One night stand with my daddy's best friend

Bridget

"Dane is coming to dinner tonight and I'd like for you to join us."

I stared at my father as I scanned my brain for a good reason why I couldn't have dinner with him and Dane. We were in the living room of my new home having tea. I'd set up a makeshift office in the corner and for the first time in a long time, was feeling more positive about where my life was going. I had a couple of small projects, beyond my dad and Ryker, in my fledgling business.

I was taking a break when my dad showed up at my door to tell me Dane was coming to dinner.

"Why don't I take the kids out for fast food, so you and Lizzie can have time with Dane without the kids underfoot?" In my mind it was a brilliant idea.

My dad tilted his head and studied me. "Is there some reason you're avoiding Dane?"

"No. Not at all. I just thought it might be nice for you all to have grown-up time." I hoped to God that my dad couldn't tell the truth about me and Dane.

"If you're worried that he's harboring ill will at your having left the job so soon after you started and now have returned home, don't. I've talked to him, and he doesn't indicate anything that suggests he's upset."

Course he wouldn't. He was enthralled with another woman. I wondered if she was coming to dinner tonight as well. All the more reason not to be here tonight.

"I have some work on my business I'd like to do-" "You have to eat, Jet. Your babies need sustenance."

He got me there. Although I had food here, I couldn't come up with another excuse on why I shouldn't have dinner with them.

"OK. What time?" "Six thirty."

I looked at my watch. That was only an hour from now. I looked down at my outfit which consisted of sweat pants and an old T-shirt. That morning, I'd twisted my hair into a messy ponytail. One of the perks of having my own home-based business was not having to dress up every day. Since I had no meetings in person or virtually, I hadn't bothered to do my hair or makeup, or pay any attention to my clothes.

“I'll be there.” I ushered my father out and then hurried back to clean up. I didn't want to look like a hot mess if I was going to see Dane. More importantly I wanted to do my best to hide the pregnancy. Had my father told him I was pregnant? It seemed like if he had, Dane might have put two and two together.

Did that mean he didn't know about the pregnancy or that he didn't think the babies were his? Or did he wonder if the babies were his but now that he was engaged didn't care?

Get out of your head, Jet.

I wore a loose dress and redid my hair putting it up but in a loose knot. I put on some blush and mascara, but I didn't want to give Dan the idea that I was prettying myself up for him. My goal here was to avoid looking like a mess.

For several moments I stared at myself in the mirror psyching myself up to see Dane. I couldn't deny there was a part of me that wanted to see him. The part of me that remembered the sweet man I thought he was.

Most importantly when I saw him, I couldn't react. I couldn't let him know how he'd hurt me. Maybe if Anne were there it would be easier. She would be a constant reminder of the choices I made after discovering they were engaged and why I needed to stick to them.

When it was time, I exited the studio and made my way around the pool to the back of the house. Each step, my nerves skittered along my skin wondering what it would be like to see Dane again.

I entered the house and scanned the area, but I didn't see Dane or my father.

"Oh good Jet, you're here. Can you help Ari set the table?" Lizzie asked. "Your dad and Dane are in your dad's office for a few minutes."

That gave me a little more time to get myself together. I helped Ari set the table and then helped Lizzie put the food on the table. Just as we set the mashed potatoes down my dad and Dane entered the dining area. "Hello Bridget," Dane's soft voice said.

My heart betrayed me by fluttering in my chest. "Hello Dane." I was proud of myself for sounding normal.

His gaze drifted down toward my belly and I turned away, quickly going to the kitchen to finish helping Lizzie.

"I think everything is already out there," Lizzie said, grabbing a bottle of wine. "Maybe you could corral the kids and let them know it's time to eat."

I exited the kitchen and hunted down my siblings. Ari was already in the dining room chatting with Dane. She was young but I couldn't help the feeling that she had a crush on him. If she were older, I would have pulled her aside and warned her against men like Dane.

Eli was in front of the TV watching a show about construction while Emma and Layla were playing with dolls.

"Hey guys, it's time to eat."

The girls put their dolls down and jumped up, but Eli kept his eyes fixed on the TV. I walked into the living room and sat next to him. "Is something interesting going on?"

He pointed to the TV. "Buzzy is stuck in the hole." Buzzy was a dump truck.

"Oh dear. How about I pause this because it's time to eat and when it's done, I'll come and watch the rest of it with you?"

