My Dad’s Bestfriend Novel – Her father keeps a close eye on her boyfriend, yet she falls in love with her father’s bestfriend. They embark on a passionate romance, but where will this forbidden relationship lead. “You have no right to look this beautiful, Clara,” I couldn’t help my excitement, “Dad will faint if he sees you in this on the wedding night!” Currently, Clara, my dad’s fiance, was looking through the purchases we’d made since the morning; it was almost evening when we got back to our house. “You and your dad have a similar way of giving compliments, no wonder why he is so fond of you– you are just like him,” Clara burst into laughter, her infectious joy filling the room. I burst into a fit of laughter. Clara and I had developed a close bond from the beginning. After my parent’s divorce, I hadn’t seen my dad as happy with anyone until Clara came into our lives. She was genuinely kind-hearted and a better person than my mom, who had left my dad in his most vulnerable moment when he needed her the most–a business loss that led her to abandon him and me.
Amidst my laughter, I pulled Clara into a tight hug. “I love you, cutie pie.” “I love you too, Evie, ” A smile softened on her lips as she hugged me back, “Thank you so much for accepting me in your and dad’s life, it really means the whole world to me.” She sniffled. Knowing Clara for years, I was aware of her tendency to become emotional even at the smallest things. And at that moment, she was having one of those heartfelt moments again. “So, you’re unlocking the waterfalls again, huh?” I teased, a playful grin on my face. A chuckle escaped her lips, and she nodded. “No, I am not,” She smiled through her tears and looked at me before wiping away the moisture that had gathered in her eyes. “No sermons today, my soon-to-be mother,” I interjected, a rebellious edge to my voice, “How many times do I need to tell you that you don’t need to thank me for anything? Clara, you’re the epitome of perfection for Dad. A thousand times better than my selfish mother, of course.” “Don’t speak that way, Evie,” she pleaded.
“Remember, she’s still your mother.” “As if I care,” I scoffed, throwing myself onto the bed, heedless of the mound of clothes struggling beneath my weight. “But, Evie…” “No lecture for today my soon-to-be mother,” I cut her off, “You better arrange that there’d be a whole lot of hot guys for me. ” “Yeah yeah, so that your dad divorces me before we can even get married,” She rolled her eyes causing me to burst into a fit of laughter. She was right, Dad was super protective about me, he had scared away multiple dates of mine in the past. “Can we just pack Dad up in a suitcase and ship him off for a few days so that I have some freedom and fun?” I asked suggestively. “I highly doubt your dad would fit into any suitcase,” she shrugged.
Suddenly, without warning, Dad strolled into the room, catching both Clara and me off guard. “Ah, so what exactly is the master plan here, ladies?” Dad inquired, his impeccable timing never failing to surprise us. Dad and his uncanny knack for showing up at just the right moment! “Nothing, Dad, we were just going over some wedding details,” I stammered, trying to mask the obviousness of our prior conversation with a forced laugh. Yet, his expression betrayed what he saw through my feeble attempt. “I happened to overhear the plans you two were discussing,” he said, crossing his arms defiantly. Behind her hand, I could see Clara struggling to suppress her laughter. My glare in her direction seemed to jolt her brain into action, and she quickly chimed in, “Samuel, it’s not appropriate to eavesdrop on our conversation.” “Yeah, yeah,” Dad rolled his eyes and took a seat on the sofa nestled in the corner of my room. “And I must say, it’s incredibly considerate of you two to discuss the logistics of packing me into a suitcase. Bravo!” Clara’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.
She was at a loss for a suitable response. “Then maybe you should stop scaring away my dates!” I exclaimed, unable to contain my frustration any longer. “And maybe you should start finding decent guys instead of little r**cals,” Dad shot back without missing a beat. “They weren’t little!” “Do you agree with the fact that they were r**cals?” Clara laughed out and my cheeks burnt red in embarrassment at the realisation, well…I didn’t actually bring any nice guy till now but that doesn’t mean I was going to accept defeat in this argument. “I mean, they were not r**cals!” I glared at Dad. “Of course, they were, “Dad spoke confidently, “Each of those boys was, none of them had good intentions.” There’s the thing, I didn’t want the good intentions… “Why do you always meddle in my relationships, huh? I’m twenty, and I have the right to choose who I want to date.” “Of course you do, but if you consistently choose the worst among them, I reserve the right to intervene.
