He's not my dad

part 18

Sunday afternoon felt heavier than usual as I returned to my apartment, dragging my suitcase behind me. The hotel weekend had been a blur of self-pity, blocked numbers, and silent sulking. I’d even blocked Chuck, determined to avoid embarrassing myself further—or texting him in a haze of drunken confidence or frustration.

As soon as I stepped inside, I froze. Bree was on the sofa. Her face crumpled the moment she saw me, tears streaming freely.
“Taylor…” she whispered, voice breaking.
Before I could say a word, she was in my arms, and I was holding her as she cried, her shoulders shaking against mine. The emotions between us spilled over, a mixture of guilt, fear, and relief.
“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed. “I… I’ve cheated on Noel. I feel like shit. I didn’t want to admit it, but I can’t lie to you anymore.”

I closed my eyes and let the tears fall, hugging her tighter. “It’s… okay. You’re my friend. We’ll figure it out.”

We sat there, juggling our emotions and wiping each other’s tears, talking softly as the afternoon sun filtered through the blinds.
Eventually, the conversation shifted. I told her about Chuck, the night at the masquerade bar, the heat, the teasing, the frustration of not knowing what he was doing or where he was.

“I don’t understand why you’re upset,” Bree said quietly. “You guys were casual. It’s supposed to be easy.”

“I can’t explain it,” I admitted, my voice low

. “It’s not logical. But it matters to me. He matters to me… more than he should.”

Bree frowned. “Did he see you at the hotel?”

“I… I don’t know.”

She shook her head, sniffling. “He came by. He asked for you. He wanted to know why he couldn’t reach you and where you were.”

My heart thumped. That was more than I had expected. He had looked for me.
I exhaled slowly, squared my shoulders, and felt a rush of determination.

“Okay,” I said firmly. “I’m putting my big girl pants on. I’m going to go talk to him. No more hiding, no more running.”

Bree squeezed my hand, her eyes wet but encouraging. “Good. Go get him.”

I nodded, steeling myself. It was time to face whatever this was. Time to stop letting fear—or jealousy, or confusion—dictate my choices. Time to be honest with myself.
And maybe, just maybe, time to see where this was really going.

.....

I didn’t give myself time to overthink it.
I went straight to Chuck’s apartment and knocked before my courage could evaporate. The door swung open almost immediately, and the look on his face stopped me cold. He looked tired. Annoyed. Worried.

“So,” he said flatly, stepping aside to let me in, “you’re alive. Good to know.”

Ouch.

“Why have you been avoiding me?” he asked the second the door closed behind us.
I crossed my arms, bracing myself. “I saw you at the hotel. You told me you were with your family.”

“I was with my family, my sister had a huge meltdown we all were there to support her ” he shot back, irritation flashing in his eyes.
I opened my mouth to argue, but he beat me to it.

“No,” he said sharply. “Actually, it’s me who should be angry. I’m dealing with a family emergency, worried out of my mind, and then I see you at a hotel with some random guy. Do you have any idea how that made me feel?”

My stomach dropped. “What? I didn’t—”

“I saw you in the elevator, Taylor,” he said, voice tight. “Going up to someone’s room.”

I stared at him for a second… then burst out laughing.

He blinked. “What?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ve been staying at the hotel all week. Bree and I had a huge fight. I wasn’t with anyone.”

The anger drained from his face almost instantly. His shoulders relaxed, and then—slowly—a smile crept across his lips.

“Oh,” he said. “So I’m an idiot.”

“A little,” I agreed, smiling back.

He stepped closer, his hands coming up to rest on my waist as if he needed to reassure himself that I was really there. “God,” he murmured, pulling me into his arms. “I really like you.”

The words hit me harder than I expected.

“I like you too,” I admitted quietly.

He leaned back just enough to look at me, his expression suddenly serious. “Then let me ask you something.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Uh-oh.”

“Can we be exclusive?” he said. “So I don’t have to worry about you being with other men. And so you don’t have to worry about me either.”

I tilted my head, pretending to consider it, enjoying the way he watched me nervously.

“Well?” he demanded, half-smiling. “Will you be my girlfriend or not?”

I laughed, warmth spreading through my chest. “I guess you did ask so nicely.”

His grin was immediate and unstoppable as he pulled me back into his arms, this time with relief written all over him.
And for the first time in a while, everything felt… simple.

......

We collapsed onto his bed, the weight of the week finally catching up to both of us. I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, feeling… safe.

"So,” he said after a beat, a sly smile tugging at his lips, “so you kissed an old guy Friday then ?”

I groaned and rolled my eyes, “You’re such a tease.”

He laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Are you a sugar baby now? Should I be worried?”

I pushed him lightly, laughing. “Chuck, I have enough money of my own. I don’t need anyone buying me things—except maybe champagne and pizza. You’re excused.”

He chuckled, holding me tighter. Then his expression softened, more serious. “Taylor… have you been with anyone else since we started… whatever this is?”

I shook my head quickly. “No. Not anyone else. Well… except I was attracted to a man in my building. But that’s all. Nothing happened.” I kept it deliberately vague, not mentioning that he was my boss’s boss. Not yet.

Chuck raised an eyebrow, playful but curious. “Oh really? A little crush, huh?

“Yeah,” I admitted with a shrug. “But it was nothing. Just… a look, a moment.”

He pulled me closer, burying his face in my hair. “Good. I like that honesty.”

I felt warm and safe in his arms, but the practical side of me finally nudged in. “So… I don’t really have any clothes here. And I’ve got work tomorrow.”

He tilted his head, that mischievous glint still in his eyes. “No problem. I can drive you by your place in the morning, pick up whatever you need, and then drop you at work. You can stay as long as you want tonight.”

I smiled, relieved and giddy all at once. “That sounds perfect.”

He grinned, kissing the top of my head. “Perfect it is.”

I settled against him again, letting the night stretch quietly around us. For the first time in a long while, I felt like things were finally… simple. Safe. And maybe even a little bit right.