Her Dad's Best Friend

On the Edge of Discovery

I hadn't expected to feel this way—so much lighter. With everything out in the open between Jordan, my dad, and me about the pregnancy, it was as if a massive weight had been lifted off my chest. Well, almost everything. My dad knew I was pregnant, but he still didn't know *who* the father was. And that secret—our secret—still hung in the air, too close to being exposed.

I sat on Jordan's couch, his place now feeling like the only space where I could truly breathe. My dad had taken the pregnancy news better than I expected, though the shock had clearly knocked him back. He hadn't pressed for details, which I was thankful for. It gave us more time. But I knew that time was running out.

Jordan sat beside me, his eyes scanning my face like he was trying to figure out what I was thinking. "You're quiet," he said, his hand brushing against mine, the warmth of his touch calming me instantly.

I smiled softly, leaning back into the cushions. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"How crazy everything's been." I let out a small laugh, shaking my head. "I mean, a few weeks ago, we were sneaking around like teenagers. Now, my dad knows I'm pregnant, and you..." I trailed off, not sure how to finish the sentence. Jordan and I had never actually talked about what we were now, about how things had shifted between us.

He shifted closer, his arm slipping around my waist. "We'll figure it out, Hailey. We've made it this far, right?"

I nodded, letting the warmth of his words sink in. The tension that had gripped me for weeks had finally loosened. I felt at ease with him in a way I hadn't before. And for a moment, everything else faded away. It was just him and me.

His lips brushed against my neck, soft at first, then more insistent. The familiar heat between us flared up, and before I knew it, we were kissing, the intensity growing with each second.

I responded eagerly, wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. It was like everything we had been holding back came rushing to the surface at once. His hands moved down my body, leaving a trail of warmth as he lifted my shirt and tossed it aside.

I didn't hesitate, pulling his shirt over his head, our bodies pressing together as we stumbled backward toward the bedroom. The rest of our clothes hit the floor in a blur, leaving us both naked, skin against skin, the weight of the outside world disappearing.

We fell onto the bed, his hands exploring my body as his lips never left mine. The tension, the hunger between us, was undeniable. Every touch, every kiss, sent shivers down my spine, and I felt like I was on fire.

But then, a knock at the door shattered the moment.

We both froze, staring at each other, our hearts pounding in sync.

"Jordan? You home?"

It was my dad. My blood turned to ice, panic coursing through me like a tidal wave.

"Shit," Jordan muttered under his breath, scrambling off the bed and pulling on his jeans in record time.

I frantically grabbed my clothes, my hands shaking as I struggled to get dressed. But there was no time—I heard my dad's footsteps approaching the door.

"Hailey, hide," Jordan whispered urgently.

I didn't have to be told twice. I scooped up my shirt and darted toward the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind me, my heart pounding so loud I was sure my dad could hear it.

I pressed my ear against the door, listening as Jordan opened the front door.

"Hey, Jayden," Jordan greeted, his voice a little too casual, a little too tight. "Didn't expect you to stop by."

"I figured Hailey was here," my dad said, his voice friendly but with a hint of suspicion. "Her car's outside."

"Yeah, she was... but she stepped out for a bit. She'll be back soon," Jordan replied smoothly. Too smoothly.

I peeked through the crack of the bathroom door, watching as my dad stepped further into the living room. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the sight of Jordan standing there shirtless and barefoot. He raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

"Mind if I wait?" my dad asked, already making himself comfortable on the couch.

Jordan swallowed, his gaze flickering to the pile of clothes scattered on the floor, including my shirt, lying dangerously close to where my dad was sitting.

"Uh, sure," Jordan said, clearly trying to figure out how to handle the situation without raising any red flags.

But then, my dad's eyes landed on something. I watched in horror as he reached down, his fingers brushing the fabric of my shirt. My favorite one. The one he had seen me wear dozens of times.

"Isn't this Hailey's?" he asked, holding it up, his brow furrowing in confusion.

My heart stopped. I pressed myself harder against the bathroom door, praying Jordan could think of something—anything—that would explain why my shirt was lying on his floor while I was supposedly "out."

Jordan's eyes widened for a split second, but he quickly recovered, forcing a chuckle. "Oh yeah, she left it here the other day. You know how she is, always forgetting her stuff."

My dad's expression softened slightly, but the suspicion didn't leave his eyes entirely. He held onto the shirt for a second longer before dropping it back onto the couch.

I let out a silent breath of relief, my heart still racing in my chest. He hadn't put the pieces together. Not yet.

"You sure she's coming back soon?" my dad asked, leaning back against the cushions, still eyeing the shirt like it didn't quite fit the story.

Jordan nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, shouldn't be too long. Want a beer while you wait?"

My dad shrugged, nodding. "Sure, why not?"

I watched from the crack in the door as Jordan disappeared into the kitchen, and my dad picked up the remote, flipping through channels like everything was perfectly normal. But I could see it in his face—the way his eyes kept flicking back to my shirt, the way his brow stayed furrowed in thought. He was putting the pieces together, even if he didn't realize it yet.

Jordan came back with two beers, handing one to my dad before sitting down, careful to act like nothing was out of the ordinary.

I stayed hidden in the bathroom, barely breathing, praying that my dad wouldn't ask any more questions.

But I knew that this was too close. We had been reckless, and now the truth was hanging by a thread.

And sooner or later, that thread was going to snap.