He frowned.

As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.com is your destination for the complete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! "Your mom will be out here in a minute, and you know she'll just turn it off."

He acquiesced and I picked up the remote clicking the pause on the streaming TV show. We stood up and I took his hand walking him into the dining room. I did my best not to look at Dane as I helped Eli into his chair and then sat down at my normal place at the table which just happened to be across from Dane.

"How was business today?" my dad asked. We had talked earlier so I got the

feeling he was asking because he wanted Dane to hear. I was glad that my dad was so proud of me, but I would have rather gotten through this dinner without having to join in on the conversation.

"Good. I made a connection with another graphic designer today. I'm able to come up with the concepts and even what I want them to look like but when it comes to creating the design, I need to partner with graphic designers." "Sort of like how I use subcontractors," my dad said, holding the platter of chicken so Emma could serve herself.

I nodded. "Sort of."

"How was San Francisco?" Dane asked.

I glanced at him. The way his eyes stared back at me brought back all the yearning I had felt before.

Tamping down on it, I said, "It was OK. It's foggy and colder up there. I missed the warmth and sunshine." I remembered stating the opposite several months ago when I called my intern supervisor telling him I didn't like all the sun and wanted to move north. What did it say about me that I was getting better and better at lying or at least misrepresenting my goals and objectives?

"Did you know that Jet is going to be a mommy?" Layla said, sitting next to Dane.

He glanced at me, and my stomach clenched as I worried he had put two and two together. "I had heard that yes. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Thankfully my dad took over the conversation again and I was able to fade into the background eating my dinner and every now and then helping Eli with his food.

When dinner was over, I offered to take care of the table and the dishes so that Lizzie could stay and enjoy the company with my father. Of course it was an excuse to get away from Dane. When I stood, I felt a tug on my dress and I looked down at Eli.

"You said you'd watch Buzzy with me."

"I will, I promise. Just let me clear the table and get the dishes done."

"If you could clear the table, we can deal with the dishes later," Lizzie said.

I nodded and looked down at Eli. "Once I clear the table, I'll join you." "K." he rushed off toward the living room.

I cleared the table and as promised went and sat with Eli and watched as

Buzzy's friends helped him get out of the hole. Dane and my father had gone back to his office for a bit but just as Buzzy was being rescued they came through the living room and headed out to the back patio.

"Dane and I are going to enjoy the warm air this evening. Do you wanna join us?"

I mustered a smile. "Thanks but I promised Lizzie I'd help her with the dishes and then I have more work I need to do."

By the time I got to the kitchen, Lizzie had made good work of most of the dishes. I dried the pots and pans that didn't go in the dishwasher and when they were finished I headed back out to the guest house. Once inside I felt relief.

I had spent a dinner with Dane and hadn't done anything to embarrass myself like throw myself at him or try to punch him for betraying me. It had taken a great deal of effort not to ask him where Anne was.

He wasn't wearing a wedding band but many men these days didn't. Or maybe the wedding just hadn't happened yet. His family was swimming in money so I could imagine his mother planning some sort of elaborate Christmas themed ceremony.

I went to my little kitchen and made a cup of tea knowing it would help calm and soothe my nerves.

I had just sat on my couch and picked up a book about what I should expect over the next month of my pregnancy when there was a knock at my door.

I sighed and sat the book and tea on the coffee table and went to open the door. I expected it to be Ari wanting to have another sleepover. Or maybe Lizzie bringing out some leftovers as she often did so that I could have something for lunch or dinner the next day.

I opened the door and sucked in a breath as I saw Dane standing on the other side. I looked past him toward the patio wondering where my father was. Maybe one of the kids needed something or maybe Lizzie did, or he'd gotten a phone call. Either way he'd left Dane alone and now he was standing at my door.

I inhaled a breath and straightened, shoring up my strength to prove to him that he hadn't broken me.

His eyes narrowed as once again they scanned down to my belly and then back up to my eyes. "Did you really go to San Francisco for a new job, or had you gone up there to be with the man you'd been seeing all along and who got you pregnant?"

I gaped at him as anger boiled up. Was he really suggesting I was cheating? "You have some nerve."

I moved to shut the door, but his hand shot out, slapping against it, stopping me from closing it.

"I'm not leaving, Jet, until I know the truth." He pushed his way in. "The truth is that you're a lying, philandering jerk."