Page 13 of Falling for My Best Friend's Dad
“What’s wrong?” he chuckles. “You don’t seem that excited about it.”
“It’s just that… I might need to quit here,” my voice trails off.
Richard doesn’t look that surprised, although his smile fades in an instant. “Of course, I suppose the job will be more demanding.”
“Yeah. It might involve meeting with clients after work, and also business trips out of town.”
He falls silent completely. I hear his uneven breathing. He opens his mouth a few times to speak, but ends up in silence.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I’ll speak to him. I might still be able to work here over the weekends. I don’t think I’ll be on trips that often.”
“No, Kayla,” he says in a controlled voice. “It’s fine. I understand. It’s time for you to focus on building a career.”
I knew he wouldn’t make it difficult for me, even so, hearing him letting me go so easily breaks my heart. I would really want to hear him ask me to stay longer.
“Okay, then,” I say. “I’ll work here for another two weeks.”
He nods with a sigh and without another word.
I say goodbye to him and turn to leave. I haven’t walked two steps when he speaks. “Is it really what you want, Kayla?”
“What?”
“Your day job? Are you happy over there?”
I don’t answer for a second. I can’t tell him the truth. “I’m not sure,” I say.
“You don’t have to take a job just because your boss wants you to. Neither do you have to do it because you spent years working on a degree for that. I was an engineering major back in college, did I ever tell you that?”
I shake my head. “You didn’t. But Ivy mentioned it once. She said you were good at math.”
He laughs “Back then yes. I was an A student. In my senior year, I got a job offer at JPL. Jet Propulsion Lab in Southern California, where the lead characters in Big Bang Theory work. I was promised a six-figure salary.”
He doesn’t have to tell me more. I know the rest of the story. Ivy brags about the romance between her parents more than once. Richard gave up the opportunity and stayed in the Bay Area. He didn’t even find another engineering job. I was impressed by the sacrifice Richard made for love. My dad was the opposite of him. My dad only takes from my mom, never gives, except perhaps their three children.
“Have you ever regretted your choice?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Never. I sometimes wonder how my life would’ve turned out to be if I took that job, but that was it.”
“Thank you for telling me this,” I say, my eyes watering. This is an intimate moment between us. It’s nothing physical, but emotional, and it connects our souls. He’s sharing something personal with me. He’s proud of his own decision, and he wants me to make my choice wisely. I have the impulse to ask him to keep me, but all I do is sniffle.
Richard pulls me to him and hugs me gently. “You’re very welcome, Kayla. I want what’s best for you and I hope you’ll figure out what you want soon.”
I want you.I want to say. But I know better than making a fool of myself. I’ve never thought I had a chance with Richard, and what I saw this afternoon just brought a new obstacle. I should get going and hide my feelings for him like I always do, but he just seems to be so close and reachable at the moment. I wrap my arms around his waist and let my tears spill. His broad, comfortable shoulder seems to invite me for the indulgence. It’s been years since I last cried and it feels good. Since I was in high school, I convinced myself I shouldn’t cry because I was a grownup. And being the eldest child in my family, I don’t have the luxury to let myself go.
After my tears stop flowing, I linger in his warm embrace. I press my ear against his firm chest and listen to his thundering heartbeat. I feel safe and don’t mind being there for the rest of my life.
Richard pulls away. Putting one hand on my shoulder, he tilts my chin up with the other. He brushes my tears with his thumb. “Feel better?”
I nod. “Thanks.”
His thumb caresses my cheeks, my chin, and then my lips. His eyes turn cloudy and his breath thickens. I wait breathlessly for him to kiss me. His grip on my shoulder tightens as if he’s fighting his urge to do what I wish for. It lasts for a painfully long moment and ends with a deep inhale. “Let me know if you change your mind within the next two weeks, because I could use a manager here,” he says, loosening his grip on me.
I’m so disappointed I take a moment to register the meaning of his words. “Manager? But you are the manager.”
“I know,” he says, chuckling. “I think it’s time I retire.”
“No way!” I can’t imagine the restaurant without Richard, or Richard without the restaurant.
