Page 34 of Snowed In with My Best Friend's Dad

“Nah. I doubt it. He’s too old for the club life.”

We showed our IDs after Lindsay told them who her father was, and they let us pass. Lindsay and I had been out to clubs before, but this one reeked of money even as it was dark and music pounded like in the other ones. Maybe it was because everyone was dressed to the nines or that most of them looked like they had stepped out of a fashion magazine.

"Look, there's Liam and Oliver. Come on."

“How’d they get in?” I wondered out loud. I didn’t know much about Liam, but I was sure he didn’t come from the type of money Lindsay had.

“They used my dad’s name too.”

I followed Lindsay through the crowd toward the bar where Liam stood with another man. Lindsay introduced me, and I could see that Oliver resembled his brother, although a less coiffed version. I didn't get the impression that he tried as hard as Liam to look nice. His hair was a little bit longer, and until we showed up, he’d been looking and tapping into his phone, whereas Liam had been schmoozing with everyone around him.

"Mira, this is Oliver. He's a graduate student in cybersecurity. Oliver, this is my roommate and best friend, Mira. She's the smartest person I know."

I couldn't help the twitch of a smile at Lindsay's praise of me. She was always like that. Always positive. Oliver extended his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Miranda."

"You too, Oliver."

"Come on, let's get a table. Do you think you can name drop your dad and get us a private room? Or at least a nice table?" Liam asked Lindsay.

Oliver frowned at his brother. I wondered if he thought Liam was taking advantage of Lindsay, just like she was thinking.

Lindsay shrugged. "I can try."

"Hey, Lindsay?"

We all turned to look where a large bald man who looked like a bouncer except for the tuxedo approached us.

"Uncle Dunc." She let out a little squeal and launched herself into the man's arms, giving him a hug.

The man looked at all of us and then at Lindsay. "What are you doing here?"

"I guess the same as you. Celebrating the new year."

He crossed his arms and scowled, although he appeared to be feigning. "Since when are you old enough to come into a club?"

She smiled and nudged him with her elbow. "I'm twenty-one, Uncle Dunc. Meet my friends. This is my roommate and best friend, Miranda, and this is Liam and his brother, Oliver." It was interesting to me that she didn't qualify who they were to her uncle Dunc. I'd never met him, but I'd heard her talk about the man who was like a second father to her.

Dunc extended his hand and shook all of ours in greeting. "Your dad's in the back room. You should come say hello."

I froze. Brett was here?

Liam draped his arm around Lindsay. "Yeah, we should go say hi."

I definitely was getting the feeling that Liam wanted access to the money and power Lindsay got through her father. Oliver's disapproving glare told me he was likely thinking the same thing.

"We don't want to disturb their good time," I said. God, the last thing I needed was to see Brett right now.

"We'll just say hi. We won’t party with them,” Liam said, although I was sure he hoped to change that once we were in the private room.

"Yeah, sure, we can say hello,” Lindsay said.

I tried to think of an excuse to avoid going with them but found myself swept up by the group as we headed back to another section of the club.

Dunk opened a door to a private room and stepped in, holding the door open. "Hey, look what I found."

Lindsay walked in, followed by Liam and Oliver. I did my best to stay outside the door, but Dunc looked at me, arching a brow. "Come on in. Despite his reputation, he doesn't bite."

Taking a breath, I stepped into the room.

---