Page 50 of Baby By my Best Friend's Daddy

“What amIdoing here?” Brad demanded. “What the fuck areyoudoing here?”

“Brad, calm down,” I ordered.

“No, Dad. You don’t get to tell me to calm down. You’re fucking my best friend?”

“Watch your mouth!”

“Why? Because you’re so fucking respectful?”

I shook my head, trying to get rid of the dregs of sleep that made it difficult to think straight. Adrenaline pumped through my body, but my head was fuzzy.

“Brad,” Rebecca said in a panicked voice. “It’s not what you think.”

“Oh, isn’t it? Do you want to tell me you’re not sleeping with my dad? Is there some other reason you’re in his bed, practically naked?”

“It’s not just sex,” Rebecca said.

Brad groaned. “I don’t want to hear it! God, Ireallydon’t want to hear it.” He marched out of my room. “I need a drink. If either of you is willing to have a mature conversation where you’re not lying to me, I’m in the bar.”

Rebecca looked at me, her eyes wide.

“Shit,” she muttered.

“Maybe you should go,” I said.

“What?” she cried out, shocked. “You’re kickingmeout?”

“I need to talk to Brad. I told you I’d handle this.”

“By making me leave,” she said with narrowed eyes.

“It’s not that simple. Brad’s pissed right now, and I get where he’s coming from. This isn’t just about us dating, it’s about you being his friend, about the secrets and the lies… let us figure this out, and I’ll call you when we’re ready.”

“So, you’re pushing me out of the way,” she said tightly.

“Rebecca, it’s not about getting you out of the way, but we’ve been doing things a certain way for a long time, and now that I’m going against the rules of being a Cavalier, I have to do damage control.”

Rebecca gasped, laughing bitterly.

“I didn’t realize I was your rebel phase. I didn’t realize being with me created damage.”

“You’re getting it all wrong,” I said.

Rebecca shook her head. “You know what? You’re right. Maybe I should leave if this isn’t serious enough that we fight for this together.”

She dressed in her clothes from last night and threw the rest of her stuff into her overnight bag.

“Rebecca, that’s not what I’m saying. I just need to talk to Brad so that we can—”

“Do damage control. I get it.”

She marched out of the room. I found a shirt and pulled it on, trying to run after her down the hallway, but my ankle twisted, and I couldn’t run. Not yet; I wasn’t completely healed. I could walk, and I didn’t need pills, but I needed to take it slow.

When I heard the front door slam, I sighed and leaned against the wall, turning my foot in circles to try to ease the tight muscles.

Fucking ankle.

I walked to the bar after my foot felt okay again. Brad stood behind the bar, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He glared at me.

---