Falling for the Billionaire Dad Next Door

Chapter 8 : My Friend’s Dad

*Harper*

I sipped my tea and tried not to stare at Jolee's dad. Tried and failed.

“So it won't be a problem if you stay here for a few weeks this summer?"

I bit back a smile. What Mr. Nosy seemed to be really asking was if I had anyone to miss me back in Culver City, namely a significant other.

Well, my new neighbor wasn't entitled to know stuff like that. I, however, appreciated a good-looking man taking an interest in my life. I almost wished there was more to it than a daughter's friend's interest.

Yeah, right, like I needed my grumpy neighbor to be interested in a fling with an inexperienced kid, young enough to be his daughter.

“No problem at all. I have overprotective parents who probably did a thorough background check on the professor before allowing me to take the job. Other than that, I'm single and ready to mingle." I mentally clapped a hand over my mouth. “You know… with the guys… at the club...."

Why had I said that to begin with? Guys who looked like him would probably take that as a come-on. I hoped I didn't sound too stupid with whatever had come out of my mouth after that.

He stared at me over the rim of his mug. “Good."

I felt my face heat up. I wished the ground would have just opened up and swallowed me. I finished my tea in four quick gulps, ignoring the uncomfortable scalding temperature. I actually preferred my sweet tea with ice, but that hadn't been an option at the moment. I stood up and headed to the sink to rinse my mug. I turned around to find him staring at my butt. He quickly raised his gaze to eye level.

The way he was looking at me caused my stomach to flutter. Maybe it was the hunger, but I wanted to believe it was the admiration that seemed to ooze from his gaze. The guy blew hotter and colder than a spring day. First, he had frozen me out and lectured me at every turn; now he looked decidedly flustered in a very warm way.

“Please tell Jolee I had to run. I forgot the err… the professor has an important package I have to go sign for."

At this point, I needed an exit plan, anything that could remove me from this weird tension that had enveloped us suddenly.

I didn't wait for him to answer. I was going to have to be content with a bowl of microwaved noodles for lunch. Jolee would have to take a rain check.

I quickly walked out of the front door and back to the professor's house. When I got there, Cocoa jumped from the couch and ran to meet me.

“Hey, girlfriend. Did you miss me? Don't worry, I'm here now. Seems like me and you will be having lunch together."

She barked and I giggled. I filled up the automatic dispenser with some pellets.

The doorbell rang, and I ran to the door to answer it. Standing outside was a DoorDash guy with a brown paper back in hand. I smiled. Jolee must have sent my share of the food to me. A text message chimed on my phone, and I read it.

'Sorry I left you to deal with my grumpy old dad. He must have grilled you about last night. Don't worry your pretty head much about him. Enjoy the food, and see you later. Jolee'

I was glad she thought that was the reason I had left abruptly. I walked back into the house, locking the door behind me out of habit.

I sat at the kitchen island and opened the takeout boxes. As I unpacked everything, a fortune cookie fell out and caught my eye. I wasn't one to believe in fortune telling and such, but I was curious to see what the cookie would foretell about my future.

'You will soon get unexpected kisses in unexpected places.'

I read the message, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud. In what universe and when was this ever going to happen? I put the paper aside and started eating my food.

After I was done, I walked to the trash can to throw away the empty boxes. As I did, I looked out of the large kitchen window above the sink.

Jolee's dad was outside working in the garden. He had great pecs and flat abs hugged by a gray T-shirt, his lean legs molded by a pair of faded jeans. He was over six feet, and every muscle was sculpted just right.

In my mind, I thought about talking to him in Jolee's kitchen, imagining his high cheekbones, straight nose, chiseled jaw, and the overall symmetry of his features.

He stopped suddenly to wipe his face with the back of his hand. As he did, he looked toward me; our eyes met for a second before I ducked to the side. How elegant of me. He would just think I was some weird 'peeping Tina.'

I wondered if he would come over to tell me to stop peering over into his yard. But come to think of it, he'd actually started it first when he'd watched me swim the other day. But he hadn't been peeping; he had just come out to yell at me for making noise with my music. What excuse did I have? Well, maybe I could tell him to quiet down his gardening. That would show him.

I wasn't sure I had the nerve to say that if he actually came over, so I decided to go out. If he came over to ask why I was being a nosey brat, he'd find the house empty.

“Cocoa, do you want to go for a walk? Let's both walk off all this food we both stuffed ourselves with."

Cocoa barked, spun around, and wagged her tail excitedly.

“You like walks, don't you?" I laughed as I went to get her leash.

I purposefully walked in the opposite direction from Jolee's house. I had a feeling her dad was still outside; if I walked past her house, and he saw me, he'd end up thinking I was more than a 'peeping Tina,' that maybe I was a stalker.