I was left tongue-tied at my place and I found myself heaving out a defeated sigh. “Well then, I suppose that concludes our little disagreement for today,” Dad declared, rising from his seat. “Now, my dear daughter and my fiancée, how about we put aside the idea of packing me in a suitcase and focus on actually packing our clothes for the trip? We need to leave early for the flight.” Clara interjected, “By the way, when is our flight?” “We have to be at the airport before 9 pm,” he checked his wristwatch. “So, we’d better start getting ready.” “Can’t the flight be delayed? We just came back from shopping,” I g**aned, stretching my arms lazily above my head. He shook his head. “Nope. We need to prepare the mansion for the arriving guests. They’ll be here starting tomorrow.” “No rest for the weary, I guess?!” “Probably not,” Dad clicked his tongue, “And the destination wedding was your plan so you can’t blame me.” “Ugh! You are so cruel!” “Thank you,” With that grin being flashed at me, he walked out of the room.
“Don’t worry, once we get to the mansion, I’ll figure something out,” Clara reassured me, her words filling me with a glimmer of hope. “I love you, I love you, I love you!” I exclaimed, throwing myself into her arms. She chuckled in response. “I love you too, now go and get ready before the d**on side of your dad wakes up,” she teased. “You’re absolutely right,” I laughed, before darting into the closet to start preparing for the journey ahead. Chapter 2 Evelyn’s Pov–The Arrival The morning sunlight infiltrated the room through the window, its warm rays rousing me from my slumber. Letting out a disgruntled sigh, I buried my face in the pillow, hoping to shield myself from the unwelcome morning. As usual, I brushed my teeth at a tortoise’s pace, trying to delay the inevitable start of the day. I made sure to scrub away any remnants of sleep, unwilling to risk looking like a g**st amidst the uncertainty of potential guests. While the gathering had mostly been arranged amongst family members, I vaguely recalled my dad mentioning a few of his friends being invited, too.
I included a few of my friends who would come a day before the wedding day. I dried my hair and threw on a casual spaghetti-strap tank top and shorts before venturing out of the room. The mansion seemed eerily quiet, signalling that no guests had arrived yet. However, as I made my way towards the kitchen, I couldn’t help but overhear fragments of conversation between Dad and Clara, their voices carrying through the stillness of the house. “Good morning, lovebirds,” I greeted with a smile as my eyes fell on Dad and Clara .They were preparing breakfast, with Clara seated at the counter and Dad taking charge as today’s chef. “Good morning to you too, sweetheart,” They responded in unison. “So, what’s on the menu, Mr. Chef?” I playfully inquired, walking closer to them and stealing a glance at the pan. “Pasta, apparently it’s the only thing I know how to cook well,” Dad replied with a hint of self-deprecating humour in his voice. This remark elicited a small chuckle from both Clara and me.
“Well, that’s not a problem at all. You’re still the best,” I giggled, hugging him from the side. “Finally, you’re admitting it, huh?” Dad chuckled, returning the embrace. “I’ve never denied it, though,” I giggled, “By the way, I’m sorry for joking about packing you in a suitcase the other day. I didn’t mean it, really.” “I know,” He ruffled my hair, “You are still too childish to commit a thing like that.” This made another laugh tear from my throat. “All love for Dad, huh?” Clara’s dramatically sad voice interrupted and my eyes shifted to her direction, “Nobody loves me.”She melodramatically declared, averting her eyes from me, as if to express a hint of resentment. Unable to resist the opportunity to tease her, I walked over to Clara with a grin on my face.
“Oh, come here, my drama queen,” Laughing I wrapped my arms around her. I watched as she tried to maintain an unruffled expression, but a smile inevitably made its way to her lips, and she hugged me back. “You shower all your affection on Dad and call me a drama queen, huh? That’s not fair, Evie,” Clara playfully protested, shaking her head in mock disbelief. “He’s a little childlike you know, he needs affection,” I mused and she burst out laughing. Dad, always knowing how to play his cards, responded with a teasing threat, “Remember, little lady, that’s definitely going to affect your allowance.” I chuckled, realising the slight difference this time. With a month full of functions and travels to various locations, I did not need an extra allowance. “That’s why I called you childlike, Dad. You seem to have forgotten that I don’t need any money for this entire period,” I pointed out, reminding him of his own wedding experience with Clara. “Then I’ll adjust it next month.” He deadpanned. “We both know you’ll forget about it till then,” I couldn’t hold onto my laughter anymore and the same went for Clara, she too deluged in laughter. “We’ll see about that,” He rolled his eyes and focused his attention on cooking again but this time with a small frown that took its place between his brows. My dad was indeed adorable.
