Falling for my best friend's dad

Chapter 4

Cecilia

A startled and silent exhale leaves my lips as I rattle my brain for a greeting, but fail miserably, only to be saved by Beta Elias who is standing beside him.

"Hello, Cecilia. Are you heading somewhere?" He asks in his usual friendly tone, and I smile, easing out of my nervousness.

How come I didn't notice him before? My cheeks grow warm and Rose, my wolf snickers in my head. I don't even feel like scolding her since it's been a long time since she has done this.

"Ah, yes, I am just going to have a dinner date with the girls at one of the pack's restaurants," I answer, ignoring Alpha Aaron's penetrating gaze on my face, which has slowly driven up after caressing my whole outfit or rather my body. The thought sends shivers down my spine, making me more alert than ever.

I need to stop these stupid thoughts.

'I am sure you are at least trying.' Rose snickers again in my head, and I groan.

"If that isn't one happy news. Lucky you. Otherwise, some people don't even get to eat a decent meal thanks to their tyrant boss," Beta Elias says, making it obvious that it's about Alpha Aaron by glancing at him sideways before plastering a smile towards me.

I am about to do the same, answer him with a smile of mine, when Alpha Aaron speaks up, "You aren't a good liar." His deep voice invades my chest, causing me discomfort as I look at him with unmasked surprise, "Pardon?" I ask, but before he can answer, Nora's lively voice fills the corridor we are standing in.

"Cici, you are ready!" She says out loud, and I turn around to find her walking towards me in a wrap dress, looking adorable as always when her eyes widen, and she covers her mouth in surprise.

"You look beautiful, my gosh—Dad? What are you doing here?" She goes from gushing to interrogation in between as she addresses her dad.

It feels a bit weird to call him her dad. Somehow, it makes me uncomfortable.

"Nora, where are you going?" He asks her, his tone slightly clipped.

Is it just me or does he sound angry?

"Dad, we are just going to a restaurant for a fun night out. We had this stressful meeting in the morning, remember? We are going out to relax." She answers, chirpily coming up with the answer we thought of beforehand in case of situations like this.

However, Alpha Aaron's next response tells me that we failed, "I didn't know that we had Paradis Latin in our pack." He says, causing both Nora and my faces to flash with surprise.

"Uh, Dad...that, so---

He cuts her off in the middle, not bothering with her stammering, "I clearly remember telling you that you aren't allowed to go out to the city for some time. It isn't safe out there."

"But dad, my favorite actor, is performing...please. Declan will be with us and even Jax and Hudson are coming along!" Nora pleads, using both Jax and Hudson as bargaining chips whose fighting skills aren't bad.

He frowns, and it's an expression he does when he is caught in difficult situations like right now, "Nora, even if you say it--

"Dad, please. Pretty please." This time Nora cuts him off, and his frown deepens as if he can't stand her pleading like that at all. Something is telling me that it's working, and I wonder why I find him adorable frowning like that amidst all this. Am I the crazy one?

"Fine." He sighs, pinching his forehead, "But, I am coming along."

Right...WHAT!?

"Dad, I am going with my friends. You can't come!" Nora protests, and I silently support her.

However, Alpha Aaron unbuttons the top button of his shirt and fixes Nora with a glare, "Either I come or you stay in the pack, Nora. Besides, I will also be going with my friend."

"Who?"

"Elias. He will come with me, and we won't disturb you guys, so no more arguments now if you want to go." He says with a finality in his tone, and Nora huffs but agrees nonetheless, slightly stomping past him. I quickly follow her, my gaze sliding against him before I tear it away.

We finally arrive at Paradis Latin after driving in the car. A beautiful sunset accompanied us on the way, and now we are standing inside the historical and prestigious building in the foyer where the staff is checking our tickets, that only Nora knows when she arranged them.

The beautiful lady then leads us into the grand cabaret hall, decorated richly with chandeliers, velvet drapes and ornate detailing. Beautiful is a small word to describe it. There is a tiered layout and we are soon guided to our tables. All of us sit on one while Alpha Aaron sits with Beta Elias on another as promised, quite far away from us.

It's supposed to give us a piece of mind that he isn't sitting with us, but I can't seem to have any. We traveled in different cars, and he is really blending in with the audience, but is he really?

'You look like you are sad rather than conscious of him, Cici'

'Rose, will you kindly shut your mouth?' I give her a pointed smile in my head when Nora speaks up.

"I can't believe this. Paradis just seems to get more and more beautiful at every visit. I just can't wait to see my Lucas now!" She gushes while the waiter brings out the dishes. I am looking forward to a three-course French dinner.

