Falling for Two - A Dad's Best Friends Age Gap Forbidden Novel

1

Riley

"Stop whining, Carly. You wanted to come with us for whatever reason, now you have to deal with bugs and insects. Get it together. If Riley can handle it, so can you." Dad's voice had a very distinct annoyed tone to it, and as he grabbed our bags out of the trunk, his facial expression mimicked his voice.

Carly rolled her eyes and looked at me with disgust in her eyes. "Riley's a tomboy, and she's been up here before. She likes these things."

"And what is it about me that makes me such a tomboy, Carly?" I asked.

Her eyes wandered all over my body, then she threw her hands into the air and shrugged. "That t-shirt you're wearing. Isn't that Britt's, anyway?"

I looked down at myself and puckered my lips, then I looked at Dad, whose name was actually Britton but Carly didn't like to say it out loud because it reminded her of London, because that made sense. Never seen one as dumb and annoying as Carly before, but I had to get used to her. Dad liked her, for whatever reason, and put up with her shit every damn day. Maybe he wanted a challenge. Someone who made him do the things he'd normally be too lazy to do. Mom passed away two years ago, and it left both Dad and me shattered and lost.

She was one of those mothers who did everything for her family. Mom never asked for help, had her life together, and cared for me like a mother should. Dad loved her, told her how he felt about her daily, and even after she got sick, he stuck by her side.

I often wondered if Carly was just someone to pass the time with while I was in school. Dad and I loved spending time together. Our movie-nights were my favorite, and he took me out for dinner every week. He struggled a lot after Mom was gone, but to me, he was still the greatest father.

"Just because she's wearing my shirt doesn't mean she's a tomboy," Dad pointed out. "Let's get you two inside and in separate rooms. Don't want you to start a fight before the others come."

Usually, Dad was the only one driving up here to the cabin on Lake Pend Oreille with his two best friends, Shepherd and Davis. They spent every summer up here. This time, since Dad started dating Carly one year ago, she insisted on going too, which meant that I couldn't stay home all by myself and had to go with them. Dad didn't want me to stay home alone. I didn't mind. I liked the mountains, and the cabin was right by a big lake where I could cool off. Dad also said that there's a boat they can take out to the middle of the lake. I got along with Shep and Davis well too. They've been around me since I was a baby.

"When do the others arrive?" I asked as we entered the cabin. It was huge, and I liked the woodsy smell filling my nose. There were three big leather couches in front of a fireplace, and I imagined how it would be up here in the winter with snow surrounding the cabin.

"Any time now," Dad said. "There's a room upstairs with a nice view over the lake. You can have that one. Carly and I will take my regular bedroom."

"Does it also have a view?" she asked.

"No."

I grinned. Dad always put me first and wanted the best for me. I enjoyed every second of him preferring me over Carly, and the look on her face always brought me joy.

"That's not fair," she pouted, clinging on to Dad's arm. "Why does she get the nicest bedroom?" She kept her voice low, not wanting me to hear.

I rolled my eyes internally and grabbed my duffle bag, then walked toward the stairs to see my bedroom for the next few weeks.

"Because she's my daughter and I want her to feel like a princess," I could hear Dad say, which put another smile on my face.

It's not like I was spoiled, he just liked to show me how much he loved me. I waited tables after school for about a year to earn money to buy my own car, without any of Daddy's money. I was proud of myself for not needing to reach into his wallet.

The room was beautiful. Not only was the view to die for, but the bed was huge, and I had my own en-suit with a big tub and walk-in shower. Just like the bedroom, the bathroom also had big windows.

"What do you think?"

I turned to see Dad standing there, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. "It's beautiful. I can't believe you never took Mom up here," I said.

"Oh, I did." He walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it. "But that was years ago."

I walked over to the bed and sat down next to him. I loved listening to my parents stories, and I always hoped to someday find a man like Dad who loved me as much as he loved Mom.

"I remember her looking around this room the way you just did. Your beautiful, big gray eyes taking in every little inch of it while long, dark hair swayed with every move."

Mom and I were practically identical. We had the same face, expressions, and very similar characteristics. Maybe that's why Dad would do whatever it takes to make me happy.

I leaned against him and wrapped my arms around his waist. "Do you miss her?" I whispered.

"Every damn day. But I have you, and I see her whenever I look at you. Keeps me sane," he told me, cupping the side of my face with his large hand. "I'm thinking of leaving Carly. Not right now...but I'm close."

That came out of nowhere. I lifted my head to look into his eyes while furrowing my brows.

"Are you sure?"

He chuckled. "Wouldn't you be happy about it?"

"Well...yeah, sure. But I don't want you to be alone. It's not me who has to get along with her."

"You got a point there. But I don't like how she's always trying to find reasons why I should put her before you. To be honest, she's been a great distraction...but I'm over it. You're the only woman I need in my life, Ry."

I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Do whatever makes you happy, Dad."

His arms pulled me into his embrace, and I snuggled up against his hard body. "I love you."

"I love you too, Dad."