Page 7 of Sold to My Best Friend's Dad

Clara craved this. She wanted to feel Grayson’s hands on her, his affection, his raw need. He’d been her secret crush since she started college. Yet, the past three years had only been never-ending rejection and revulsion. She’d tried everything to get him to like her, but the more she tried, the more he pushed back.

Why did he want her virginity?

Was it a power trip, something he could hold over her forever? Maybe use it as a weapon to keep her away from April? Whatever it was, Clara was still secretly thrilled he had chosen her. Surely there were other college girls like Lindsay looking for a quick payday. It made her feel special to be the one, finally seen and not tossed away.

Her cell phone rang.

“I know. I know.”

“Seriously, Clara, I need your help. I don’t want to do this without you,” April said.

She’d promised to help prepare for her father’s big shindig at the house tonight. He’d invited some of his big clients and asked April to help decorate and set things up. There was already a caterer, florist, and party planner, but April was supposed to oversee the details.

“I’ll just get in the way,” she said.

“Are you kidding me? I won’t know anyone. You have to come.”

“You have a date. I’ll be a third wheel,” Clara said.

“Please…”

“Fine. I’ll just come to help set up. I’m not staying the whole night.”

“Deal,” April said, hanging up the phone.

She couldn’t avoid Grayson forever. And her mother’s bills were only mounting. Would he approach her and demand she go through with their deal? Maybe he regretted mentioning it in the first place and would play it off as a joke.

Clara was losing her mind. She hopped in the shower and then chose a simple black cocktail dress with low heels. She had a lot of curves, so clothes shopping wasn’t a breeze like it was for April. This dress made her feel good about herself and it was one of the only formal pieces she owned. She also planned to wear it to graduation, but maybe after Grayson paid her, she could buy a new one. Then she started thinking about the payment.

Lindsay was rumored to have received two hundred thousand dollars for her virginity, so Clara shouldn’t settle for less. Grayson said he’d pay for her college, but she didn’t owe a lot thanks to her scholarships. She wasn’t giving away her virginity for next to nothing. They needed to come to an agreement before going through with this.

As she pulled up to April’s house, she was outside talking to a couple of people. She was wearing a hot-pink satin dress and made it work with her lean figure.

Clara’s insecurities seeped in. What if she wasn’t worth as much as Lindsay? She certainly wasn’t as pretty. Maybe she shouldn’t demand too much. It’s not like Clara had a gaggle of men banging down her door for a date.

“You’re here!” April waved her hands in the air.

Clara joined her in front of the house. The catering staff entered the house, leaving them alone.

“It’s a shitshow in there, Clara. I don’t know why I agreed to do this.”

“Because you’re a good daughter.”

“And I need my dad to pay my first and last months’ rent when I move out next month.” She winked. “This is a sacrifice I have to make.”

“And why am I here?”

“Because you’re a good friend,” April said, giving her puppy eyes.

She sighed. “Where do you need me?”

“Excellent. Can you bring up the cases of wine to the kitchen? They’re in the basement at the bottom of the stairs.”

“Sure. No problem.” Clara hadn’t signed up for this, but kept her mouth shut.

April rushed off when she spotted the florists carrying vases in the foyer.

Clara rolled her eyes and headed to the basement door. Even though the house was bustling, she couldn’t help but remember her encounter with Grayson when she was heading down to use the gym. He’d been so close, so dominant.

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