My taste buds are singing by the time we reach dessert and I can't have enough of the chocolate mousse. It's swoonworthy. The dinner was amazing, and now, just like Nora and others, I can't wait for the performance to start.

"I am all set to enjoy after the hearty dinner," Hudson comments, and I can't agree more.

Just as he said, the curtains part and the emcee steps up, spreading his liveliness as he introduces the first opening performance, the famous French Cancan dance. Waves of energy buzzes through the crowd at the high-kicking and fun-loving performance.

I am blown away at the cartwheels and the sudden splits kissing the floor. My eyes can't stop looking at the frilly skirts and the hypnotic movements they form when the dancers move.

The sync and the energy are contagious, making all of us clap.

"It is making me itch to try it once," Ella yells in my ear and I don't understand the need to yell so close in my ear despite the loud music, because we have slightly more enhanced hearing than humans thanks to our kin.

I lean away to protect my ears before answering her. However, just as I said, the explosive excitement is everywhere, so I get swept away in it once again until it ends.

Applause is louder than it was during the performance after it ends, and the emcee announces another act which is a contrast to the high energy from before. It's a lyrical dance, and it's admirable how the dancers move seamlessly along the lyrics.

You can't blink your eyes in fear of missing even one second of their beautiful costumes shimmering in the lights. Another great act and loud applause. I thought the crowd was loud until I hear Nora's yelling when the emcee makes a special announcement for the next performance.

He steps forward in his glittering tuxedo, "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight Paradis Latin welcomes a very special guest—straight from Broadway, a poet of love and song. Prepare to see Paris through rose-coloured glasses," He announces, and the music begins.

The opening notes of La Vie en Rose immediately draws me in. Finally, the actor Nora is gaga about steps on the stage, dressed as a poet. They put the backdrop of the Paris skyline at night on the stage. A soft spotlight glowing on the actor.

He is wearing a white open-collared shirt, black suspenders and tailored trousers paired with a red silk scarf at his neck. A single rose tucked into his belt. He is good-looking with his blonde hair styled back and light blue eyes scattering across the stage, searching for someone or perhaps his love as he sings, 'Des yeux qui font baisser les miens. Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche' softly.

He gestures as if searching for love in the city. His performance is captivating, and just then when he sings, 'Quand il me prend dans ses bras', the heroine appears on the stairs, looking ethereal in a flowing satin gown in deep red with sequined bodice, feathered headpiece and opera gloves.

The ensemble dancers, wearing more beautiful costumes like Cancan skirts, corsets, feather boas, and tuxedos with hats, frame her, dancing elegantly as the spotlight widens, and she whimsically swirls around the poet, as the embodiment of the love itself for whom he is singing.

They look at each other and the scene is so dreamy, with the ensemble dancers dancing softly in the background until the music swells, and they come closer at Je vois la vie en rose, and their hands touch, sending soft applause in the crowd, everyone fully immersed in the act.

The song continues, and he goes back to admiring his muse while more ensemble dancers enter the stage, and flow around the poet, singing along with him as chorus.

He sings another set of beautiful lines, and they perform a mirror duet, slow gestures, hand tracing before they walk side by side, singing as the ensemble moves in sync with the song before the tempo increases and Lucas spins the heroine before he lifts her in the air at the 'Je vois la vie en rose' again with the ensemble expanding outward, arms raised, creating a rose bloom visual,

I don't think I can get it out of my head for days. Then, the lights dim down and the music softens. Lucas steps forward towards the audience while singing 'Il est entré dans mon coeur' gently before his eyes locks with mine, surprising me, and he smiles. He has a beautiful smile, but I don't feel my heart flutter.

Instead, I am nervous when he steps off the stage and walks towards me. "I welcome you into my heart, ma belle." He says in his baritone voice, thick with sensuality, holding out the rose tucked into his belt for me.

Excitement runs through the audience and my friend Nora as I accept it under pressure, watching his smile deepen before he straightens up, but in that graceful movement of his, I catch his scent which doesn't feel quite human-like. Is it another one of cabaret's charms or is my nose playing tricks on me?

I wonder when suddenly the heroine gasps dramatically, the ensemble moving in to console her as she feigns being upset with a hand to her chest while the ensemble hands her another rose that she raises towards the audience, spreading love and cheeky humor before she reunites with her poet singing the beautiful end, 'Lalalala, lalalala, La, la, la, la'.

It's a beautiful and happy ending for them, but not for me. The rose weighs tons in my hand as I feel two piercing gazes boring into my back and the other into the side of my face.