My Best Friend's Hot Dad

Elona's POV

The golden rays of the afternoon sun filtered through the tall trees lining the street as I walked down the familiar path to Crislynn's house. Crislynn has been my best friend since we were six years old. We share a street and they were welcoming when my father and I moved here back then. It was a luxurious neighborhood, but the glistening facades of the mansions were nothing compared to the dreams that brewed within us. With my heart racing, I approached the familiar house with its elegant architecture and well-kept garden. I raised my hand to knock on the door, butterflies dancing in my stomach.

The door swung open to reveal Crislynn, her auburn hair falling in waves around her shoulders. Her bright green eyes held a hint of mischief as she grinned at me. "Elona, you are right on time. Come on in!"

We settled down in the kitchen. I sat on the barstool at the kitchen counter while Crislynn poured us some grape juice. We are in our final year of high school. We are yet to embark on a new chapter of our lives next year. "My dad left to attend some meetings so I was bored," I said as she placed the grape juice in front of me. My dad was into real estate, but I am always grateful for the time that he still takes to be with me. We have a great father/daughter relationship that I don't want to ever break.

"I was going through some research on colleges to attend," she said as she placed the juice back into the fridge and then she turned back to me. "It is very difficult to choose which college to apply to. Journalism is my dream and I don't want to leave my father here. I worry about him," she said with a hint of worry.

I felt sorry for her, she was close to her father too. When I moved here, I had the privilege of meeting her mom, Estelle. Crislynn resembled her mother, but she had his piercing blue eyes. Her mother passed away three years ago and it had been difficult for both of them. My mother passed away when I was five years old and at this point, I didn't want to even think about it because I was supposed to be cheering up my best friend.

"I'm sure that he would want you to live your life and have fun." I smiled weakly at her.

"You have seen how he buries himself in work and I would suggest that he starts to date again, but I highly doubt he would," she let out a heavy breath.

"It is his choice after all," I took a sip of my juice. I must admit that I have a tiny crush on Mr. Crane, but not enough for me to want to actually pursue him.

"I guess you are right," she said.

"I have been thinking about something that I might pursue as a possible career choice," I said as I kept my hand on the glass.

"Please, spill it!" she was always so eager to know.

I smiled nervously. "Well, I have been thinking a lot about my future lately. I want to pursue a career in modeling."

Crislynn's eyes widened, a mix of surprise and excitement. "Wow, Elona!" she was taken aback. "You've got the looks and the confidence for it, no doubt. But you are still shy in a way."

I couldn't help but blush at her words. "Thanks, Crislynn. It's just that I have been researching agencies and talking to people, and I really believe I can make it. I will never know if I do not try and maybe that shyness can disappear. I am still thinking about it, but for now, please don't tell anyone until I have made up my mind and have spoken to my father about it."

Crislynn's grin widened. "I promise, I won't tell anyone. I have no doubt that you will be great, Elona. And you will have me cheering you on every step of the way."

"That means a lot and you know that I will do the same for you," I smiled.

"Of course. Now, it is just to get my dad into the dating field again," she said. We heard the front door open and close and I knew who it was. My heart beat wildly in my chest at this sudden feeling of nerves and excitement.

All of a sudden, I tensed when I heard Mr. Crane's voice behind me, "Good afternoon, girls," he said, and Crislynn smiled at him over my shoulder.

"Hi, dad. You are home quite early," she said. Mr. Crane appeared beside me as I caught a glimpse of him. Mr. Crane was undeniably attractive, with sharp features and a charisma that seemed to radiate effortlessly. It was as if he was accustomed to the spotlight, even within the walls of his own home.

"How are you, Elona?" He looked at me with those haunting forest green eyes that haunt me in my dreams at times. I cleared my throat.

"I'm good, Mr. Crane." I smiled and looked down at my juice. I was feeling the heat that creeped up into my cheeks. I never felt this way on this level before.

