Falling for the Billionaire Dad Next Door

Chapter 7 : Hello, Again

*Oliver*

I hated technology. I hated wasting precious hours updating my blog every day in the name of promotion. Phoebe used to be the one who did that but had just ended up fighting with potential clients. I knew my blog needed updating, but I really needed to work up a sweat. The fact that I had spent half the early hours of the morning checking up on Jolee, who was constantly puking due to her drinking, was pushing me over the edge.

The nonstop telephone calls and faxes that broke my concentration this morning were becoming a bit irritating as well. Maybe it would be wise to get a content creator, solely responsible for this social media promotion side of the business.

If Jolee was responsible enough, she would be the best person to help with updating the company's social media pages. I wondered if my daughter would ever change her irresponsible behavior. It didn't help that her mother spoiled her.

When I walked into the gym, I was glad to find it almost empty. The only people in there were two young guys at the far end of the gym, flexing their biceps in front of their phone cameras. It was amazing how people lived their whole lives in front of the world. I was sure that even if they farted they would post a 'hashtag farted hard' photo.

When I got to the front desk, I was greeted by Sam. He seemed shocked to see me there.

“Mr. Crest, we weren't expecting you today. Your personal trainer isn't in; it's his day off. I could tell him to come at once though," he said as he reached for the phone.

I put my hand up to stop him. “It's alright, Sam. I can do all my sets on my own. I wasn't supposed to come in today, but I need to work out a few knots in my muscles."

He nodded, and I walked to the locker rooms. I threw my gym bag in my locker and headed to the indoor swimming pool area upstairs.

After removing my shirt, I jumped into the pool. The cool water embraced me and cooled my hot flesh. I did a few laps and then got out. I sat by the edge of the pool and wondered if I should go to the sauna room, but I decided against it, and instead, I grabbed my T-shirt and headed back to the locker room. I took a quick hot shower and decided to head home. I had a lot of work waiting for me, and I felt the earlier I got to it, the better. Delaying the inevitable was just stupid.

Swinging my towel over my shoulder, I walked into the house. I felt like one of those macho guys that actually did a huge daily workout down at the gym. I embraced the false air of a healthy guy who valued his workout schedules and was always on the up and up about his physique.

I walked toward the kitchen to grab myself a bottle of water but froze when I got to the door. I wondered if I had accidentally drowned at the gym, and this was an unconscious vision playing out in my head.

The dancing girl from next door was sitting at my kitchen Island listening to something on her air pods. I cleared my throat loudly as I tried to announce my presence subtly. She bopped her head to whatever she was listening to, and I wondered if she would even hear me if I spoke.

As I walked further into the kitchen, she looked up and quickly removed her air pods. “Hello, sir. I hope the music wasn't slipping through the air pods too loudly. I'll turn it down immediately."

Great! She had a sense of humor.

She sounded so young. Too young. She also had a tone, a challenging tone, that I found intriguing.

“No. I could hardly hear what you were listening to, which is great because I enjoy the silence," I said.

She regarded me quietly for a while. “Mr. Uhmm… Jolee's dad, I'm Harper. Pleased to meet you, properly… again?"

Her statement made it sound like she was asking me a question. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to give an answer or not, so I replied, “Nice to meet you, Harper." I wondered if I should have added 'again.' We had met, but not formally. The circumstances that surrounded our past meetings weren't the best.

I shook the hand she offered me automatically as I tried not to stare at the tall, stunning woman in front of me, and failed wretchedly.

I was used to professional, mature women; instead, here I was in my kitchen with a denim-clad-student type with a challenge in her eyes and a cheeky quirk to her full lips. With the face of a naughty devil and the body of an angel, she looked like one thing to me. Trouble.

“Are you alright, sir?"

I silently cursed at my ineptitude, dropped her hand, and quickly stepped away from her.

“I was just thinking of a million things I need to take care of and got distracted," I lied.

“I know what you mean. I do the same thing. One day back in college, I was so busy trying to get a cash flow statement to balance. The toaster had a brawl with a piece of bread that filled the whole room with smoke, and I didn't even notice." She smiled and my heart skipped a beat.