“You’re just too cute, Samuel,” she giggled as she pinched Dad’s cheek playfully “Aw, shut up, you cute little bear,” She tapped Dad’s nose and this only seemed to increase Dad’s irritation, evident by the small frown that deepened between his brows. “Don’t get on my nerves, Clara,” Dad tryied to maintain his faux sternness, though a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “What will you do, huh?” her voice brimmed with mischief. It was a familiar dynamic between the two of them, one that I had grown accustomed to over the years. However, at this moment, I needed them to focus on preparing breakfast. I was well aware that if they continued their playful banter for too long, I would be left hungry and food-deprived, something I couldn’t handle properly. “Okay, guys, enough of the family circus for today,” I decided to speak up, “I’m starving, and if I don’t get food now, I’ll go crazy!” Clara crossed her arms over her chest, asserting herself. “You heard that, Chef? Cook for Evelyn.” Dad’s glare lingered on Clara for a moment, but he soon shifted his attention back to the task at hand, resuming his cooking duties. When I was confirmed that the situation was under control, I made my way to the refrigerator to grab some orange juice. As I raised the bottle to my mouth, I took a satisfyingly big gulp, allowing the tangy flavour to awaken my taste buds. “So, none of the guests have arrived yet? “Not really, except for…”
Clara’s voice trailed off as a familiar yet foreign voice resonated from right behind me, sending chills down my spine. “Good morning, everyone,” the voice said, unmistakably the voice of the Italian man who had invaded my every dream. My entire body froze, my heart racing in my chest, and the room suddenly felt devoid of oxygen, despite the gentle breeze coming in through the open window. I could hear his footsteps as he approached, his presence looming behind me. I was too petrified to turn and face him, my grip tightening around the juice bottle in my hand. “Good morning, Jacob,” Clara greeted him with a smile. “Did you have a good sleep, mate?” Dad asked casually, not bothering to look up from his cooking, unaware of the turmoil brewing inside me. “Yeah,” He responded, I could feel his gaze on me as well as Clara’s, who seemed surprised by my sudden stillness. “Who’s this young lady?” Jacob’s voice broke through the tense silence, and my worst imagination became a reality–he didn’t recognize me. I couldn’t entirely blame him; the last time he saw me, I was just fifteen years old. These past five years had transformed me in ways I never could have imagined. “You can’t recognize her?”
Dad chuckled, finally glancing at Jacob. I, too, mustered the courage to look at Jacob Adriano, and… He hadn’t aged a day since I last saw him. The same devilishly handsome jawline, the full, tempting lips, and those bewitching green eyes that had ensnared me for as long as I could remember. A few strands of his luscious chestnut brown hair, which I had imagined running my fingers through countless times, fell casually on his face. Wearing a simple t-shirt that accentuated his sculpted muscles and paired with trousers, he could easily outshine any supermodel with just a single glance. I had to hold my breath so that the gasp didn’t slip past my lips. “It’s my daughter, Evelyn.” Dad’s voice made his lips part in what I could identify as astonishment. “Wait really?” He asked, looking heavily dumbfounded,” She was so little then.” “Yeah, time flies. Doesn’t it?” Dad began,” Evelyn, did you fail to recognize Jacob too?” He looked at me and asked. I forced a smile and shook my head.
“No, I recognized him. Unlike me, he hasn’t changed even a little bit. He looks the same as before.” The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. I tried not to let my gaze linger on Jacob for too long, but my eyes seemed to have a mind of their own. There was a flicker of something in Jacob’s green eyes upon my words, and perhaps because of my gaze, but he quickly masked it with a smile. “You have grown up a lot, Evelyn,” he added with a small chuckle. “I can still remember you running inside your room every time you saw me. For years, I wondered what it was about me that made you so scared, but in the end, I gave up.” He walked towards the counter and poured himself a glass of water. Decent of you to think that I did that because I was scared of you. The only reason I used to do that was to stop my poor heart from jumping out of my chest. “Even I often thought about it and every time I’d ask her she’d just ignore me.” Dad seemed to find it funny and apparently Clara and Jacob too. I was the only one who had that red shade of embarrassment covering her face.
