Daddy’s Best Friend Secret by Lauren Wood
Klaus
For some reason that I couldn’t really explain, that Brendan guy really irked me. First of all, what kind of name was ‘Brendan’ anyway? It sounded like the name of someone’s dead uncle who never left his house. It was a terrible name.
But his name wasn’t the only thing that upset me about him. Quite the contrary, it was the entire persona surrounding this man. Something about him made me want to just punch him in the face, and I would enjoy doing so.
Thankfully, I had enough self-control not to, even if I really wanted to. Instead, I subjected myself to just glaring at him whenever he came into my sight which was much too often for my liking.
I’d come to the understanding that I couldn’t have Clara. She was my best friend’s daughter, and I couldn’t do that to Antonio. As much as I messed around with him, he still was one of the few people that I didn’t want to hurt.
Besides, from the sounds and looks of it, she didn’t want anything to do with me, anyway. Just like everyone else in the world, she’d judged me before she even got a chance to know me. I would have been more upset about it if her words didn’t ring true. But everything that she’d said had been right.
But just because I couldn’t have her didn’t mean she needed to be put in the hands of some low life like the man that she called a boyfriend. He shouldn’t be allowed within ten feet of someone as beautiful as her.
I deserved her way more than that clown. And he had the audacity to act nonchalant as if he didn’t have the most beautiful woman in the world in his arms. I was a man who was very comfortable in his own skin and never wanted what anyone else had. But this was different, and that upset me.
Brendan had nothing that I didn’t have except a ‘know it all’ personality, yet I wished I could trade lives with him just so that I could spend a day with Clara. How pathetic did that make me? Seriously. When had I turned into a man who sought after one woman so vigorously? Was it because she had put me in my own place?
Whatever the reason, I knew that I wanted her.
The thing that pissed me off the most was the fact that she actually seemed happy with that dickwad. I was pretty sure that I’d remembered Antonio telling me that this was her first boyfriend. She had no idea that she could do better than him, so much better.
Maybe I needed to be the one to open her eyes.
She was slumming it with him, and it was time that she found someone on her own level. I wanted that person to be me, but considering it couldn’t be, I’d be happy as long as it was someone who was actually worthy of her affection and time.
Then again, why did I care who she ended up with? It wasn’t any of my business who Clara decided to date. She wasn’t my girlfriend, wife, cousin, or daughter. She was basically nothing to me, yet all I wanted was to make sure that she was with a good man. Was I actually beginning to lose my mind a little bit? Because that was the only thing that I could think of to explain my thought process.
I had made myself a promise years ago never to settle down, and I was determined to keep that promise. I, thoroughly, enjoyed the lifestyle that I lived. The bachelor life was the only life that I wanted to be a part of. No commitments, no strings, infinite women. After all, wasn’t that every guy's dream? That he didn’t have to sleep with just one woman for the rest of his life?
So, why did it all of a sudden feel like a bad thing because that meant I couldn’t have Clara?
The married life wasn’t my scene. The last thing that I wanted was a wife nagging me consistently, without fail. I wouldn’t be able to do the things that I wanted to do, and then there were the children. I had already decided that I didn’t want kids. They were little nuisances, without a purpose, that just sucked the green right out of your wallet. What was the purpose of them? I’d decided I didn’t want to be anyone’s husband or anyone’s father. And that hadn’t changed.
So, why was I imagining having those things with Clara? It had to just be because she was my forbidden fruit, right? After all, she hadn’t done anything to show me affection or show me that she wanted me back, so why was I still after her so insistently? What was it about her that made me want her so badly?
I needed to get a handle on my feelings before I ended up doing something that I was going to regret. Clara was a beautiful woman, and she tested me like no other woman had before, which increased how attracted to her I was. But she was unavailable to me, and unavailable in general because she had a boyfriend.
I didn’t like it, but I had to respect it. Right?
After Brendan arrived, I’d walked over to a more secluded part of the beach so I could have some time to myself to just think. For once, I didn’t want women walking up to me, attempting to flirt, I just wanted to be alone for a moment so I could clear my thoughts.
I lay down and put my head in the sand. I actually started to doze off a little bit until my phone started ringing. I frowned and let out a sigh, already sure that I knew who it was. Antonio was probably calling to tell me about the great dinner that he was preparing and wanted me to come to the beach house to eat it.
I would in a little bit.
The phone call ended and picked right back up. Because the ringing was annoying, I answered it. “Hello.” My voice was obviously annoyed and tinged with tiredness.
“What the fuck do you sound tired for?” I could recognize my brother’s snappy voice anywhere. “I checked your time zone before I called you, and it’s not even eight PM. I expected for you maybe to be inside of some girl, but sleeping through your day really isn’t like you.” Ezra could be quite the annoying big brother when he wanted to be.
“What do you need?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he answered. “I got bored, so I called like you tend to do, all of the time.”
He wasn’t wrong. I called to bug him constantly just because I could. After all, I was a little brother, and it was my job to do things that annoyed him, regardless of how old I was. But it was rare that he actually returned the sentiment. And I didn’t really like it when the roles were reversed. Now, I knew how Ezra felt.
“Funny,” I commented. “How are the kids?”
“Sleeping, thank fuck.” He let out a breath of air. “I love them, don’t get me wrong, but damn.”
I laughed. Ever since getting together, my older brother and his wife, Quinn, had two children together. He also still had Paige, his child from his previous wife. My brother was practically overrun with all of the kids that he had. I liked my nieces and nephews, but I wouldn’t want to be around them full-time.
