My Dad's Bestfriend

Chapter 2 The Arrival

Evelyn.

The morning sunlight infiltrated the room through the window, its warm rays rousing me from my slumber. I reluctantly pried my eyes open, only to have them promptly shut again in protest against the intrusive light.

Letting out a disgruntled sigh, I buried my face in the pillow, hoping to shield myself from the unwelcome morning.

Mornings. Ugh! I despised them with a passion.

Even more than my periods.

Groaning, I finally dragged myself out of bed, deliberately averting my gaze from the blinding sun, I stumbled my way to the bathroom. As usual, I brushed my teeth at a tortoise's pace, trying to delay the inevitable start of the day.

As usual, I brushed my teeth at a tortoise's pace and took a shower. I made sure to scrub away any remnants of sleep, unwilling to risk looking like a ghost 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 and planting a tender kiss on my forehead.

"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 kissed his cheek, and he let out a gentle laugh before reciprocating with a smooch on my left cheek.

"I know," He ruffled my hair, "You are still too childish to commit a crime 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. I could notice the small frown that'd appeared on her lips.

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 and planted a kiss on her cheek.

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.

shower all your affection on Dad and call me a drama queen, huh? That's not fair,

childlike you know, he needs affection," I mused and she burst out

a teasing threat, "Remember, little lady, that's

a month full of

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

forget about it till then," I couldn't hold onto my laughter anymore and the same went for Clara,

that," He rolled his eyes and focused his attention on cooking again but this time with a small frown that took

dad was indeed

just too cute, Samuel," she giggled as she pinched Dad's

looked at her in disbelief, rubbing the spot where she left a slight pink

tapped Dad's nose and this only seemed to increase Dad's irritation, evident by the

my nerves, Clara," Dad groaned, trying to maintain his faux sternness, though

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, with the hungry rats in my stomach causing a commotion,

too long, I would be left hungry and food-deprived, something I couldn't handle

decided to speak up, "I'm starving, and if I don't get food now, I'll go

her arms over her chest, asserting

he soon shifted his attention back

refrigerator to grab some orange juice. As I raised the bottle to my mouth, I took a satisfyingly big gulp, allowing the tangy

the guests

except for..." Clara's voice trailed off as a familiar yet foreign voice resonated from right behind me, sending

voice said, unmistakably the voice of the

and the room suddenly felt devoid of oxygen, despite the gentle breeze coming in through the open

me. I was too petrified to turn and face him, my

Jacob," Clara greeted him

a good sleep, mate?" Dad asked casually, not bothering to look up from his cooking, unaware

as well as Clara's,

voice broke through the tense silence, and my worst imagination became a

me, I was just fifteen years old. These past five years had transformed me in ways I never

chuckled, finally glancing at Jacob. I, too, mustered the courage to look at Jacob

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

had imagined running my fingers through countless times, fell casually on his face. And that same maddeningly attractive face that had haunted my dreams, and I had

that accentuated his sculpted muscles and paired with trousers, he could easily outshine

that the gasp didn't slip past

lips part in

heavily dumbfounded,"

still capable enough to imagine your gorgeous face while

did you fail to recognize

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

of something in Jacob's green eyes upon my words, and perhaps because of my gaze, but he quickly masked it with