“Okay, I think we should stop discussing Evelyn’s childhood,” Clara seemed to be the first one to notice my furious blush,” She is turning red.” This sentence of hers seemed to manage to bring the focus of those green eyes back on me, there was a barely noticeable twitch at the corner of his lips and I didn’t know if it was intentionally flashed at me or not. Evelyn! Get hold of yourself! “Evelyn is still as cute as she was,” He took an apple from the basket and raised it to his mouth, taking a bite as he leaned against the counter staring at me, “Still somewhere the same….little girl.” “Yeah, you won’t believe she still acts like the kid she was before,” Dad seemed to find very nice entertainment in embarrassing me, “Her childish habits are still there.” “Old habits are hard to let go just, of course,” Jacob made a thoughtful noise while still looking at me. His gaze was not receding at all. I could feel my restraints breaking one by one. “I’ll…I’ll just go to my room,” I quickly spluttered and turning around, I began walking out of the kitchen. “But your breakfast…” Clara began. “I’ll take it later, Clara,” I interrupted, tucking a piece of my hair strand behind my hair And stealing a quick glance at her before I walked out of the kitchen. “Wait, Evelyn…” My dad’s voice trailed after me, attempting to reason, “You said you’re hungry.”
“Just bring it to my room,” I hollered back, my footsteps quickening as I ascended the stairs and sought refuge in my own locked room. Finally, alone, I released the weighty breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding. A solitary bead of sweat traced its way down the side of my forehead, evidence of the tension that had been building up inside me. “Calm down, Evelyn,” I said to myself,” Calm down.” Jacob Adriano made me feel the same things again. All these years I had thought my attraction for him had faded but one gaze at him and all my decisions had flown away out of the window. Surely it wasn’t good news. Today…..There was something in his gaze that I hadn’t seen five years before or maybe it was my own hallucination that made me want to think such things. But I doubted it was just a hallucination. Chapter 3 Evelyn’s Pov–Secret or Not? Leaning against the balcony railing, I took a sip of my coffee, its bittersweet flavor providing a much-needed respite from the stress that threatened to consume me. By conveniently feigning a headache, I managed to escape the formalities of greeting the arriving guests one by one, effectively dodging any encounter with Jacob. That man seemed to defy logic with his ever-growing handsomeness. From my vantage point, I could see the gathering around the poolside.
It was like a scene straight out of a poolside party movie. Handsome men were aplenty, some being Dad’s business partners’ sons, while others represented their fathers’ interests. But amidst this sea of attractive individuals, my eyes only craved stolen glances at the green-eyed Italian male perched on a chaise lounge. What was God thinking while creating this masterpiece? He is too good to be true. “Evelyn…what on earth are you doing out here?” Clara’s sudden loud voice jolted me, causing me to gasp and spin around. My hands instinctively tightened around the coffee mug, preventing it from slipping through my fingers. “Clara…you scared me half to death!” I placed a hand over my chest as my heart continued to pound erratically. “For heaven’s sake, everyone’s by the pool having a good time,” she rolled her eyes and strolled towards me, clad in a swimsuit with a poolside robe draped over her, “Go on, change!” “I didn’t bring any swimwear,” I shrugged, hoping my little white lie would hold some weight. “Oh, I packed your suitcase with you so don’t like your flimsy excuse will work on me,” Of course, she saw through my ruse.
What was I even expecting? “B-but…” “No buts,” she cut me off, “Go and get ready, otherwise I might, unfortunately, have to drag you there.” Realizing that further resistance would be futile, I finally exhaled a defeated sigh. “Fine, I’ll get ready.” A victorious smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she nodded. “Good. Be downstairs in a few minutes, or else I’ll have to come back up here to check on you.” “Alright,” I rolled my eyes and made my way into the closet. Thankfully, I had unpacked my luggage the previous night before going to sleep, so locating my swimwear proved to be a relatively hassle-free task. After slipping into the swimwear, I draped the robe over it, stealing one last glance in the mirror to ensure I looked presentable. Satisfied with my appearance, I made my way toward the poolside. I wished my perverted mind would stop making me look at Jacob again and again. It had only been a day since his arrival, yet he had already managed to send my sanity teetering on the brink.
Amidst the cacophony of guests’ conversations, the sound of their laughter and the clinking of glasses filled the air. The waiters were serving everyone drinks and other delicacies. Familiar faces started to emerge from the crowd, including some individuals I despised from the depths of my being. One of them happened to be associated with my dad’s company–a woman who stirred an intense irritation within me: Gloria Henderson. A woman who shamelessly pursued any man within her reach, regardless of her marriage to a military husband who likely believed her deceptive facade of unwavering love. It disgusted me to witness her deceitful actions, and my disdain for her reached its peak. “Don’t give her that stare, Evie. People will start thinking you’ve got some personal vendetta against her,” Clara whispered into my ear, breaking my intense gaze. I had been absorbed in glaring at that woman, who was shamelessly f**rting with an unknown guy. “I hate her, Clara!” I g**aned under my breath.
