My best friend’s Daddy for Christmas

SUE The last thing I expected this Christmas was to be dumped at the airport by my boyfriend after we planned a holiday vacation together in Texas. My vision blurred, my head spinning as I read his message. (Sue, about the trip… I can’t make it. Let’s cancel it, and it’s over between us. I have a fiancée, and I don’t want her finding out about us. Don’t text or call me, she’s here with me. Sorry I never mentioned.) A scoff escaped me, half disbelief, half mocking myself, because seriously? I was just finding out that my boyfriend of one whole year had a fiancée? My head spun so hard that I felt the airport tilt. I had no idea whether to cry, scream, or what the hell to do. Philip and I had planned this Christmas trip for weeks. He paid for my flight. I came to the airport with the biggest smile on my face… only to receive the cruelest message of my life. My hands began shaking, trembling so badly I almost dropped my phone. (Philip, what the heck are you talking about? I’m already at the airport waiting for you. If this is a joke, please stop,) I managed to type. My chest hammered against my ribs as I bit my finger, waiting… praying… for a reply. Another message popped up. (Sue, I told you not to text me!) Before I could respond, his profile photo disappeared,blank. My eyes widened, did Philip just block me! My head was still trying to process the stupid thing going on, like my brain was lagging. The heck. I tried dialing Philip’s line with shaky fingers, but my thumb kept slipping on the screen. Each ring tightened the knot in my stomach… and all I heard was, (The number you dialed isn’t reachable.) no matter how many times I called. So Philip… actually did this. “Shittt,” I breathed out, dragging both hands through my hair hard enough to hurt. My chest felt tight, like someone was sitting on it. Tears stung the back of my eyes, but I clenched my jaw, refusing to let even one drop fall. Crying wouldn’t magically give me somewhere to sleep tonight. What was I even supposed to do now? My breath came out in short, uneven bursts as I looked around the airport, people dragging suitcases, laughing, hugging… Everyone looked like they had somewhere to go. Except me. I couldn’t go back to California, my rent had expired. I had no bucks. Philip was supposed to be my escape for the holidays. And my family? Yeah. No. We’re not going there. My so-called adoptive family was currently in Dubai,they didn't give a damn about me. I didn’t even have the house key and even if I did, not that I could afford a flight back anyway. So yeah. I was stranded. Completely, hopelessly stranded. Just as that reality punched me in the chest again, my phone buzzed. (b***h stay away from my fiancé. You stupid ass i***t . Girls like you are disgusting.) I stared at the message, jaw tightening, my face heating with embarrassment and anger. I didn’t reply. What was the point? I didn’t even know Philip was double dating. Turns out I was a second option. My throat tightened again. Shit. I sat there in the airport for God knows how long. Every minute that passed made the panic crawl up my spine. If I didn’t figure something out soon… I might actually end up sleeping on the streets tonight. My phone rang. Jackie. I let out a long shaky sigh and picked up. “Hey bestie! Have you gotten to Texas now? Are you with Phillip? Gotten your first orgy yet?” she joked. I let out the weakest laugh known to mankind. “It’s crazy, Jackie. I’m stranded at the airport. Philip, that asshole, he was two-timing me. He has a f*****g fiancée.” “What?? Seriously? Men!” she hissed. “He cancelled the trip?” “I’m literally here with nowhere to go. No bucks. And my rent expired.” “Oh my God, Sue, I’m so sorry.” A pause. Then— “Oh wait. Dad just came back to Texas. He’s spending the holidays there. I’ll call him to come pick you up. You can stay at the house.” I froze. Breath caught. My heart did a whole somersault. It’s not the man I’m thinking about… right? No. No. No way. “Jackie, no no. You don’t have to..” “Come on, Sue. You know he won’t mind. I can’t have you stranded while Dad is literally in Texas.” She hung up before I could argue. I pressed my fingers to my temples, heartbeat thudding way too fast. This s**t was getting crazier by the minute. Mr. Julian Reed,my best friend’s dad. The man I had harbored a secret, stupid crush on since I was eighteen. I practically grew up in their house. Jackie and I did everything together. People called us sisters, and maybe that’s why it was so easy to fall for the one man I knew I could never have. A man who treated me like a daughter because mine never cared. Her mom ran away when she was little, so it had always been just the three of us. Mr. Reed, Sue, and me. He was the closest thing I had to a real parent. And the last time I saw him was at my high school graduation four years ago. He hugged me, told me he was proud of me… while I tried not to melt into his chest. If I remembered correctly, Julian Reed was still the kind of man who could make me sweat just by existing, broad shoulders, that annoyingly deep voice, those piercing hazel eyes that looked like they could undress your soul. And now Jackie wanted me to spend the holidays alone in his house? This wasn’t working. At all. It wasn't up to thirty minutes later when I was scrolling through my phone, pretending not to panic, when the air around me shifted. You know that feeling when someone tall, fine, and dangerous-to-your-heart walks into a room? Yeah. That. Something in me just… buzzed. I looked up and froze. Mr. Julian Reed walking toward me. Oh my God. For a second, my brain forgot how to function. My heart literally slammed itself against my ribs like it was trying to escape. He looked… older, obviously, but in that stupidly attractive way. Tall, broad shoulders, a fitted black coat hugging his body like it knew it had no business being that sexy. His hair was a little messy but in a good way. He spotted me before I could look away. Our eyes met. My stomach flipped so hard, I swear I almost dropped dead on the airport floor. He started walking faster, long, confident strides and every step he took made my throat go drier and drier. My palms went sweaty. My breathing? Yeah, it stopped. Completely. This man was supposed to be my best friend’s dad. “ Hey peach, long time.” he said, voice deep, deeper than I remembered and with a wide smile that showed his one sided dimple and my heart melted entirely.