My Father's Best Friend(12)

"I wanted to wait. To propose to you the right way, making it special. But as usual, you're impossible to resist."

"I'm glad." I rose up on my tiptoes to give him a kiss. "Because if the  doctor walks through that door and tells me I'm pregnant, I would have  wondered if that's why you proposed to me."

"It looks like I have perfect timing," a feminine voice full of laughter  interrupted. We both turned to find a woman standing at the door,  dressed in a white lab coat with Dr. Reynolds stitched above the upper  left pocket. "Congratulations on your engagement. And your pregnancy."

I barely registered anything else she told me during the appointment. I  wasn't too concerned, though, because Ethan took notes. He also asked  questions, really embarrassing ones about our sex life too. When we made  it to his house a couple of hours later, after stopping to pick up more  pregnancy books on the way, I was exhausted. I hardly noticed the  grandeur of his home, heading straight back to the master bedroom for a  nap.

My head was still fuzzy a couple hours later when I woke up. After going  to the bathroom and washing my face, I tossed on my robe and went in  search of Ethan. The house was huge, and I poked my head into no less  than ten rooms by the time I made my way into the living room.

"This isn't a house, it's a freaking mansion," I mumbled to myself, just as the doorbell rang.

In hindsight, I only had my tiredness to blame for what I did next.  Wandering towards the foyer, I pulled open the door without looking  through the peephole to see who it was.

"Lilah?"

"Uh, hi, Dad," I replied lamely.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his eyes dropping to my short, pink  robe. They snagged on my left hand, and the ring I wore there, before  moving back up to my face and taking in my sleepy eyes and mussed hair.  His face heated, and his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Fuck," Ethan groaned from behind me, right before his hand slid to my lower back and I felt the heat of his body against mine.

"Ethan," my father growled. "What the fuck is my little girl doing here  and dressed like that?" He was shouting by the time he finished.

"I can explain. And I will. But first,"-he tugged me further inside the  house, glaring at my bare legs-"Lilah is going to promise me she will  never, ever answer the door dressed like this again."

Awesome, both of the most important men in my life were pissed.





Chapter 11


Ethan


You would think my heart would have frozen at the sight of my best  friend seeing his daughter at my house in nothing but a tiny robe. But,  no. My heart stopped at the fact that my woman was standing in front of  another person in a tiny, fucking pink robe!

I turned her around and urged her back towards our bedroom. "Go change,  baby girl. I need to talk to your dad." I deliberately ignored Samuel,  who was sputtering on the front porch.         

     



 

Lilah resisted the movement a little, looking at me over her shoulder with a stubborn glint in her eye. "But I-"

"Clothes first, Lilah," I interrupted her argument, infusing my tone  with steel. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, but flipped her  head around and marched away.

"Ethan!" Samuel roared as he barreled inside. I stepped out of the way  before he crashed into me. There was murder in his eyes, and I could  practically see the steam blowing from his ears.

I gestured down the entry hallway to where my den was located,  indicating he should go first. He glared as he stomped past me and I  trailed after him. I was willing to admit it, I felt somewhat nervous,  but I would be unbending in my resolve to keep Lilah.

We'd barely crossed the threshold before Samuel spun around and started  shouting. "You bastard! Of all people, I would never have suspected this  from you." His chest was heaving and his face had become splotchy and  red, but his voice lowered slightly. "She's my little girl and what  she's gone through . . . You took advantage of a grieving child, Ethan,"  he said sadly.

I had intended to let him say his piece, to hear him out before  reasoning with him. I felt I owed him that. But, I couldn't keep quiet  when he spewed an accusation like that.

"She's a grown woman, Samuel. And, I've never looked at her and seen  anything but that. You need to get that through your head and stop  seeing her as a kid. I know you lost out on her childhood, but it's gone  and the best thing for all of us is to look to the future."

"A future with you?" he spat. "You're seventeen fucking years older than her! She isn't ready for the life you want."

"I think that should be my decision, don't you?" Lilah stood calmly in the doorway, thankfully dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.

"Sweetheart, you're too young to be getting married and settling down,"  he pleaded. Then he threw me a disgusted scowl. "You should be going to  college, dating, at least being with someone your own age."

A growl rumbled in my chest when he talked about her dating. "Over my dead body."

"Dad, you need to listen to me," Lilah said gently, walking over to  Samuel and taking his hand. "We haven't had much time to really get to  know each other, but I need you to trust that I am old enough to know  what I want. College was never something I aspired to. I want a home and  a family, and while there are other things I'll pursue, they will  always be my top priority."

"Lilah," he sighed. "At least come home with me and take some time to think things over."

"My fiancée and baby," I stressed, as I walked up behind her, "aren't going anywhere."

Lilah whirled in my direction. "I wasn't ready to tell him that, Ethan!"  she snapped. I just shrugged. I was tired of hiding things, and I'd  only spoke the truth.

"You're pregnant?" Samuel breathed in shock.

She turned back and shuffled her feet awkwardly. "Um, a little bit,  yeah," she said tentatively. I snorted and rolled my eyes. "Right, like  being a little bit dead." For my comment, I received a sharp elbow jab  in my ribs.

Samuel's gaze was bouncing back and forth between Lilah and I. Finally,  his shoulders slumped and he took both of Lilah's hands in his. "I want  you to be happy, sweetheart. I don't agree with your choice, but I'm  here for you no matter what." Eyes dropping to her stomach, his face  softened. "And, my grand-baby."

He let go of her and pointed a finger directly at me. "You and I are  done. But if you put one toe out of line, if I feel for even one second  that you aren't treating her right, there is nowhere you can hide that I  won't find you and put your ass in the ground. Got it?"

I nodded, slipped an arm around Lilah's waist, and pulled her into my  side. I knew there was nothing I could say at the moment that would make  a difference. This hadn't gone as I'd wanted, but there was a spark of  hope that he would come around and we could salvage our friendship.

"Dad-" Lilah started as tears spilled from her eyes, but he held up a hand to stop her.

He leaned in and kissed her cheek, before stepping back and away from  us. "Come and see me soon, sweetheart. I love you." Looking at me once  more, he lifted his chin, indicating he wanted a private moment in the  hall.

I kissed Lilah on the top of her head and whispered, "Give us just a  minute, baby girl." Samuel's face reddened at the use of my nickname for  her and he streamed out into the hall. Yeah, that might not have been  the best time to use it. Again, though, I was done tiptoeing around my  relationship with Lilah.         

     



 

"Why?" Lilah asked suspiciously. "I don't want you two to fight anymore."

"We won't, Lilah. It's business related." I kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose. "Why don't you go and get a snack?"

"Promise you won't fight," she demanded.

I laughed and her brows furrowed, clearly miffed at my amusement.  "You're so fucking adorable when you try to order me around, baby girl."  She grumbled something under her breath, making me smile even wider. "I  promise." My agreement cooled her ire, and she nodded before traipsing  off to the kitchen.

I joined Samuel in the hall where he was pacing. He stopped when he saw  me and folded his arms over his chest, staring at me darkly. "I actually  stopped by to tell you that Marcus will be here tomorrow. I'd called  him about changing my will the day after Lilah arrived anyway, so I  simply told him there was an urgency that I'd explain when he arrived. I  know you've been digging into him, so bring anything you've found to  the meeting."

I mirrored his stance, though I kept my expression neutral. "Text me the time and place."

Samuel nodded and headed for the front door. I held it open silently,  watching him step outside and wishing there was something I could  say-wait. There was something. "Samuel." He paused. "I love her. She's  my Bonnie."