AIDAN
The girls spent the afternoon sightseeing and shopping but came back by the evening as promised because I’d told them I would treat them to dinner to celebrate Lila’s new internship. I was proud of my daughter for her accomplishments. The law firm she would be interning for was a prestigious one, and it would definitely beef up her resume. As much as I wanted to celebrate this milestone with her, I was also hoping to calm the waters with Clio.
After they left, I paced in my room, realizing that I had come on pretty strong. I didn’t want Clio to feel like she was trapped here with me. That was the last thing I wanted actually.
Mentally, I scrolled back through the last couple of years. Lila and I spoke on the phone several times a week. I’d heard about her friend Clio countless times. Lila had described her as shy but funny and insanely talented (her words). She’d also told me before she drove down to Malibu that her friend would be coming with her because she’d had a really shitty few months and a nasty breakup. I knew a little something about nasty breakups, and I’d told her at the time that I thought Malibu would be a good idea for her friend. What better way to get over an idiot than by spending a couple of months in the sand and under the sun?
I’d even looked forward to finally meeting the infamous Clio. I heard so many good things about her, including how she nursed Lila through her own heartaches and how she cheered her on during her more difficult exams.
But never in a million years did I suspect that Clio, my nymphette I’d pulled from the sea, would actually be Clio. The first initial thought that had run through my head was a surprising sadness because, obviously, I could not pursue my daughter’s best friend. Lord knew I was not about to become that old cliche. But every second that passed in Clio’s presence led me more and more to the same question? Would it be so bad if I still pursued her?
Situations like this one weren’t black and white. There were other things to consider…like the fact that I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Plus, it didn’t help that now I knew for certain that Clio…Clio…had to be a decent person because Lila had always been a great judge of character. I trusted my daughter’s instincts.
“Calm down, Aidan,” I told myself. I was acting like a teenager for God’s sake. I sucked in a deep breath. I was trying too hard to figure out everything ahead of time. It was a hazard of my job, constantly feeling like I needed to strategize, but it wasn’t some contract dispute or some other legal fiasco…this was my daughter…and her best friend. Damn, Aidan, you know how to pick them.
If this summer was going to go smoothly, then everybody needed to relax, especially me. I’d take the girls out to dinner and just try to have a nice, normal meal…and try not to think about how Clio had felt squeezing around my fingers. Fuck, I was in trouble.
***
The place was buzzing, but thanks to my connections, the three of us had procured a relatively private table. This place was supposed to have the best seafood in town, and I wanted to spare no expense to celebrate Lila and this momentous opportunity.
Lila, as usual, was talking a mile a minute, asking me questions about the dos and don’ts in a law office. Most of them, she knew already, but I could tell she was nervous about starting the next day. Clio, for her part, stayed fairly quiet, directing all of her comments toward Lila. I couldn’t blame her really, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was because I’d made her that uncomfortable or if she was avoiding looking or talking to me because she felt the same, carnal pull I did-hell, maybe it was a combination of the two.
We were only twenty minutes into the dinner when Lila got another phone call from the law office wanting to go over a quick itinerary for the next day. She slid out of the booth and toward the front patio of the restaurant so she could hear, leaving me and Clio alone once again. I decided I was not going to let that uncomfortable silence fall over us, so as soon as Lila was out of sight, I faced Clio. “Clio, look, I just wanted to let you know that I had no intention of making you feel uncomfortable earlier. I know you’re worried about Lila finding out about what happened, but you got to know she’s not going to hear it from me.”
I saw her shoulders sag in relief, her voice was quiet and tense when she answered, “Aidan, this morning was-”
“Amazing,” I finished for her. I may be settled on not pushing her, but I still was not going to let her just sweep it under the rug.
She blushed and admitted, “Yes, it was.” She cleared her throat nervously, then continued, “But Lila is my best friend, and I love her. I know you can understand that. She’s always talking about what a great dad she has. I know all too well what it’s like to feel hurt and embarrassed by someone you thought you knew, and I’d die before I’d make her feel like that.”
Damn. I sat thoughtfully for a long moment. Finally, after a long sigh, I said, “Well, I see my daughter was not exaggerating when she told me how caring her friend was. And you’re right, I’d cut off my right arm before I’d willingly hurt my daughter.” I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Look, uh, the last thing I want to do is pressure you, I just know when I’ve found something good, and Clio?”
“Yes?”