Page 3 of Forbidden Fruit (Sweet Treats 7)

Suddenly, the doorbell rings and I hear my dad’s heavy footsteps approaching the foyer. The door opens with a snick and my father speaks.

“Hey,” my dad greets, his voice a bit curt.

“Hello, Mr. Richardson,” Ryder speaks from the first floor. “Is Kristy around?”

That’s my cue. I step out of my room and begin descending the stairs. The show goes as intended, and my dress floats beautifully. Every strand of hair is in place, and my make-up is flawless. Ryder stands stock still in the hallway as his eyes bug out. A bouquet literally drops from his limp fingers onto the floor. Good.

“Wow,” he breathes.

“You like?” I giggle after reaching the first floor. I lean forward to give him a chaste peck on the cheek. “Thank you for the flowers,” I say, nodding to the pink roses on the ground.

Tyler goes red and bends over, scrabbling to pick it up.

“Oh yeah, sorry,” he says, handing them to me. Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a slightly wilted pink corsage too. “Here, let me put this on you,” he says.

I stand there, unmoving, as Ryder’s hands fumble with the delicate flowers at my bosom. My dad’s eyebrows knit together, and his arms are folded over his chest. It only makes my boyfriend more nervous. I don’t blame him because my dad is a huge, burly guy. James has muscles that go on for days, and he’s probably an inch or two taller than Ryder. It’s like looking at the difference between an adult male, and an adolescent who’s still growing.

Nonetheless, Ryder manages to get the corsage pinned above my left breast, and I take his arm gaily while reaching for my purse.

“Bye Daddy,” I say, blowing a kiss to James. My dad cracks a smile for a moment, but then his glare goes back to Ryder again. It’s as if he knows what we have planned for this evening. I told James that the hotel room was for a private party with my friends, but my dad wasn’t born yesterday. He knows that Ryder and I are probably getting up to no good, and he’d be right.

“Bye,” James says in a vaguely threatening voice. “Take good care and stay safe,” he says.

“We will,” I reply while blowing another kiss in his direction. “You don’t need to worry, Daddy!”

With that, Ryder escorts me down the walk to his shiny blue Mustang parked in front of the house. My dad’s still glowering at us from the stoop, but then he goes back into the house and shuts the front door. Ryder helps me into the car, and then slides into the driver’s seat before mopping at his brow with a handkerchief.

“Whew!” he remarks. “Your dad always gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

“Why?” I ask innocently. “It’s not like he greeted you with a shot gun on the front porch.”

“I know,” whines Ryder, starting up the car. “But I always feel like he’s judging me.”

“Of course he is,” I reply. “You’re taking his daughter out on a date. He wants you to treat me well, and so long as you do, James will treat you well too,” I say archly.

Ryder shoots me a side look.

“I always treat you well, Kristy. Besides, things are going to be fun tonight, baby girl,” he says in a silky voice while sliding one hand onto my thigh. “Don’t worry about a thing. Your new daddy will take care of you.”

I fight the urge to laugh because Ryder is nothing like my father. Ryder is a sapling, while James is a sturdy oak. Ryder’s going to community college next year on his parents’ dime, while my dad has been working since he was seventeen. Ryder takes everything in life for granted, while my dad appreciates everything that comes his way.

After all, James hasn’t had an easy life. He met my mom at a party when they were in high school, and they had a fling. Heck, a fling is too generous of a description. He had a one-night stand with her, and she got knocked up. She didn’t want a baby for a variety of reasons, but he convinced her to go through with the pregnancy. That baby was me.

After I was born, my mom dumped me into his arms and ran off to god knows where. We haven’t heard from her since. Plus, it must have been difficult for James as a single dad with a newborn, but he managed. He got a job as a long-haul truck driver, and fortunately, it’s a position that pays good money. When he was away working, he hired the best babysitters and nannies for me. When he was at home, he spent every available moment with me.

As a result, I had a great childhood. I felt loved and cherished, and never thought I was missing something because I didn’t have a mother. But now, to be honest, I’m a little worried about him. I’m graduating from high school, and about to embark on a new life. I’m not sure what’s going to happen in the next few years, but it’s time for me to fly the coop. So what is James going to do? He’s been single for as long as I can remember, and I don’t want him to wither away in our little house. Sure, he’s dated some women here and there, but they never seemed to stick around long. Instead, my father has always been focused on being a good dad, and I appreciate it.

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