Her face lit up as she looked at me with the type of smile that could sell toothpaste to a dentist. I suddenly felt the need for sweet tea; I needed the sugar rush to counteract whatever was happening to me.

I turned the electric kettle on. “Would you like some sweet tea?"

“Yes, please. If you don't mind."

“How do you like it?"

For one loaded minute our gazes met and locked. Her lips parted a fraction, and I could've sworn the air hissed with static energy as if we had just been through a freak storm.

'How do you like it?' I hadn't meant it as a come-on, far from it, and I didn't like the way she stared at me. It was as if she was assessing me as I grabbed two mugs and all but slammed them on the granite countertop.

“Strong. Hot. Sweet," she replied.

I turned my back to her as I didn't want her to see how her response was making my face twitch. I busied myself with making the tea.

“How many sugars?"

“Four, please."

After I was done, I handed a mug to her.

“Are you related to the professor?" I asked.

“No. I am just house sitting for the summer."

I nodded. So this was why I'd never seen her visiting the professor before. If they were related, I would have probably seen her around once or twice before.

“So you mentioned a cash flow statement. What is it that you're studying?"

She took a small sip from her mug. “I'm majoring in business," she answered plainly.

“Really? That particular field requires lots of concentration and hard work, right? With the clubbing and drinking, don't you find it disruptive?"

She giggled. Was she always this nonchalant and cheery? Clubbing and drinking weren't the best traits in a person who took their future seriously.

“Actually, I've never drank alcohol before, sir."

“So you just happen to always be naturally giddy, like you were last night? I'm trying to get Jolee to stop drinking; she has to focus on her future. You should too. The both of you are too young to be throwing your lives away down a booze bottle like that."

She paused as she ran a finger over the rim of her mug and worried her bottom lip. “Yesterday was my first time going clubbing. Also, it was the first time I had drank like that. I have tasted wine before, but spit it out as I didn't appreciate the taste. I'm on a scholarship, and I'm not one to crap on a rare, golden opportunity to have a great future."

I hadn't expected such a response. Maybe I'd read her wrong.

“What do you plan to do after you graduate?" I asked.

“Well, I would love to be a financial examiner."

I stared at her and couldn't help but admire the determination that was written in her eyes as she said so.

“That's quite ambitious," I said.

She smiled and took another sip of her tea. “You have a great place here," she said.

“Thank you," I said and took a sip out of my own mug. I was finding the overly cheerful and ambitious girl even more exciting now. My interest in everything she seemed to be was only piqued more by the few things she'd divulged about herself. Maybe her enthusiasm could rub off on Jolee, provided Jolee didn't end up rubbing off on her.

The thought of things rubbing off each other was causing my mind to stray off the innocent path.

Her hand lightly touched me, and I almost jumped.

“It looks like you're preoccupied. I am sorry to have taken so much of your time with all my talking. Maybe I should go."

I blinked as I looked deep into her eyes. “No, no. Please stay. I'm sure Jolee is the one who invited you over?"

She nodded. “Yes, she invited me to lunch. We're waiting for some Chinese takeout. She said Chinese food is great for… hangovers."

The last word was said in an almost whisper. I assumed my grilling her about their drinking might have made her a bit self-conscious.

“Speaking of Jolee, where is she?" I asked. I hoped to try and make her feel a bit less guilty about the previous night. Maybe I had overreacted about the whole thing, and I was trying to find ways to make amends.

“She got a call and left to go talk to the person. I'm sure she will be back any minute now," she answered.

The way she said it was as if she was telling me or warning me to do whatever I intended to do before Jolee returned. Or maybe that's just how I wanted to view her answer, which was probably innocent.

“So, will I be seeing you around more often?" I asked, and quickly added, “Since you and Jolee are now friends?"

She smiled sweetly. “I guess so. I hope you don't mind us being friends."

For a minute, I thought she meant me and her being friends, but then realized she was talking about Jolee.

“Of course, not. I do hope you motivate her in other endeavors that aren't drinking and clubbing."

She blushed. “I will definitely try."