Elona’s POV
Tristan pulled up in front of my house, my dad’s car was in the driveway. The ride to my house was silent, and I knew it was due to what Tristan had been going through recently. I was going to let him go through the motions and I would just be here supporting him.
“Hey,” he reached out to me, his hand on my thigh before I could reach for the car door handle. I looked at him. He gave me a small smile of admiration. “You are beautiful, and I am proud of you,” he said as he leaned in, placing a chaste kiss against my lips, and then he pulled away, “I will be going to work for the remainder of the day, I will text you when I can,” he said. I know he will be burying himself in his work.
“I will look forward to that text. I am always a text away when you need me, whether that is to talk about anything.” I gave him a reassuring smile.
“Thanks. I love you.”
“I love you too,” I said, and then I got out of the car and walked down the driveway.
Tristan had left and when I opened the front door, walked further inside, and kicked the door closed. I found my dad sitting in the kitchen by the counter. He was scrolling through his phone. He was still dressed in his suit. I sat on the bar stool beside him. His attention was still on his phone, nothing got his attention easily in this moment, and I just watched him. I could see that he was tired, and I remember we had hardly got to speak since the gallery night.
“How was school and the photo shoot?” he asked as he finally looked up at me.
“It was great, I was taken care of and being looked after” I smiled.
“Tristan treating you well?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m grateful for his support and for accompanying me to where I need to be,” I responded.
“I like to hear that. He has always been a great friend. There were a lot of buyers for your mother’s painting. They are all sold,” he gave me a small smile.
“That’s amazing.”
“All thanks to Tristan for doing this special exhibition,” he was still not quite himself.
“Are you okay?” I asked, concerned.
“Yeah,” he scrubbed his face with his hand, “I’m just tired.”
“Work or is it Maggie?” I asked. I wanted to know where he was standing with Maggie.
“Work is rough, and I haven’t seen Maggie since that night she got sick at the exhibition. I don’t know what was wrong with her, but she told me that it was something that she ate.”
“I think it’s best that you stay away from her. I know that Tristan is staying away from her because he doesn’t trust her. She has been around the block before or many times, I guess. I don’t even trust her around you, Dad. I know that you like to have fun, but let it not be with her. I feel like she is in it for the money, she sees some rich dudes in a bar, and then she is your friend. I guess that is how she is trying to wrap you both around her fingers.”
“Elona, she is only a friend, she hasn’t asked for money or anything. She really likes Tristan… and since when are you calling him Tristan?” he asked, brows furrowing. Shit. “You always call him Uncle Tristan if not Mr Crane. I taught you better than that young lady.”
“Well, he told me to drop the Mr and Uncle part. He doesn’t want to be reminded that he is getting older,” I lied.
He let out a laugh, “That will be Tristan.” I’m glad he bought that lie. He looked down at his phone again as if something was weighing down on him. “There is someone that I like, and I don’t know if I will ever have her.” He didn’t look up at me.
“Who is it?” I asked. If it was not Maggie, then it would be great to finally see my father settle down too.
“I… she is too far out of my league, she will be attending college in the new year. I don’t think she even sees me in that way,” he finally looked up at me. I furrowed my brows, I was just caught off guard that my father likes someone who is technically my age or older? “Don’t worry about it, I just wanted you to know that Maggie is not that person that I like,” he gave me a small smile. I just didn’t know what to say about it.
“Well, I do wish you all the best if you try to pursue her.” All I can do is support my father, besides, I am dating his friend, so that makes it worse.
“Thanks,” he smiled as he got off the bar stool. “I think that I won’t get to have her, I don’t want to ruin anything. I will be in the study room if you are looking for me,” he said, and he walked out of the kitchen.
I still can’t believe that my father is into someone far younger than him. But who wouldn’t want my dad? He has good looks too, so whoever she is… I hope that she will treat him right and for the right reasons…. if she reciprocates her feelings.
There was a knock on the door, that might just be Cris or Spooky or both of them. I got off the bar stool and went to the front door. When I opened the door, I didn’t expect her to be here. “What are you doing here?” I asked with irritation.
“I’m here for your dad,” Maggie replied. She seemed fine to me.
“My father is busy, and he is not interested in you anymore. He is with someone else. I suggest that you leave him alone. Find someone that will love you for the woman that you are, and that is not Tristan either, he has his preferences.” I said.
“Well, I know that Tristan has his eyes on someone very close, and I will not be spoken to in that way. I am older than you,” she stepped closer.
“Tristan can be with whomever he wants, if you don’t get that into your head and to leave us all alone, then I will have to take things further with you,” I warned her.
She scoffed, “Sounds like something that Tristan would say. I’m not surprised if his ways rubbed off on you, who spends so much time with him.”
“Are you stalking all of us now?”
“Little girl, listen here. I have eyes and, unfortunately, you are too young for him. So, cut the act with me.”
“You must be seeing things, he has someone in his life-”
“Oh, I thought that he didn’t have a girlfriend, according to you, so who is lying here?”
“He told me after that because I didn’t know,” I lied.
“Well, I am not leaving them alone, so bring your worst,” she warned.
“Oh, I will do just that, now get the fuck away from here,” I slammed the door in her face.
Gosh, that woman is a leech that will not leave us all alone. I hope that something gets done to her because this is insane and she sure as hell doesn’t take no for an answer. She will just be back. I know that Tristan regrets his one-night stand with her. I don’t blame him, he wanted to forget about me, but that didn’t help, and he didn’t know that Maggie was the kind of woman who wouldn’t let go. Something needs to be done with her because this is insane.