My Best Friend's Dad

Gallery Night

Elona's POV

It was the night of the exhibition that my father and I had to attend. This is something that I am eager to be part of because it is my mother's sketches. I want to see them again, but it is a distant memory of her painting. Tristan didn't get to spend the evening with me because Cris decided to sleep over by me. The only issue was, Tristan forgot his jacket in my bathroom when she had to use my bathroom.

I lied and said that it was my father's. I took the jacket and quickly hid it away in my closet. That was another scare of almost getting caught. I thought that my heart would beat out of my chest, thinking that she had figured it out with his jacket. I think that she was being suspicious about it.

As my father and I entered the gallery, it was packed. I wore a black dress which was glittery at the bodice, and it flared out from my waist, the length barely hitting the ground. My hair was in Hollywood waves and draped over one shoulder. The top part of my dress and one strap, while my other shoulder was bare and I held a black clutch bag.

"I see her paintings," my father said.

"I'm eager to see them," I replied. I followed my father through the crowd until we got to the section where my mother's paintings hung. She was such a brilliant painter. That dolphin painting that I remember like it was yesterday was hanging up there. It was my favorite. As I remember my mother in my thoughts, tears stung the back of my eyes. I miss her. Although I was little when she passed away due to an illness, I still remember her in certain things.

"Are you okay?" my dad asked.

"Yeah, just thinking about mom," I replied.

"Me too," he looked back at the paintings. I took in all of them. My father was awfully quiet, she was the love of his life. That is another reason why he hasn't moved on, but he does go out and have fun, as he says. My father is a handsome man and any woman would want him too, but I guess he isn't ready for any commitments either, as Tristan had been before me.

"I'm glad to see you both are here," I turned to see Tristan smiling at us. He looked dashing in his tuxedo. "These are the paintings your father gave us permission to display and sell," he said as he looked at the dolphin painting behind me, before his gaze fell on me.

"We couldn't miss this. Thank you for doing this, Tristan," my dad said.

"This needed the recognition that it deserves," Tristan shoved his hands in his pants pockets and I scanned the crowd behind him.

"Where is Cris? She said that she would be here." She didn't even text me today. She only let me know last night that she would be here.

"She is hanging out with Spooky at the house." his smile was forced, and I guess Spooky needs time away from people with whatever is going on with him.

"I will get some Champagne, would you like one?" dad asked me. I was taken aback.

"You never allow me to drink," I said.

"Well, you are eighteen after all, and you already had alcohol," he meant that night at the club.

"No, thanks," I replied and then my father disappeared in the crowd, leaving Tristan with me.

He looked at me with hunger as he took in my appearance. "You look f^cking hot. I can just rip that off you,"

I chuckled, "Well, you better not make it obvious because Cris is already one person who is clever. Thanks to your jacket in my bathroom, I had to lie that it was my father's."

"I forgot that I left it there. I didn't expect Cris to show up and spend the night with you. That was a huge disappointment for me." he let out a sigh.

"Don't worry, we have plenty of time together. Your jacket is safe in my closet," I replied.

He took one hand out of his pocket and he held out his hand towards me. "Give me your hand," he said softly. I did as he said, and he placed a card in mine. "Go to the hotel after this. I will meet you there tonight. Tell your father that you are going to be somewhere with Dakota Agency." his gaze held mine and I wanted him. My core throbbed with need. I bit my bottom lip, his gaze falling on it. "If you keep on biting that lip, I will bite it for you in front of everyone. That is how crazy you are driving me and I can't get enough of you," he rasped.

"I'm back. Look who came here," Tristan composed himself as my gaze shifted to no other than Maggie, who was smirking.

"Hi, Handsome," she greeted Tristan.

"What the f^ck are you doing here? This is by invitation only," he hissed at her.

"Tristan, give this lady a break. All you ever do is push her away when she wants you. Give her a chance, but that is no way to speak to a lady." my dad intervened.

I just couldn't stand to see her. "I will be going to the ladies' room," I excused myself, and Tristan looked at me apologetically.

When I entered the ladies' bathroom, I stood in front of the mirror, looking at myself. Sighing, I opened my clutch bag to take out my lip gloss, which was pink. The door creaked open and closed with a click.

"You are looking so radiant this evening," I looked at Maggie in the mirror as she started to powder her nose. Ugh.

"Thanks," is all that I said.

"I don't know why he is acting like sh^t tonight. Does he have another woman that I don't know about?" she turned to me.

"Um, I don't know," I shrugged. I don't even know what to say, since we are a secret.

"Have you seen him with another woman?" she asked, her brows furrowing. Well, she cannot know that we are dating, so I lied.

"No, he doesn't have a girlfriend or a woman that I know of," I lied.

"Great," she was so happy as she turned back to the mirror. I placed my lip gloss inside my clutch bag. "He was with me two nights ago. Perhaps the type of environment that he is in or the people that he is around makes him act like a jerk. Do not let a man string you along and talk sh^t to you in front of people, because that is not a man." she warned me and left. Then why do you want him, Maggie? I thought.

My heart had stopped when she said that Tristan had been with her two nights ago, and that was when Cris came over unexpectedly. I assumed he was back at home. You are a fool, Elona. He went somewhere because he lied to Cris that he would be out thinking that she would be back at home and sneak back to be with me, but that didn't happen, since Cris made herself comfortable in my house for the remainder of that night.

So, where did they meet each other that night? Was it at the bar? I don't even want to think about whether anything has happened, because my overthinking is kicking in and adding anger to it with possible hurt. But I needed to get to the bottom of this before I jump to any conclusions. I took a deep breath to get it together, to face the crowd out there, but I know that I will see them out there too. I really needed to talk to him. But that would only happen at the hotel, so I texted my dad.

Me: Dad, I forgot to inform you that I will be going somewhere with Dakota Agency for the rest of the night. Don't wait up for me.

My phone chimed immediately. It was my dad.

Dad: Be safe. I love you.

I left the bathroom and walked through the crowd, I was scanning through them to see where Tristan was. I saw him standing at the bar with my dad and Maggie. He was still looking p^ssed off. I don't even know if what she said was true. But I needed to know from him too.