Page 23 of Dad's Best Friend Professor
John chuckles. “I didn’t know you wanted the job so bad. I thought you didn’t care.”
“I didn’t realize it either,” I say. “Please, have a seat and let’s have a drink. Actually, Anna is here, too. She’s cleaning my bathroom. I’ll tell her to come out.”
“Sure, let’s have a drink. And you’ll tell me all about the lucky lady who you want to impress,” John says and sits down on the couch, the same spot I had sex with her daughter a moment ago. The thought makes me ashamed to look at him, and I don’t linger to get out of the living room.
“Anna!” I call out as I head for the bathroom. “Your dad is here.”
Anna is fully clothed and is scrubbing the toilet. “Oh, really?” she responds loudly while turning to face me, putting on a show.
I give her a quick hug ignoring the brush in her hand. “I got the job, sweetheart!” I whisper.
“Oh my God!” she squeals and kisses me on the cheek.
“Come out to say hi to your dad,” I say and leave her to wash her hands.
“So, what would you like?” I ask John the moment I walk past the living room and enter my kitchen. I’ve got three kinds of beer, Budweiser, Heineken, and Blue Moon.”
Hearing no response, I turn to look at my friend. He’s leaning toward the coffee table and staring at her daughter’s purse—or the pink object next to it. Holy fuck. Anna’s plug.
Blood drains from my face, and I curse silently. I rack my brain for an explanation when Anna enters the living room. “Hi Dad!” she speaks cheerily. But when she realizes what John is looking at, she gasps, and her face turns white.
John doesn’t smile but narrows his eyes as he glances at us. “What’s going on between the two of you?” he demands.
Anna gazes at me for help, and I make a decision on the spot. It’s so obvious there’s no use hiding it. I go to Anna and put my arm around her shoulders.
“We’re seeing each other, John,” I say. “She’s the woman I want to impress.”
Rage masks John’s face right away. ‘How dare you, Tony Ryder! I’ve done so much to help you despite your arrogance, and you’ve been screwing my daughter behind my back?”
“I’m sorry, John. It’s not what you think it is. I… I love Anna.” Shit. I haven’t planned this.
Anna’s eyes brighten with tears of joy. “You do?”
“Yes, sweetheart,” I say to her and resist the urge to kiss her in front of her dad.
John huffs. “You’re out of your mind. You’re twenty years older than her!”
“What does it matter, Dad?” Anna says. “Age is just a number.”
“Shut up!” John yells at his daughter and springs up from the couch. Taking Anna’s wrist, he pulls her away from my arm.
Ignoring Anna’s protest, John drags her to the door and says to me, “Guess what? I’ll withdraw my own vote and rescind the job offer!”
“You don’t mean it!” I protest, although the job is the last thing on my mind at the moment. Anna is the only thing I care about.
John opens the door and tries to push Anna out of it, but Anna resists it.
“You can’t do this to me, Dad! I’m an adult. I have the right to choose what I want and who I want to be with. I love Tony, and I’m pregnant with his child, too!”
My heart stops beating for a second at the declaration. John also stiffens. “What the hell did you just say?”
“I’m having Tony’s baby!” Anna repeats.
I’m not sure what to react because it could be a ploy to stop her dad from separating us. I step closer. “Are you sure, sweetheart?”
“Yes,” she says, breaking from John’s grasp and coming back to the couch. She pulls out a tube from her purse. “I was going to show you this later. I just found out this morning.”
It’s a pregnancy test showing two lines. I grin again, and tears fill my eyes for the second time in the day. “Great news! Thank you, sweetheart!” I hold her and kiss her, ignoring her dad’s fuming eyes.
