All Chapters of FALLING FOR MY BEST FRIEND'S FATHER : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The coastal highway stretched before them like a ribbon of promise, the Pacific Ocean glittering to their left as Lily's car hugged the curves. Emma pressed her forehead against the passenger window, watching the waves crash against the rocky shore, her stomach tight with anticipation."You're being weird," Lily said, glancing over with a grin. "You've been quiet for like twenty minutes. That's a record for you."Emma forced a laugh, pulling back from the window. "Just excited. It's been forever since we've had a proper vacation.""Two whole weeks of beach, sun, and absolutely no responsibilities." Lily sighed dramatically. "God, we deserve this after surviving senior year."They did deserve it. Graduation had been three weeks ago, and the summer stretched ahead of them like uncharted territory, the last summer before college, before everything changed. Emma had spent the past few weeks working at her mom's café, saving money, and counting down the days until this trip.Until she'd se

Emma woke to sunlight streaming through the gauze curtains, the sound of waves a gentle rhythm beneath the cry of seagulls. For a moment, she forgot where she was, then it all came rushing back. The beach house. Marcus. That moment on the deck when she'd said too much.Maybe I'm not interested in boys my own age.She groaned and pulled the pillow over her face. What had she been thinking? He probably thought she was some silly teenager with a crush. Which, to be fair, she was. But she didn't want him to know that.Her phone showed 8:47 AM. A text from Lily had come in at 2:13 AM: staying at Jake's cousin's place, dad knows, back for lunch tomorrow, sorry!!! love youSo much for midnight curfew. Emma smiled despite herself. At least Lily was having fun.Which meant Emma was alone in the house with Marcus for another day.Her stomach flipped, and anxiety and anticipation tangled together.She showered and dressed carefully, choosing a sundress that was pretty but not trying-too-hard, t

Marcus just turned and looked at Emma and said. “Good night.” He left. Emma was in serious confusion as the night refused to release her from its grip. She went to her room and fell motionless in bed, staring at the ceiling as shadows danced across the plaster. Her mind replayed Marcus's words over and over like a broken record. "I need to tell you something." What could it be? What secret had he been holding back all this time? And why is he behaving like a child, as he doesn't want to tell me now? She turned onto her side, on the bed, punching the pillow in frustration. Sleep felt like a distant dream, something that belonged to people whose lives weren't suddenly wrapped in mystery. The hours crawled by with agonizing slowness. Three o'clock became four. Four became five. By the time the first rays of dawn began to creep through her window, Emma had given up entirely on the idea of rest. She finally dragged herself out of bed around six-thirty, her body heavy with e

"And what did you say?" Emma's voice cut through the quiet like a blade. Marcus turned slowly, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he said nothing, and Emma felt her heart hammering against her ribcage. The silence in Marcus felt heavy, almost suffocating. As Emma's eyes were still staring at him, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her knuckles white from the pressure. However, Marcus, his back turned to her, his shoulders tense beneath his crisp t-shirt. She needed to know. She had to know what he had said to Serah, what lies or truths had passed between them. "I didn't say anything," Marcus finally replied, his voice low and measured. Emma's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean you didn't say anything?" "Exactly what I said." Marcus moved away close to the window, running a hand through his dark hair. "Even though Serah and I are separated, we still talk on the phone. I'm not the reason for our separation, Emma. You need to understand that." The words hit Emma l

The next morning dawned bright and mercilessly clear. Marcus had barely slept, his mind replaying the conversation with Emma over and over. He'd hurt her. He could see it in her eyes, he heard it in her voice. But what choice did he have? Pursuing anything with Emma would destroy everything, his relationship with Lily, Emma's friendship with his daughter, and his own self-respect. It was the right decision. It had to be. He found Lily in the kitchen, making coffee and humming to herself. She looked happier than she had in weeks, her face glowing with contentment. Jake had texted her to find out how she was doing. At least three times, and she'd been floating on cloud nine ever since. "Morning, Dad," she said cheerfully, pouring him a cup. "Sleep okay?" "Fine," Marcus lied, accepting the coffee. "You?" "Amazing." Lily grinned. "I know it's only been a few days, but I really think Jake might be special, you know? He's so sweet and considerate and—" She paused, studying her