“Me too but you know where your dad had to invite all of his colleagues, so he couldn’t just exclude this one from the list.” She sighed, “Anyways, ignore her and enjoy the party.” Her voice took on a mischievous tone. I made my way towards the bar set up in the corner. “One juice, please,” The attendant began preparing my drink with a friendly smile. My eyes wandered around the party, and as expected, they settled on Jacob. But, this time, the sight that unfolded before me, made my skin crawl in a whole new way–Gloria, was now making blatant advances towards Jacob. Jacob looked anything but pleased. Why was I even paying attention to this? He was a grown man perfectly capable of handling himself and dealing with women like her. I tried to keep my focus on the drink but one sip and everything felt tasteless. God, Evelyn! He’s not your husband, nor your boyfriend! Calm down! Taking another sip, I continued to send daggers with my eyes in Gloria’s direction, she still doing it.
Jacob appeared visibly irritated, though he maintained his composure, politely responding to her seemingly pointless questions. “One Negroni, please,” I found myself requesting the attendant, ordering the very drink that happened to be Jacob’s favourite. After the attendant prepared it, before I even realized it, I was walking towards Jacob, propelled by an inexplicable force. His eyes fell on me sooner than I had expected, and they lingered, taking in my figure. Gloria, sensing Jacob’s attention shift away from her, followed his gaze and noticed me walking over to them. Completely ignoring her, I smiled at Jacob. “Here’s your favourite,” I said, gesturing towards the drink in my hand. His brows rose ever so slightly in surprise as he accepted the drink from my hand. “Oh, Gloria,” I turned my attention to her, noting the strange expression on her face.
“It’s so nice to meet you. How’s your husband? Is everything alright?” My carefully aimed words hit their mark, causing embarrassment to flood her features. She fumbled with her words, glancing at Jacob, who appeared shocked by this newfound discovery. “Yeah, he’s fine,” she hesitantly let out, “Excuse me, I’ll get a drink for myself and be back.” As Gloria disappeared, I saw Jacob visibly relax, relief washing over him… and me. He turned to look at me, his green eyes now filled with a different intensity, stirring up a jumble of thoughts and emotions within me. Just when he was about to say, I found myself whispering the next words, “Thank me later, Jacob.” After saying this, I stood up and took a few steps back. I could feel his intense gaze on me the whole time, so intense. “You have indeed grown up…” I heard his deep voice remark. “And you have become even more handsome than before,” I let out, avoiding direct eye contact. “I thought you were afraid of me back then,” His words this time caught my attention, compelling me to finally look at him. The devilishly handsome face adorned with green eyes and features reminiscent of a Greek god… was now fixed upon me with a blend of confusion and amusement.
“It’s kind of you to assume that I used to flee out of fear,” I chuckled, unable to contain the mirth, “Because the real story was quite different.” “And what is the real story, Evelyn?” he inquired, his voice rendering my name in a way that sent my thoughts into disarray, mind at sevens and sixes and heart on the verge of jumping out of my chest. “Why don’t we keep it a secret, for now, Jacob? After all, secrets have a way of making everything more interesting.” “You seem to be keeping a lot of secrets from childhood huh?” “Unfortunately, it was only you who saw me as a child, because I vividly recall engaging in activities that are beyond a child’s realm,” I sighed, shaking my head, and approached him. “Be cautious, because the notion that a secret may remain undisclosed might be illusory. Perhaps… it is something that someone discovered long ago,” he whispered, igniting a rush of goosebumps across my body. He just did not say that, well he did! His words momentarily rendering me unable to gather coherent thoughts. I could only gaze at him, bewildered and captivated.
I mustered up the courage to ask the next question that had been burning in my mind as I watched him begin to walk away, “Which secret are you referring to, Jacob?” He paused in his tracks, turning to face me. The same glimmer sparkled in his green eyes, sending a wave of tension rippling through my insides. “The secret you believe I am oblivious to,” he responded with a smirk, his words hanging in the air like a tantalising promise. Well, I had thought Jacob was clueless about my obsession with him, but today he had shattered that belief, revealing that he likely knew far more than I had ever anticipated. It was not going to be easy to stop me from getting hauled towards him… I lost every one of the boundaries I had and surely I planned to make him lose his ones too…