"That is great to know," he replied and his voice was very velvety. "Have you been researching which college it is that you want to apply to?" he asked Crislynn as he went to the cupboard and he reached to the top to get a glass. I took in his lean muscles through his black Armani three-piece suit. That didn't help me either.

"Yes, I have been looking at it, but we have some homework too. We have an essay to write. Is it okay that Elona can stay over for dinner? Her father is out to attend meetings and it's a Friday night. I can order pizza for us." she said.

When my eyes found Mr. Crane again, he was sipping water from his glass as he watched me intently until he stopped sipping. "That is fine with me, in the meantime, I have some work to catch up on in the study room," he said as he turned around and placed the empty glass in the sink and walked away.

My heart raced, and for the first time, I truly saw him, not just as Crislynn's dad, but as a man. And as his eyes met mine for a fleeting moment, I realized with a jolt that my tiny crush on him was way more than just that.

The sensation was overwhelming, and I couldn't deny the attraction I felt towards Mr. Crane. The way he carried himself, the depth in his voice, and the mesmerizing green eyes made it hard for me to focus on anything else. I couldn't believe I was sitting in his home, about to have dinner with my best friend and her incredibly charming father. My emotions were in turmoil as I contemplated this newfound, and slightly forbidden, crush.

I couldn't help but replay every moment, every word, and every glance we had shared. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and I found myself irresistibly drawn to him, far beyond what I could have ever imagined.

I wondered if he could ever see me as more than just Crislynn's friend. Would he ever notice the way my heart raced when he was near, or the way my cheeks flushed when he spoke to me? My infatuation felt like a secret I carried around, hidden deep within my heart, only occasionally surfacing in stolen glances and bated breaths.

But I knew, deep down, that this crush was an unattainable dream. The age gap, the family dynamics, and the respect I had for Crislynn's father all formed an insurmountable barrier. It was a painful realization, one that often left me in a state of inner turmoil.

I tried to redirect my focus towards other aspects of my life, like my modeling aspirations and our upcoming graduation, but Mr. Crane's presence remained a constant distraction. It was as if he occupied a significant space in my heart, one that was not easily vacated.

Elona's POV

I couldn't get that look out of my head from Mr Crane. That stare was now ingrained in my mind. One that made my heart beat fast, that made me feel more for him, increasing my crush on him. It was bad and I know it is because I am young and I am best friends with his daughter. I know for sure that he feels nothing for me, but that stare was giving me different vibes.

I am staying over for dinner and it would be just the three of us. Maybe I should just go back home after we are done with our homework. Crislynn and I are seated in the lounge, with our English books open. Crislynn and I were seated on the rug that was on the floor. The coffee table was emptied of anything that was on it. So that we could do our homework here. It is always the lounge, kitchen, Crislynn's bedroom, her dad's study room or at my house, where we do homework. She was great at creative writing, so things flowed easily in her mind. But I wasn't creative to that extent. I loved being more practical.

I stared at my blank page, tapping the pen against it. I had no clue what to write about. The instructions were to write a short story of one thousand words. I didn't want it to feel forced. I looked up at Crislynn who was writing away. I let out a heavy sigh and then I looked down at my blank page again.

The only topic to write about is Mr Crane. No one will know, because I can leave his name out. Not even Crislynn would know. This essay is to help with our grades...and then I start to write about him. As I wrote my emotions down on the page, Crislynn was done before me. "I'm done. I wrote about my mother," she said as I looked up at her with sympathy. She was very close to Estelle. She had a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"Writing helps at times," I told her, and then her eyes glazed over.

"Yeah, it's just the first time that I have written about her. Even though I say that I am okay, I keep those feelings inside and I don't even tell my father because I know he misses her and he still grieves her even after three years. Who am I to tell him to date? It is wrong and I will not force him into moving on so fast. He should take his time," she said as she now wiped the lone tear away that ran down her cheek.

"That is why my father hasn't dated in years, because everyone doesn't move on the same. It may take longer for others. Both of our fathers loved and lost their soulmates. I hope one day that we both have that kind of love that they shared with them. A love that is true. It will be okay, but you won't forget her and neither will he," I said.

