My Dad Billionaire Best friend Wants Me

Who’s the guy? Your boyfriend? He’s unbelievably hot!”

I flinched as a new college friend sidled up next to me and sat down on the ledge I’d been occupying.

The man she was looking at was a chick magnet, it was true. With dark, short, styled hair, figure-hugging jeans, and a tank top that showed off his ripped muscles.

He lifted his arm and waved at me, a huge smile causing him to flash his pearly whites at me.

I reluctantly waved back and shook my head. Didn’t he know how ridiculous he looked in those clothes?

“Not my boyfriend," I said, as casually as possible.

I got to my feet, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "That’s my Dad. Better go. Have a great holiday.”

I walked away from Claire, whose mouth was still hanging open as she continued to stare at my father. I knew all the questions that would be running through her mind. First and foremost, would be, “How old was he when he had you?”

I’d been asked the question a thousand times before.

“Hey, beautiful. How was your week?” Dad asked, leaning casually against his red convertible, like an old re-run of Magnum, PI.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Seriously, Dad. You do own a proper shirt, right? Can’t you wear one when you pick me up?”

He laughed and pushed off from the car, his big arms encircling me and squeezing tight. “I’ve missed you.”

I let my eyes close as I inhaled his scent. The spicy Polo he’d been using since I was little engulfed me and made me yearn for Friday night movies and popcorn. “Me too.”

I stepped back and he held open the passenger’s side door for me.

Always my mother would say.

Pity she hadn’t held on to him long enough for us to be a real family.

“Thanks.” I slid into the small, older BMW and he got in the other side after closing my door and walking around the hood.

“Do I really look that terrible?” Dad asked, his huge biceps flexing as he turned on the ignition and grabbed the gear shift.

I rolled my eyes at him in an exaggerated way. “They always think you’re my boyfriend. No one ever believes me when I say you’re my father.”

He chuckled and pulled into St. Pete traffic. “Not my fault I didn’t age as well as your mother.”

Age as badly, you mean.

“Hey, leave her out of it. She doesn’t have the time or money you do to work on herself, you know that,” I shot back and then had to work hard not to laugh when he gave me a side-eye look that said, “You know what I mean.”

I sighed and glanced out the window, watching the palm trees fly by.

My dad I was born on his twenty-first birthday and he always said I was the best birthday present he ever received.

The problem was, I was now twenty-one, and instead of looking forty-two like he should, my dad looked thirty.

Maybe thirty-five, if you looked really close at the crow’s feet around his eyes. But his body was better than any thirty-year-old I’d ever seen, and his naturally thick and dark hair took a decade off his age. Apparently, grey hairs were allergic to him.

“Mom isn’t that bad,” I defended and my dad didn’t say anything, diplomatic guy that he was. “She just looks her age.” Or a few years

She worked hard as a high school algebra teacher and was always stressed.

Next topic, please...

“Anyway, sweetheart... how have you been? I feel like we haven’t caught up in forever.”

We hadn't. It had been far too long between dinner dates with my dad, which is why I was so pumped we were going to spend a whole week together over the Christmas break.

“Awesome. I got some incredible news, actually.”

I turned towards him though he couldn’t do the same.

His gaze flicked over to me, his lips lifted in a smile. “Tell me.”

“I got accepted into Sherman.”

“For Chiropractic?”

“Yes!” I squealed and then swallowed hard to force myself to calm down.

His contented sigh and smile said it all. “Oh, baby, I’m so proud of you. That’s fantastic.”

Neither of my parents had finished college. When they’d gotten pregnant with me, Dad had dropped out to get a job, but they’d spilled by the time I was two.

Luckily Mom had managed to finish her teaching degree when I got older, but they both had missed out on some pretty major opportunities in life, thanks to their promiscuity. And stupidity.

One of the main reasons I did not sleep around. Quite the opposite. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Dad.”

“Naw... don’t be ridiculous. You’re a star. And you should shine.”

I pushed any embarrassment his words caused, down. He deserved my thanks. Both of my parents had helped me enormously through school, especially financially. Dad the most.

“Without your help, I could never have studied so hard, Dad. I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”

His cheekbones were looking suspiciously pink now and he began swiping his hand through the air to dismiss my words.

“I’m just glad you used that brain of yours for something good. And I hope that means I get free adjustments for the first five years?”

“More like forever!” I beamed at him. I could never repay the help he’d given me, but I’d make sure his spine was in tip-top condition for the rest of his life.

He chuckled and turned the car off the main road and into the gym parking lot near his apartment.

I glanced up at the large Day Health.

Dad had managed to work his way up through the commercial construction company he worked for and now had an office job preparing quotes and building specs for large projects. Though I didn’t really understand what he did exactly, he had a nice apartment in an upscale and went to an exclusive gym.

“Do you need another workout?” I joked as he parked and turned the car off.

“Uh, not exactly. I’ve got a casual meeting of sorts inside. This investor is really difficult to pin down, so he invited me to have a chat after his training. It’s a new business venture I’m looking into. Do you mind if I go into the health club for half an hour or so?”

I did mind a little bit. I wanted to spend time with him, not sit in the car by myself. “Sure, but can I come inside with you? I don’t want to hang out here by myself like a loser.”

He laughed that deep, carefree laugh he’d always had. “Of course. There’s a café and an area to relax if you want to play on your cell for a bit. I’ll show you.”

“Perfect.” I grabbed my bag and we both got out of the car.