Falling For Dad’s College Rival by Flora Ferrari
Chapter One
Brooke
“Nothing weird about it, sweetie. I know for a fact that a couple of us single parents are taking our adult kids with us. It’s not a ‘date’, just keeping your old man company at his reunion.”
My face feels tight like it might crack if I even try to speak.
“I told you about it weeks ago,” he chimes in, turning to scramble the eggs in the pan.
I kinda do remember him mentioning his college reunion, but after the incident with the Trent photo, I figured he wasn’t going.
We were putting some of my things up in the attic once I got home from college, all the stuff I won’t need anytime soon. When I happened across an old box of his own college stuff.
“Oh wow,” he’d exclaimed. “I thought all that had been thrown out years ago, after your mom…” but he never finished any sentences with the word ‘your mom’ in them.
Ignoring what he’d been about to say, he finished hefting my trunk into an empty corner and I start to pick through his dusty old box of memories. Pulling out a yearbook first and then a framed photograph.
Dad has never raised his voice at me, not ever. But as soon as he saw the picture, he snatches it from my hands and growled.
“And this! This isn’t your business either, gimme that!” he’d snapped, wrenching the back of the frame off and tearing the photo up into pieces right in front of me.
Apart from being shocked at my dad’s weird behavior, I also got to see enough, confirming the other two people in the photo from the yearbook after my dad had stormed off.
It was a picture of my dad, my mom, and my dad’s childhood buddy, Trent Latham.
Best buddies for life until something happened, which I guess I’ll never know.
Especially now.
I haven’t mentioned the incident since, but I have to admit, I’m surprised my dad’s even considering going to his college reunion, let alone asking me to go with him if that was how he’s likely to handle his past.
I kept the yearbook though, and after almost surprising myself by skipping over my mom’s photo, I can safely say it wasn’t hard to do.
Trent Latham though.
The man was a god back then, as much as he is today.
In fact, I think he’s even more handsome today than he was when he was my age, back in college.
Back then, Trent Latham was a college football star. The head jock, and by all accounts a bit of an asshole.
But my god, was he attractive, still is.
Did I mention that? I think I mentioned that.
“I guess Trent Latham won’t be there, at your reunion I mean,” I hear myself say a little too loudly, making my dad tense up.
He doesn’t turn around or even get angry, but I can see him grappling with his emotions before he finally relaxes a bit, laughing nervously to himself.
“Oh, honey. I’m sorry about the other week. I really lost it for a second, seeing that photo… It just brought back a lot of bad memories for me. Mostly about your—” he starts but doesn’t finish.
I know he wants to say ‘your mom’, but apart from knowing what he means by that near mention of her, I can tell it wasn’t about her that day and it’s not about her now either.
He lifts our eggs off the stove, and serving up some on each plate next to the toast and bacon he’s also prepared, he sits himself down opposite me, heaving a heavy sigh before he says anything else.
“Yeah. Trent Latham will be there, apparently,” he forces himself to say without being able to hide his chagrin but creasing his mouth in more of an ironic expression than a smile.
“He’ll be there, and the whole room… The whole college will be kissing his ass, as usual, telling him how great he was. Reminding us all just how great he is today,” he groans, frowning at his food after bringing the fork to his mouth, not even able to eat now.
“That’s why I want you to come with me, Brooke. As my friend as well as my only daughter I want to show off. I could use the moral support,” he murmurs, pouting as he gives me an overdone performance of puppy dog eyes I don’t think anyone could refuse.
“Well, if you say he’ll be there— I mean. If you need some moral support,” I say encouragingly, recovering my words enough to correct myself.
“Thanks, honey. It’d mean a lot.” He sighs, wrinkling his nose at his breakfast again and sipping some coffee before he notices the time.
“Ah, shoot. I gotta run,” he exclaims, leaping up from his chair and grabbing his jacket slung over the back of it, leaning over to kiss the top of my head on his way out.
“Can you pick up my suit from the dry cleaners then? The ticket’s on the fridge. And don’t make anything for dinner tonight, there’s a buffet—”
“Tonight?” I gasp. “It’s tonight?”
“Starts at seven,” Dad adds not even noticing my panic. “Have a great day sweetie, and don’t forget my suit, eh?”
Before I know it, I’m alone in the kitchen with nothing but the breakfast dishes, dad’s dry cleaning ticket, and a sudden but very definite wet spot between my legs.
“He’s actually gonna be there,” I say quietly, feeling the sudden news about the short time frame twist and turn its way into a new and very satisfying excitement.
I’m glad it’s tonight.
If he’d told me a week ago, I would never have even slept from just thinking about it.
Squeezing my legs together with a little mew of satisfaction, I make a beeline for my bedroom after checking dad’s car is actually gone and then locking the back door.
Slowly opening my dresser drawer and taking out the only thing I know that can give me some relief right now.
I lay back on the bed, fondling its hardness before I take a deep breath, not even warming myself up beforehand.
Thinking about Trent Latham, there’s no need.
Using both hands I open the thick, heavy bound yearbook, flipping straight to the page I’ve memorized. The one with his photos and article about his football scholarship.
I shudder a sigh, but seeing him in print only makes me want something else.
Something I can’t quite put my finger on.
Trent’s young, muscular frame is built like a linebacker but he was the star quarterback of both the college team and his pro football team afterward.
There’s a clear photograph, highlighting his thick shock of dark hair.
His deep hazel eyes shine with confidence as well as humor. His chiseled jaw and strong chin set in a permanent expression of the same.
A man who knows what he wants as well as someone who has a few secrets.
Perfectly straight, gleaming white teeth peer from a full-lipped mouth, that like his jaw seems set in a constant look to match the natural swagger of his pro-athlete body.
The T-shirt doesn’t hide much, nor do the tight fitting tracks pants, highlighting a pant bulge that doesn’t leave a huge amount to the female imagination except maybe the question of how?
How can one man be perfect in so many ways?
More to the point, how can he look just as good today if not better, and how am I going to get a chance to even get close let alone speak to him if my dad can’t stand to even breathe the same air this guy does?
Trent’s been on the local and national news several times over the years, as well as a brief commentating role for a national broadcaster, he’s set himself up in numerous businesses and is always promoting our town as well as our state.
There’s a rumor he might run for office, so he’s been on the news more often than not lately.
Something my dad politely ignores or casually flicks over from if he ever encounters it directly.
But me?
I can’t get enough of the man, old or new version.
They say vintage is always better, and if the photos are anything to go by, they broke the mold after Trent Latham was made.
Sigh.
It’s the sound of my dad calling, hours later that wakes me.
He’s reminding me to pick up his suit and I realize just how long I’ve spent dreaming of Trent with the yearbook hugged so close to my chest I have dents in my arms.
Shit! I haven’t even decided what I’m gonna wear let alone left enough time to get the rest of me ready for tonight.
I zoom through the dishes and head out to pick up dad’s suit, the challenges of the day are easier to deal with now because I know tonight’s the night.
It’s stupid I know, to be so excited about it all.
But a girl never died of dreaming.
