Daddy's Best Friend

30

CHAPTER 30

HENRY’S POV

The next day, Collins and I sat in my living room, sipping on our glasses of whiskey. The evening was calm, and the amber liquid in our glasses seemed to be doing its job in relaxing our weary souls.

"You know, Henry," Collins began, his voice slightly slurred from the whiskey, "I really think Kayla might be the one."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his sudden declaration. "The one? You mean like the one you'll marry?"

Collins nodded, a goofy smile spreading across his face. "Yeah, man, I mean it. She's different, you know? She's got this charm that just draws you in."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his lovesick expression. "Well, that's great, Collins. I'm happy for you."

He took another sip of his whiskey and then turned the conversation in my direction. "So, Henry, what about you? Why aren't you dating anyone?"

I sighed, not entirely sure I wanted to delve into this topic. But Collins was persistent, and he knew me well enough not to let things slide.

"Look, I did go on a date recently," I confessed, swirling the whiskey in my glass absentmindedly.

Collins leaned in, clearly interested. "Oh yeah? Tell me about it."

I hesitated for a moment, then decided to share. "Her name's Layla the one we once taller about, I know I had not told you full details about it. We went out for dinner the night before you came ."

Collins grinned, thinking he was about to hear a juicy story. "And?"

"And I messed it up," I admitted with a sigh. "I like her, Collins, but not in that romantic way."

Collins frowned, clearly puzzled. "Wait, so you went on a date with her, but you don't want to date her?"

I nodded, trying to find the right words to explain my feelings. "Yeah, it's complicated. I mean, she's great, and I enjoy spending time with her, but there's just something missing. I can't put my finger on it."

Collins scratched his head, clearly perplexed by my explanation. "So, you're saying you want to be friends with her, but not more than that?"

I nodded again, relieved that he seemed to understand. "Exactly. I don't want to lead her on or give her false hope."

Collins took a thoughtful sip of his whiskey, then leaned back in his chair. "Well, Henry, you're a good guy for being honest about it. But maybe you'll find someone who ignites that spark for you someday."

I appreciated his understanding, even though it didn't solve my dating dilemma. "Yeah, maybe, Collins. For now, I'm content with how things are."

As Sophia strolled into the room, her presence was accompanied by an unexpected guest: Jason. He had that nonchalant grin on his face as she introduced him to Collins, my dear friend and Sophia's father. It felt like someone had just poured ice water down my spine.

"Dad, this is Jason," Sophia beamed, oblivious to the turmoil within me. "Jason, meet my dad, Collins."

I forced a polite smile, not trusting myself to speak just yet. Collins extended a friendly hand, greeting Jason warmly. "Nice to meet you, Jason. Sophia has told me a lot about you."

Sophia chimed in with an enthusiasm that made me grit my teeth. "Oh, you guys will get along just fine!"

Collins, always the gracious host, invited Jason to join us for dinner. I felt like I was in some kind of bizarre love triangle sitcom, and I certainly didn't appreciate being cast as the jealous, brooding character.