Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
“I was trying to see if you were still out of the country.”
“Me out of the country? I wish. I’m actually back in New York, sitting in my living room at the moment with a glass of whiskey, trying to debate if I want to go deal with these idiots at the main office or simply stay here and allow my assistant to rip them apart,” he countered with a snort.
“Oh, are they being that delightful?” I set the basket on my washing machine, trying to figure out exactly where I had put the brand-new box of soap I had bought.
Opening the cabinets, I looked through, listening to him tell me about how the people in his office had done nothing but cause more damage than good.
“Perhaps you just need to find somebody else to manage them. I mean, your assistant has to go with you to these meetings overseas. So it stands to reason that the office manager just isn’t doing their job.”
He was quiet for a moment, and I heard him hum over what I had just said. “Perhaps you’re right. Maybe I need to look at hiring somebody new.”
“Would stand to reason doing so,” I teased playfully.
“Besides that, enough with me. What’s going on with you? I know that you were calling for more than just to find out if I’m in town.”
Neal was always vigilant, and he knew me very well. “Well, as you know, things haven’t been that brilliant over the past two weeks, and I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing for fall break. I considered going down to my dad’s, but I don’t know if I want to bring all this mess down there to him. I was going to see if you had suggestions.”
“Hmm… are you feeling better after everything?”
I was quiet for a moment. I wasn’t really feeling better, but rolling my eyes, I let off a soft sigh. “I’m better than I was. I’m trying to find something fun to do to preoccupy myself with.”
“I get it. I’ve been there before myself, but as far as doing something fun, why don’t you just come here? I mean, your fall breaks for what… like a week or two?”
“It’s two weeks, but I don’t want to impose on you. I’m sure you’ve got tons of work to do.” Neal began to laugh at my comment, and as he did, I knew what he would say.
“I have not had any fun in two weeks, and if you think that I am going to pass up the opportunity to have your lovely ass grace my presence so that we can actually enjoy ourselves, you are sadly mistaken.”
“Are you sure? I really don’t want to impose.”
“If you don’t get your sweet ass here so we can go enjoy ourselves, whether it be sitting in the house, eating pizza and watching movies, or actually going to have drinks, I will come up there and drag you down here myself.”
It was clear he was serious. I knew Neal pretty well by now, and there was no way he would allow me to back out of coming down. My plans were set, and even though I’d hoped to see my father, I could always visit him during Christmas time. After all, that was a special time I spent with my family.
“Sounds good. I will be heading down there on the weekend, then?”
“That sounds perfect. I’ll have everything done, and we can ensure that we’re brilliantly enjoying our weekend and your next two weeks here.” He was enthusiastic about me coming, and I wasn’t quite sure why, but he always made me smile, no matter the situation, so I was grateful for his acceptance and for letting me come.
“Hey, maybe you can actually talk to your sister and see if she wants to come up. I haven’t seen her in so long, and I miss her so much,” I replied, hoping that Allegra coming could divert anything serious from happening between him and me.
“Allegra… sure, why not? I’ll give her a call as soon as I get off the phone with you. And tell her to get her ass up here, too. I’ve got two spare bedrooms, so there’s plenty of room.”
As soon as I hung up the phone with Neal, I felt ten times better about my situation. Yes, I was still sad about James, but at least I wouldn’t be sitting in my house the entire fall break wallowing in self-misery because the man I loved was more complicated than a horse’s ass.
Instead, I would be having fun with Neal and Allegra, enjoying New York City. There was still so much there I hadn’t properly enjoyed before. Which was crazy because I had been going to school here for years and never took the opportunity to go.
Closing the washing machine, listening to it fill, I flicked open my phone once more and glanced through my photos of James and I. There weren’t many pictures, but the few I had made my heart stop. I was happy with him, and even though I associated a lot of our relationship with hurt, I couldn’t forget how he made me feel.
I did love him… more than anything. The problem was that he lived a life I couldn’t.
No matter how much I tried to find right in it all, I couldn’t overlook the danger. I couldn’t overlook the complications, and I couldn’t overlook how he belittled me when all I did was try to help him.
It was time to try and put this behind me and look forward to the future I had planned.
Who knew, maybe my time with Allegra and Neal would allow me to reflect on it all and realize that there was no way I could have continued down a path with James.
My place was to be independent… even if it hurt.
Becca
The weekend came quicker than I imagined and before I knew it, I was in my car driving to New York City. Even though Neal had absolutely refused for me to do so. He said he would have me flown down here, but I enjoyed driving.
It gave me time to clear my mind and relax in the scenery.
That is, of course, until I actually got into New York City and then reminded myself why I did not enjoy living in a city, nor driving in one. It was nothing but utter chaos.
The bumper to bumper traffic was crazy, and nobody knew how to drive. Nobody used turn signals. People just walked right out in front of you in the middle of the road like they owned the damn place.
I don’t know how many times I had to slam on my brakes because I almost hit somebody.
But as I pulled into the parking garage of Neal’s building and found the lovely parking space he had reserved for me, I couldn’t be happier.
This was going to be an absolutely amazing vacation.
Regardless of how the past few months had gone.
Twenty minutes later, I was standing in Neal’s open doorway with my suitcase in tow, smiling at him before a very excited Allegra came barrelling towards the door. She wrapped her arms around me, smiling and laughing with more excitement than I had expected.
“Oh, my god, it’s so good to see you. It feels like it’s been ages.”
“It has been ages.” I laughed as I hugged her back. “I’m so glad that you’re here, though.”
“I am too. I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to come see you sooner,” she replied, letting her smile fall slightly. “Things have been so crazy, and I was out of the country. Speaking of which… I’m sorry to hear about James.”
The mention of James’s name caused an ache in my chest to grow.
My smile fell, and I nodded slowly, but only until Neal spoke up.
“Hey, I’m endorsing a new rule in my house for the next two weeks. There is to be no mention of that man or his daughter or anything that happened before today while she is here.” There was a seriousness in his eyes that caught me by surprise.
I could see he was only trying to make sure I didn’t spend my vacation upset, but still I wondered, why was he so good to me?
“Seriously,” Allegra said, cocking an eyebrow at him with her hand upon her hip.
“Yes, seriously. These next two weeks are about having fun. Nothing depressing at all,” he replied, looking between the two of us with a grin on his face.
“Okay, okay. Let me take my suitcase and go get unpacked. That drive took absolutely forever.”
“Well, I did tell you I would fly you down here, but you were so insistent on driving,” Neal chimed in as I grabbed my suitcase and wheeled it towards the bedroom I had stayed in before.
“Yes, but the scenery was amazing,” I called out over my shoulder, listening to Neal and Allegra laugh at my comment.
The moment I stepped into my room, I felt at peace. Almost like I was home, in a sense. I knew I had only stayed here for a short period before, but it felt peaceful because it was the closest thing to home with my dad that I had.
I didn’t have to worry or stress about anything.