short and strapless A-line dress that was gathered at the waist that would have been perfect for the wedding. I finally got the dress over my ass and zipped up. I made finishing touches to my makeup and went to check on my dad.
CHAPTER 2
Dad was clumsily buttoning up the last buttons of his tuxedo shirt. He hadn’t had to dress up so nicely in such a long time, so I could imagine that he was having difficulties remembering how things worked. Or maybe he was just nervous. He looked like he needed help. I walked over and gently took his hands off the shirt.
“Here, let me help you,” I said, fastening the rest of the buttons on the shirt and straightening his bow tie.
He made a fake choking sound, causing me to break into a smile.
“You look so handsome, Dad.”
He really did look good. My dad was one of those men who didn’t seem to age. Even though he was almost fifty, he could have passed for a man in his forties. Heck, I’d even had people think we were lovers when we went out together. Either he looked way too young, or I looked older than my age. Whatever the case, those instances when people asked us if we were together always tickled his fancy and brought the usual answer: “She’s my daughter, and the best girl in my life.” Now that Alyssa was in the picture, I wondered who the best girl in his life was going to be.
“You look gorgeous, Jena,” he said, looking me up and down.
“And ridiculous,” I replied, spreading out my hands to display the dress and bursting out into laughter.
“Alyssa does have her taste in fashion.” He laughed along with me.
“Yes, she has a slightly different taste than me, but she is a great person,” I reassured my dad.
“She really is.”
“I’m so happy for you, Dad. I honestly mean it. Now you can get out of my hair and have your own life,” I said, hitting his chest playfully.
“Doesn’t mean I won’t still ask you about that boy.”
That boy was Josh, a sore topic between us. I had been dating him for over a year, and Dad totally disliked him for reasons I didn’t really care too much to know.
“So, how’s he, Josh, right?”
Dad always referred to him like someone he didn’t know, but that had ceased to annoy me. Instead I found it amusing and played along with Dad by defending Josh. These days, though, I was beginning to question my relationship with him, but I wasn’t going to tell Dad that. At least not today. I knew a break up was in the future for us, but today wasn’t the right time to discuss breakups. I’d save that story for a different time. I could imagine my dad’s elation when I explain that Josh was too conceited for his own good and I was breaking up with him. Maybe I’d save that news as a wedding present to him.
“Josh’s fine. He’s out of town for his senior-year internship, but he sends his love and well wishes. He’s sorry he’s missing the wedding and cruise.”
Dad nodded but made no comment. We both knew that Josh would not have felt comfortable at the wedding; I hadn’t even bothered inviting him to the wedding even though everyone claimed they wanted to meet him. It wasn’t like he was the kind of man I wanted to bring home to my family, so his not coming to the wedding worked out okay. Besides, now I wouldn’t have to explain to everyone who had met him at the wedding that we were no longer together the next time they asked about him.
“Sweetheart, you know I’m not the best person to give relationship advice. But your old man just wants to see you happy.”
“I know, Dad. I am very happy, being here with you and seeing you so in love.”
“I’m very happy. Alyssa is really for keeps.” He gave me a wink.
“Yes, she is Dad. We have to treat her right so she stays,” I joked.
Even though I hadn’t spent too much time with Alyssa, I found her warm and approachable. I knew we’d get along really well. When we had spent together, she treated me like a little sister instead of a child,
CHAPTER 2
Dad was clumsily buttoning up the last buttons of his tuxedo shirt. He hadn’t had to dress up so nicely in such a long time, so I could imagine that he was having difficulties remembering how things worked. Or maybe he was just nervous. He looked like he needed help. I walked over and gently took his hands off the shirt.
“Here, let me help you,” I said, fastening the rest of the buttons on the shirt and straightening his bow tie.
He made a fake choking sound, causing me to break into a smile.
“You look so handsome, Dad.”
He really did look good. My dad was one of those men who didn’t seem to age. Even though he was almost fifty, he could have passed for a man in his forties. Heck, I’d even had people think we were lovers when we went out together. Either he looked way too young, or I looked older than my age. Whatever the case, those instances when people asked us if we were together always tickled his fancy and brought the usual answer: “She’s my daughter, and the best girl in my life.” Now that Alyssa was in the picture, I wondered who the best girl in his life was going to be.
“You look gorgeous, Jena,” he said, looking me up and down.
“And ridiculous,” I replied, spreading out my hands to display the dress and bursting out into laughter.
“Alyssa does have her taste in fashion.” He laughed along with me.
“Yes, she has a slightly different taste than me, but she is a great person,” I reassured my dad.
“She really is.”
“I’m so happy for you, Dad. I honestly mean it. Now you can get out of my hair and have your own life,” I said, hitting his chest playfully.
“Doesn’t mean I won’t still ask you about that boy.”
That boy was Josh, a sore topic between us. I had been dating him for over a year, and Dad totally disliked him for reasons I didn’t really care too much to know.
“So, how’s he, Josh, right?”
Dad always referred to him like someone he didn’t know, but that had ceased to annoy me. Instead I found it amusing and played along with Dad by defending Josh. These days, though, I was beginning to question my relationship with him, but I wasn’t going to tell Dad that. At least not today. I knew a break up was in the future for us, but today wasn’t the right time to discuss breakups. I’d save that story for a different time. I could imagine my dad’s elation when I explain that Josh was too conceited for his own good and I was breaking up with him. Maybe I’d save that news as a wedding present to him.
“Josh’s fine. He’s out of town for his senior-year internship, but he sends his love and well wishes. He’s sorry he’s missing the wedding and cruise.”
Dad nodded but made no comment. We both knew that Josh would not have felt comfortable at the wedding; I hadn’t even bothered inviting him to the wedding even though everyone claimed they wanted to meet him. It wasn’t like he was the kind of man I wanted to bring home to my family, so his not coming to the wedding worked out okay. Besides, now I wouldn’t have to explain to everyone who had met him at the wedding that we were no longer together the next time they asked about him.
“Sweetheart, you know I’m not the best person to give relationship advice. But your old man just wants to see you happy.”
“I know, Dad. I am very happy, being here with you and seeing you so in love.”
“I’m very happy. Alyssa is really for keeps.” He gave me a wink.
“Yes, she is Dad. We have to treat her right so she stays,” I joked.
Even though I hadn’t spent too much time with Alyssa, I found her warm and approachable. I knew we’d get along really well. When we had spent together, she treated me like a little sister instead of a child,
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