Then, I remembered that if I had to talk to anyone about what was going on with me then it could be Ezra. He’d gone through a similar situation with Quinn. They’d had their own set of battles and struggles before they’d finally got married. He could give me the advice that I was looking for and clear up some of my confusion about this girl.
But how would I bring it up without him thinking that I was obsessed with her or something? And I still wasn’t sure that I knew how to explain how I felt. But I’d try.
“Hey, Ezra, can I ask you something?” I asked.
“Well, I am on the phone.”
“You remember Antonio, don’t you?”
“Yeah, you invested in his company.”
“Well, he has a daughter, a beautiful daughter. And I know that I can’t go after her, but I really want to. She actually yelled at me the other day, and the entire time I just wanted her. I still want her, but not only is she his daughter, she has a boyfriend. He’s not really a threat. He’s some college geek, but give me advice, what do you think I should do?”
Ezra was quiet for a little while as if he was shocked at my words, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was. Our parents thought they’d never have but one grandchild because of how bad their sons strayed from commitment, but I was worse than Ezra, I’d always been. Ezra probably hadn’t thought that he’d hear words like this coming from me in a million years.
“I wish that I could give you information to help,” he started. “But there’s not really much that I can say, Klaus. Every situation and person is different. While you think Quinn and my relationship is similar, it’s still not the same, and I can’t give you the steps because, one, I don’t know any, and two, you won’t end up with the same outcome, that I can promise. Not to sound like a chick, but you really have to just do what you feel is right.”
I frowned even though Ezra wouldn’t be able to see it through the phone. I was a little bit frustrated with the advice that he’d given me. “You’re right, man, you do sound like a chick,” I commented. “You’re supposed to be a husband, which means you’re supposed to be wise now, and that’s the best you could give me?”
Ezra laughed. “I wish it was that easy,” he said. “It’d keep me out of the doghouse.”
“Oh, as if you and Quinn ever fight.”
“Not really,” he gave in. “If you like this girl, Ezra, don’t do what I did and just go after her. Don’t let anything hold you back from getting what you want because you’ll regret it in the end, trust me.”
I nodded. “You’re right.”
“The baby’s crying, so I have to go. One more piece of advice. A one-night stand is not the answer.”
The line went dead.
I looked at the phone and thought about the advice that my brother had given me. Most of it seemed like utter bullshit, but if there was one thing that I’d learned, it was that I had to go after what I wanted. And nothing was going to stop me from getting it. Clara may have been my best friend’s daughter, but I was going to find a way to get her into my bed and deal with the consequences later.
My stomach growled, and I was tired of being by myself. I stood up and headed back over to where I’d left Antonio. He was still sitting in the same spot, scrolling through his phone. He took off his shades when he saw me. “Are you ready for dinner?” he asked. “I got Nina and a few other cooks in there barbecuing. What’s a good beach trip without a barbecue?” He winked at me.
“Please don’t ever do that, again.” I shivered. Antonio laughed at me. “But that actually sounds really good. I’m pretty hungry.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
He began packing all of his stuff together, and I did the same thing although I didn’t have much. Afterwards, Antonio sent a quick message on his phone before we headed back to the beach house. Dinner wasn’t quite ready, but it would be soon. I decided that I would shower first anyway to get rid of all the sand and sea water.
I went into my room and undressed while I turned the water on the hottest setting before getting in. After a quick shower and hair rinse, I changed into some casual clothes before making my way downstairs.
Shae and Antonio are seated at the table, but I immediately notice that Brendan and Clara weren’t there. Considering the fact that she’d been so mad at me for being late to dinner, you’d think that she would make sure she was on time.
I chose a seat. “Where are Clara and her boyfriend?” I asked. I didn’t even want to say his name.
“Brendan took her out,” Shae answered.
“Oh.” That pissed me off.
The cooks began to bring out the food, and I had to admit that it smelled amazing. The barbecue looked absolutely mouthwatering, and I was quick to make myself a plate before diving in. If it was even possible, it tasted much better than it looked. It was like a little slice of heaven. I wondered if I’d missed an equally good dinner the night before. I pushed the thought from my head. It didn’t matter.
“Can I ask you for a favor, Klaus?” Antonio asked me. His hands were a bit messy from the barbecue, but it was obvious he was doing his best to keep clean. The task was a bit easier said than done, with the rate that we were going at.
“I don’t know,” I answered him. “It depends on the favor. The last time that you asked me to do a favor for you, I was sure that the cops were going to arrest me.”
“No, it’s nothing like that.” Antonio laughed. “The thing is that Clara is transferring to a new school soon, and we’ve been looking for an apartment but with this market, well, it’s been hard. She doesn’t have much more time before her semester starts, and her school is about three hours away from me. But it’s only half an hour away from you, so if it’s not intruding, I thought that maybe Clara could go to school from your house?”
My eyes widened. “What are you asking me?”
“If it’s okay if she lives with you,” he clarified. “Just for a little bit. We’ll find her somewhere to stay soon.”
My eyes widened, and it was like my dreams were coming true. How did the situation play out so nicely? I wanted a chance to spend time with this girl, and now I was getting that. I nodded my head.
“Yeah, I don’t see how that would be a problem,” I deadpanned, having to keep myself from looking excited.
“Good,” Antonio said. “Thank you, Klaus. It’s such a relief to know that Clara will be moving in with you.”
