Page 39 of Fake Fiancée for Dad's Best Friend
“So, Alex took me to a fabric show this afternoon,” I say to my dad at dinner.
Lisa makes fantastic spaghetti sauce, which I can’t have enough of. It’s even better than the one my mom used to make, but then again, I’ve forgotten the taste of anything my mom cooked because it’s been so many years. She lives in Florida with her boyfriend, and once in a while, she comes to visit. We shop or lunch together, but needless to say, she doesn’t get any chance to cook for me during those visits.
“Really?” My dad frowns a bit. “I thought he hated those shows.”
“Yes, he still does, but he wanted to discover new products,” I say.
“So did he?”
“Yes, he did. I guess. He seems to be interested in those recycled textiles.”
My dad nods. “Yep. It’s the trend. There’re just too many textile wastes. Cody’s mom is considering it too.”
“Speaking of Cody,” I say. “I saw what he wore today. The see-through shirt was cool!”
My dad blinks for a moment and laughs. “I designed it. Do you mean cool because it’s thin?”
“I mean, it’s stylish. Did you come up with the idea, or did you give the green light to your assistant?”
“Well, he suggested it, and I improved on the idea,” he says. “Honestly, I still think it’s ridiculous for a guy to wear see-through clothes because, what do we have to show?”
Lisa chimes in. “Wrong! A guy has abs to show nowadays.”
My dad rolls his eyes. “Yeah. Six-pack and all that. What does a guy need it for?”
“To impress women. Toshowoff his masculinity,” Lisa says.
I can’t help but recall Alex’s muscles and feel warm in an instant.
“Please tell me you don’t care for that nonsense, Lisa,” my dad says to his wife.
Lisa shrugs. “Some of them do look good.”
I keep my mouth shut. Dad doesn’t even have a gym membership. The only exercise he does is walking around the block sometimes after dinner. He hasn’t even done it since the birth of the baby.
After dinner, I play Lego with my baby brother Noah while my dad and Lisa clean up in the kitchen. Since he’s only eight months old, Noah doesn’t know how to fit the pieces together, although he’s fascinated by the colorful bricks. He picks them up one by one, looks at them carefully, smells them, and tastes them, too.
“Does it taste good?” I ask the little guy when he sucks on a pink piece.
He frowns and puts it away but soon licks on a green piece. I laugh at the cute behavior. He must think a different color means different tastes. At least he won’t be able to swallow these large items. Dad told me I ate quite a few buttons when I was little.
“Look, I made a house for you, Noah,” I say, pointing to the block I put together. “Do you like it?”
Noah giggles and waves his chubby little arms.
“Awww,” I pull him to me and hold him like I usually end up doing when I play with him.
I love babies. I’m going to have a dozen cute babies in the future, I think as I stroke Noah’s downy hair and pinch his plump cheeks. Maybe not a dozen, but at least five. I recall my conversation with Alex the night we slept together in his parents’ house. He laughed at me when I told him I wanted that many babies. When he asked me whether I had any candidates that would make my dream come true, I almost blurted out, “you.” I imagine how good our babies will look. Will they be as cute as Noah? Will they have Alex’s blue eyes and raven hair?
I’m still fantasizing when Noah frets, his eyes looking behind me longingly. I realize Lisa has come into the living room, and he wants his mama. “Hi, my sweetie little pie,” Lisa says in a high-pitched voice as she walks toward us, her eyes fixed on her baby. I stand up reluctantly and hand her Noah, who can’t wait to climb into his mom’s arms. I watch with envy when Lisa kisses her baby, and Noah giggles like the happiest child on earth.One day I’ll have my own. I vow silently before leaving them alone.
I return to my bedroom and jump straight into the shower. As soon as water caresses my skin, my thoughts turn to Alex and the afternoon we spent together. I thought about why he suddenly took me to a textile show. Did he really do it for my benefit? It’s not like I need it. Is it possible he used it as an excuse to be with me? Did he miss me as much as I missed him? Did I imagine it, or did he look jealous when I spoke of Cody?
Damn. I was like this the first few days after I returned home from California, daydreaming about him all the time. I finally got over him, but this afternoon just rekindled my fantasies for him. He looked so irresistible. I wish I were ten years older and taller, just like Trisha. Then perhaps I would have a chance. Or maybe not. I know he’s attracted to me from the way he looks at me when we’re alone together. He doesn’t make any move because I’m his best friend’s daughter.
While soaping myself, I recall how good his hands felt on me that night. God. I would give anything to feel it again.
I’m toweling off when my phone on the vanity table rings. It’s Alex. I pick up the phone in such a hurry I nearly drop it.
