear that makes her throw her head back in laughter.

I look away, surveying the rest of the guests.

The reception is beautiful, and everything Piper has ever wanted for her special day. There’s a Christmas tree in the corner full of candy canes hanging from its branches, flickering red candles on tables, twinkling fairy lights draped across the ceiling, and loud Christmas music. The room is filled with laughter and love. Even the hockey team is living it up, knowing they are back to full training from Monday.

We still have two games left to play in the season, but tonight they’re letting loose. Their usual game-day tension is now replaced by carefree abandon and flowing alcohol, and I can tell everyone’s had a bit too much to drink.

“Earth to Dad!” Piper’s voice snaps me back to reality. She’s grinning, tugging at my sleeve. “It’s cake time!” She points at the wedding cake, a towering confection of white with silver ribbon and red and green confectionary being wheeled onto the center of the dance floor.

As if on cue, the DJ cuts the music, announcing, “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the newlyweds to cut the cake!”

I make my way through the crowd, feeling a familiar presence at my side. Kelly. My heart skips a beat as her arm brushes against mine.

“I’m so happy for her,” Kelly murmurs, her eyes on Piper. “But sad that I probably won’t see her much now that she’s staying on the east coast.”

Before I can respond, cheers erupt as Connor smears frosting on Piper’s nose.

“You could move here,” I blurt out, surprising myself.

Kelly laughs, the sound light and melodic. “I don’t think I’ll be able to afford to move out of my parents’ home, never mind moving to New York.”

“I mean…move in with me.”

Her mouth opens as she stares at me in shock. To be honest, even I'm stunned by my suggestion. But the thought of having a baby this late in life is terrifying, but so is not being in their life. It’s also a chance for me to prove I can be a good dad.

“Move in with you? That’s...that’s impossible.” She looks ahead at Piper and Connor as they talk to Connor’s teammates.

“Why?”

She twists to me. Her eyes on mine. “It won’t work.”

My heart plummets into my stomach, but I’m not giving up. “You’re pregnant with my baby, Kelly. I want to be in our child’s life.”

She glances around nervously. Lowering her voice, she says, “Piper will be furious when she finds out. You know that.”

“She’ll have to get over it,” I say firmly. “I’m not pretending this baby isn’t mine.”

Kelly picks up her glass from the table and takes a sip of water. “I can’t come between you two. You were estranged for years.”

“I’ll talk to her. Explain the situation.”

“She’ll hate me.” She shakes her head. “I should’ve listened to her.”

“Piper will be angry, but she’ll get over it. It’s better than pretending this baby isn’t mine.”

Kelly sighs. “So we try living together for the sake of the baby. What if you meet someone? What if I do?”

I press my hand on her lower back and whisper in her ear. “No, Piper…” She turns to look into my eyes. “There’ll be no-one elsefor me. I never wanted you to leave after that first night. Now, I understand if you don’t want me, I accept I—I’m probably too old for you, anyway, but...”

“I never said that.” Vulnerability coats her words as she interrupts me, but it’s those words that catch me off guard. “I...I thought you thought I was too young.”

“Is that why you left me?” My voice has a gravelly edge to it, but I continue, “I wanted more, but you’d gone when I got home. I prepared a speech. Worked myself up all day to talk to you about us. I knew then I wanted you. But when you weren’t there, I suspected the age gap was too big for you. And I hated it, but I respected your choice. But if that’s not what you want…I mean, if you want…” I take in a deep breath as Kelly remains quiet. “What I’m saying, Kelly, is that age is just a number. What matters is how we feel about each other.”

“You feel something for me?” Her chest rises and falls as she stares ahead, taking my words in. She bites her lip, her gaze wandering to my daughter. “But Piper…I don’t want to destroy what you have with her.”

“Let me handle Piper,” I insist. “Right now, I want to focus on us. On the baby and on our future. Together.”

“Our future.”

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