My Best Friend's Dad || J.A.

Prologue

"Yeah, I know it seems a little overboard to make Harden's favorite dinner from his mom's recipe book, but," Calen talks to her best friend, Astrid, through her phone as she carries a large paper bag full of ingredients, "it's his birthday."

"I can't remember the last time I did anything special for Harden, so I'm going to surprise him when he gets back from work." She says as she continues her walk to Harden's apartment. "He said he's working til five."

"When was the last time he did anything special for you?" Astrid questions. She's never liked Harden. The second she met him she thought there was something off about him and she wasn't afraid to tell Calen that. The two put it aside until now. "Cay, I know you're going to say I sound Looney Tunes nuts, but I just have a feeling he's up to no good."

"Ash, are you implying he's cheating?" Calen asks and Astrid quickly denies. "Then what're you saying?"

"Look, I may not like the guy, but I'm not going to say he's cheating unless there's proof," Astrid tells her. "I'm just saying he's probably doing something that's no good. You don't have to listen to me and you can brush this off if you want."

"I'm going to choose to brush it off because even though Harden is a pain in the ass at times, he's not the kind of guy to mess things up," Calen says and Astrid gives a sigh of defeat. "I'm almost at his. I'll call you later."

The best friends share short love yous and end the call. Calen pushes her phone into her pocket to have a free hand to grab the extra key to Harden's apartment and open the door.

Stepping into the apartment, Calen's eyes fall right onto Harden... and the girl he's fucking hard and right. The sight causes Calen to drop the bag and it catches the other two's attention.

"Calen." Harden seems shocked at her presence. "I- I thought- This isn't what it looks like." He lies as he wraps the throw blanket she bought him around his waist.

"It looks like your dick was in your coworker that you told me was like a sister to you." Calen's pain is replaced by anger. "Screw you, you piece of shit." She scoffs and turns around and walks out the door and slams it shut. If she had it her way, Harden would be bloody, but Calen doesn't need a lawsuit on her hands.

»«

Calen waves down the bartender for another Negroni. Maybe drowning herself in alcohol after finding out her boyfriend of five years has been cheating isn't the best idea, but it's the only idea for Calen.

"This is your tenth one." The bartender states as he places the glass in front of Calen. "I may have to cut you off."

"I was a high school and college student who partied like there was no tomorrow and I just found out my boyfriend of five years has been cheating on me," Calen explains to the bartender. "I know my alcohol tolerance and how to handle myself and I also know drinking is better than murdering the son of a bitch."

"Okay then." The bartender doesn't fight. "I will be calling you a cab home though when you're done."

"Deal." Calen tips her glass to the bartender before he walks away.

The bells above the front entrance door of the bar ring and Calen looks over to see what the new customer looks like and wow.

Holy shit. Calen thinks to herself. Instead of continuing to eye the beautiful man that's just walked in, she turns back to her drink.

Half an hour passes by and Calen hasn't missed the anonymous man looking at her in her peripheral vision.

"Can I help you?" She turns to the man and though she finds him devilishly gorgeous it's not stopping from him getting on her nerves.