Page 64 of Swiped By My Dad's Best Friend
“He did a landscaping consult at my rehab site,” I blurted.
Trace gave me an unreadable look. I didn’t know if he was relieved or disappointed that I’d come up with an excuse for us to be together. I just knew that I hadn’t felt ready for my father to judge our relationship. We were still figuring it out ourselves. How could we withstand his feelings when we weren’t sure of our own?
Only, I wasn’t sure that was true anymore. I was pretty sure I did know how I felt about Trace. Maybe I was just a coward.
“Rehab project?” My dad blinked, befuddled. “What are you talking about?”
Trace seemed surprised. “The home renovation charity project Cooper started.” My father continued to look at him blankly. “You really don’t know what he’s been doing?”
Dad looked disconcerted. I continued to massage Rosie’s ears, needing the comfort of her presence while my father stared hard at me. “I remember some mention of a charity project,” he said slowly. “I thought it was just a one-time thing.”
“Cooper spearheads the charity work for his frat. He came up with the idea to renovate deteriorating homes in town for older residents who can’t afford their own home repair,” Trace said. “He’s working on three houses.”
“Huh.” Dad still seemed nonplused. “Well, that’s commendable. Sounds like a lot of work.”
I flushed, embarrassed my father seemed so surprised I could put effort into something. “It is,” I said quietly.
“You should be proud of him,” Trace said. “He’s been working hard.”
“Well, his schooling is important too,” Dad said, predictably enough.
I smiled bitterly.
Trace started to defend me again. “He’s been working hard there too—”
I knew my father wouldn’t believe him, and I couldn’t sit there and watch him trot out all the times I’d failed to follow through before. I pushed Rosie from my lap. “We should get going,” I said. “Can you still give me a ride home, Trace?”
Rosie bounded around us, trying to get our attention. Trace glanced from me to my dad, frowning. “Sure.”
“I’m going back to campus,” Dad said. “I could take you.”
I froze, unsure how to answer that. I didn’t want Dad to take me back. We hadn’t talked much the past few weeks, and I wasn’t in a good headspace to do it now. Not when I craved alone time with Trace.
“Nah, walk Rosie,” Trace said. “I don’t mind, and this girl looks like she needs some exercise.”
Dad chuckled as Rosie ran circles around us. “You’re not wrong. She’s a nuisance.”
“You love her,” I said.
“A lovable nuisance,” he corrected with a smile. He glanced at me. “I won’t keep you, but I hope to see you on Thanksgiving.” He glanced back to Trace. “Both of you.”
“Oh, I couldn’t impose.”
“Sure, you could,” Dad said easily. “There will be enough food for an army. We haven’t had much time to catch up lately. You stay so busy with the seminar. I’m surprised to see you still here, actually. Haven’t you been driving home Saturday night?”
My eyebrows rose. Clearly Trace had been dodging my dad too.
“Ah, well, I made arrangements to stay longer to do the consult at Cooper’s project.”
Dad nodded. “Right. Well, I’m sure Cooper appreciates that.”
My stomach churned with guilt over my lie. Over the fact I’d dragged Trace into deceiving my father too.
As we walked back to Trace’s pickup, I said quietly, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t ready to face his reaction.”
Trace started to put his arm around me, then dropped it, glancing back over his shoulder. “Yeah, I understand. Your father is an important part of your life. You two already have problems. I don’t want to make matters worse.”
A sudden fear streaked through me. “You don’t,” I said hurriedly as we reached the truck. “You make my life better.”