"Hopefully we can move on from the pain" she smiled. "Anyway, I need to order some pizza," she stood up and she went to the kitchen.

I leaned back against the edge of the sofa, my legs crossed as I still held my pen in my hand. "What is the essay about?" My heart leaped in my chest as I jumped and I looked to my side as Mr Crane walked around the sofa that was behind me. He looked at me, his waist coat and jacket were removed, leaving him in a white shirt with the top unbuttoned. His shirt was tucked inside of his black dress pants.

He looked at me again with those forest green eyes. "Um...we are writing an essay and the topic can be about anything. It gets added to our grades," I replied, trying to be nonchalant.

He now stood close to me, but as I looked up, my gaze was on his crotch. The bulge was big but then I looked away at my essay. "So what topic did you choose?" he asked.

"I chose to write a little story."

"What is it about?" he asked.

"It is about a girl falling in love with someone and how she hopes to be with him someday," I looked at him, well past his bugle this time. He was already looking at me with a smirk. I don't know what it could mean.

"Keep up the good work and then you can succeed at anything," he said, and then he walked around the coffee table. He stood in front of me. I looked at him as his arms were folded over his chest and I looked at what he was staring at.

He was reading Crislynn's essay. My heart beat slowed down this time because this was a sensitive topic...his deceased wife. I looked up at him and he read it. I could see how his facial expression changed. There was pain etched on his face. My heart broke for him and my best friend. His wife died in a tragic car accident. It was a stormy night. She lost control on the slippery road, she crashed into an oncoming car and when Mr Crane got to the scene, she was still alive but she was bleeding to death. She died.

He was devastated at her funeral and everything about it was heartbreaking because this family was built with so much love. I can understand why Mr Crane doesn't want to date. She was the love of his life. I never saw them for three months thereafter, but Crislynn and I would always communicate via text. I wanted to give them the space that they needed to grieve. She would always text me just to tell me that she would hear him sob at night and that made her sad and she didn't know what to do.

As time went on, things became better but not to the extent of fully healing to move on. As I continue to look at Mr Crane, reading Crislynn's essay. I could see the devastation becoming evident on his face. A mask that is slipping off, forgetting that I am here.

"I called the pizza place, I am starving," Mr Crane pulled his attention away from the essay as he stepped to the side, looking at his daughter. He tried to compose himself and to make sure that the mask was back on. He looked at me as Crislynn packed up her things, his pain still etched a bit on his face. He knew that I saw his mask slip away and then he walked into the kitchen without another word.

Elona's POV

I packed up my things because I was done writing the essay. I closed the book that I was writing in and I left it on the coffee table. Crislynn closed her book and then she packed it in her backpack. I was concerned about Mr. Crane because I saw him read Crislynn's essay and there was a shift in him. However, he knew that I saw.

I stood up from the floor and Crislynn was texting someone on her phone. I looked towards the kitchen and I could see Mr. Crane sitting at the dinner table. He was scrolling through his phone, his expression was neutral. I wouldn't be able to keep my composure after feeling sad just reading about someone that I have lost.

I miss my mother but it isn't that much. Sometimes I would shed a tear but I was young when she died. "You can have a seat at the dinner table," Crislynn said.

I was hesitant because Mr. Crane was sitting there and my crush on him had somehow increased. I took in a deep breath as I found the courage to walk over to the kitchen. As I stepped closer, Mr. Crane was heavily into his phone.

As I pulled a chair out across from him, it screeched on the floor and he looked up at me. Those green eyes captivated me, and as I thought that his gaze would hold mine, stopping my heart in the meantime, he lowered his gaze again on his phone and I took a seat.

Now, I was feeling awkward as I clasped my hands on the table with nothing to do and my phone was in my backpack. With relief, Crislynn came into the kitchen. "Dad, table manners," she said.

"I just need to respond to this email and then you will have my full attention." he looked up at me, "Both of you," My heart stopped because his gaze penetrated into me when he said that and then all too soon he was back on his phone. I swallowed but my throat felt like sand paper. I needed some fluids in my system.