Cocoa walked ahead, pulling on the leash like a sled dog, although her almost six pounds couldn't budge me. She wagged her tail each time she stopped to sniff the ground or a flower.

Suddenly, as she pulled on the leash, the buckle came off. In a blink of an eye, a cat jumped out of one of the rose bushes and bolted in the direction of Jolee's house.

“Don't you dare, Cocoa," I pleaded. I watched as her ears stood up, and she chased after the cat. It was just my lucky day. How could a simple walk go this terribly wrong?

I knew I had no choice but to chase after Cocoa. I just wished it wasn't in the very direction I was trying to avoid. I tried to sprint so as to catch up with her before she reached their house, but Cocoa was a fast runner, even on her tiny legs. Maybe it was just because she had four, and I had only two.

I slowed down as I neared Jolee's house. I peered out from behind a bush to make sure her dad couldn't see me, and I could see Cocoa standing at the far end of the curb. I sneaked past the house to the corner where Cocoa was.

Cocoa was looking up at a tree and wagging her tail. “Come here," I said in a hushed tone. She ignored me. I moved closer, praying she wouldn't decide to run off again. “What are you looking at, girl?"

Cocoa wagged her tail and barked.

“Shh," I pleaded as I looked at what she was looking at. The cat she had chased was on a branch in the tree.

I decided to move slowly and grab Cocoa. She saw me coming and decided she wasn't going to let me disturb her little cat hunt. She ran around the tree, and I found myself running after her with my hands stretched out, trying to catch her.

“Please, don't do this, bestie. If you come with me right now, I'll give you a treat. What do you think of a nice doggy treat? I'll even give you two if you just come with me."

The cat, probably tired of watching us chase each other, leaped from the tree and ran into Jolee's yard. Cocoa gave chase, and I followed her. We probably looked like a weird circus act.

I watched Cocoa as she jumped the rose bushes in Jolee's yard and ran around them, still trying to catch her. She jumped, and I realized she was trying to avoid a large mud puddle. I slipped on the wet grass and landed face first in the puddle.

I sat up, cursing lightly at how stupid this whole situation was. I could taste the earthy wet flavor in my mouth, and I tried to spit it out. With my hand, I wiped the mud from my pink shirt, but the action only smeared it all over the front of it.

'Why was there mud in their yard?' I wondered. And why had I not brought my hands up to stop my face from taking a muddy dip?

Suddenly a shower of water poured all over me. The sudden, unexpected stream caused me to yelp. D*mn timed sprinklers!

“Are you alright?" a voice asked. I looked up to find Jolee's dad looking down at me. I could tell from the slight curve of his mouth that he was trying his best not to laugh. The sprinklers had stopped, but not before soaking my clothes.

“Yes, Mr.... sir," I said, and again I tried to spit out the horrible earthy taste and water.

He extended his hand, and I took it, then he pulled me to my feet. I stood and tried again to wipe away the mud. I failed, just as much as I was failing to wipe away the humiliation. I could feel the cold water sipping into my underwear and I tensed.

Cocoa decided she had had enough fun for the day and came to jump up my leg.

“Really, now you choose to come to me?" I said with irritation.

“Maybe next time put her on a leash," Jolee's father suggested.

I glared at him. Did he think I took the dog for a walk without a leash? He really thought of me as an irresponsible, silly girl.

“I did have a leash," I argued as I looked around for the leash I'd been holding. I couldn't find it anywhere and thought I might have dropped it during the not-so-gracious chase.

He raised an eyebrow. “Did the leash slip?"

I knew he didn't believe me, but I didn't think I had the strength to argue. With a face and clothes covered in mud, I didn't exactly look like someone was speaking the truth. He'd caught me stealing glances at him, and now he was catching me muddy in his yard.

Could this day get any worse?

“Cocoa was pulling on it, and then the little clippy thing…" I stopped, realizing I sounded as stupid as I looked.

“Maybe next time, tighten the clippy-thing. Make sure it's secure." Again I could tell he was holding back laughter.

“Yes, sir."

“Would you like me to hose you down?"

I groaned. “No, thank you. I'll go take a shower back home."

I bent down to pick up Cocoa and began my walk of shame back to the professor's house. As I took my third step, I slipped and landed on my butt with Cocoa still in my arms.

“Are you sure you're okay?" he called out.

“Yes, sir." I struggled to get back on my feet, and this time I frog-marched back home.

“The name is Oliver Crest, by the way," I heard him shout after me. “Not sir!"

I rolled my eyes and tried to hold my head high as I continued on my journey, the water in my sneakers making an irritating insult-to-injury slapping sound.