"Here you go," Cris placed grape juice in front of me and her father. She went back to get her juice and returned by placing it beside me on the table. The door bell rang, "That must be the delivery guy," she hurried out of the kitchen and then as I took my glass of juice, I saw his phone being placed down and he took his glass too.

I looked up at him and he was already staring at me as we took a sip and then, at the same time, we placed it back on the table. He cleared his throat, "Please, don't say anything to Crislynn about me reading her essay." he said.

"Um," I licked my lips and his gaze lowered to them, following the movement of my tongue. "I promise that I won't tell her anything," I replied, and he looked into my eyes again.

"Thank you," he said as Crislynn stepped into the kitchen with two boxes of pizza. "Dad, I know how much you love pizza, so I ordered two and you must be hungry," she placed the two boxes on the table.

"I'm starving," he said, but his gaze held mine and I didn't know if he was doing that on purpose, but I could be wrong too. He had never looked at me like that before.

"Dad, you need to go out more often and not for work...I mean dating," Crislynn said as she sat down beside me, opening both boxes and the aroma hit my stomach, making it growl.

We began to eat and I tried not to look at Mr. Crane. "My dating life has stopped and if I were to date, then you would know," he replied. I still refused to look up at him.

"How will I know?" she asked.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Don't ask a question on a question, of course I really want to know," Cris pushed further.

"Well..." I looked up at him as he smirked. He held a slice of pizza in his hand because I was curious to know. He was studying the pizza.

"Please, spit it out, dad. We are dying to know," Why the hell did she bring me into it now, because he looked up at me, still smirking.

"You would hear me fuck a woman," I coughed as I choked on my pizza.

"Dad!" I reached for my glass of juice and gulped it down, finally being able to breathe again. I felt Crislynn's hand pat my back. "You see what you just did to Elona?"

"Are you okay?" he asked as I placed my glass down. He was no longer smirking, but concerned.

"Yes, it just went down the wrong pipe," I said, coughing some more before I continued to eat and looked away.

"Well, soon you will be doing it and I might as talk about it." he said and my eyes found his again. He was chewing and I watched his Adam's apple move as he swallowed.

"I doubt Elona will do it soon. She is a fucking saint," I turned my head to her because now she is discussing me.

"Cris, this is about you and your father, not about me," I chuckled, and I could feel the heat creep up my cheeks and they must be red now. Now here is the thing with Mr. Crane and Cris. They talk the way that they want to and I am still respectful to my father. But I loved their kind of relationship too, not that my relationship with dad was any different.

"Soon, Elona will also indulge in sexual things." When I looked at him, he was watching me intently. "She will experiment and she might love some things." it was as if, in this moment, our eye contact pulled me towards him as if it was only the two of us.

"I'm eating dad, next topic," he snapped out of the trance and took a napkin, wiping his hands and his mouth before his phone rang on the table. "Can't we just eat in peace without your work bothering you at dinner time?" Cris asked.

"Sorry, I have to take this," he said as he stood up and walked away.

Cris sighed, "He always does that."

"He is burying himself in work because that is what he knew since your mother..." I stopped myself from saying anything more.

"Its okay, you can talk about her. I know he has buried himself in work since she passed away. It is three years and it is by time that I start hearing him fuck someone, at least then I will know he listened to me and dating someone," her shoulders sagged. As much as I want to be that person that he fucks, I know that it will never happen.

"He will in due time. It's getting late and I need to be home," I said as I stood up, "Thank you for the pizza," I said.

"I love having you around," she said, "Next time, we should camp outside in the backyard before we drift apart next year, going on our next journey in life," she said.

"I will still come over no matter what," I reassured her.

I went to pack up my things and left. Next year, we will be going our separate ways with our chosen fields of study. My heart is sad because I might not be seeing Mr. Crane that much although they live down the street from me. But with Mr. Crane always busy, I'm not so sure. Now and then he would come over to my house to hang out with my dad because they are friends too. So I hope to see him here more often though.