All Chapters of FALLING FOR MY BEST FRIEND'S FATHER : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Emma settled back into her chair, tucking her legs underneath her. "Okay. Let's see. I love old movies, the black and white kind, where everyone talks fast and wears amazing clothes. I dream about traveling, seeing the world, and maybe living in Paris for a year or two. And what keeps me up at night?" She paused, her eyes finding his. "Lately? You."Marcus's throat went dry. "Emma—""Your turn," she said quickly, not letting him retreat. "What do you love? What do you dream about?"Marcus took a long drink of wine, buying time. "I love the ocean. Early mornings when no one else is awake. I love watching Lily grow into herself, even when it terrifies me. As for dreams..." He shrugged. "I stopped dreaming a long time ago.""That's sad," Emma said softly."That's reality," Marcus countered. "When you get to my age—""You're not old, Marcus," Emma interrupted. "Stop using your age as a shield.""I'm forty-five years old," Marcus said firmly. "I have a daughter your age. Those aren't shiel

However, Sarah looked stunning as always, with perfectly styled blonde hair, designer jeans that hugged her curves, and a silk blouse that probably cost more than Emma's entire wardrobe.Sarah's eyes landed on Marcus first, and her face lit up with a brilliant smile. "There you are! I knocked but nobody answered, so I just—" She paused mid-sentence when she noticed Emma sitting on the couch. "Oh. You have company."Marcus's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "Sarah. What are you doing here?""I was in the neighborhood," Sarah said breezily, walking further into the room. Her eyes flickered to Emma briefly before returning to Marcus. "Thought I'd drop by and see how you're doing."Emma felt her chest constrict as Sarah moved closer to Marcus, reaching out to touch his arm in that casual, familiar way that spoke of shared history. The same way Emma herself had touched him just days ago."I'm fine," Marcus said, his tone clipped. He didn't pull away from Sarah's touch, and that small d

She had spent the entire night tossing and turning, replaying every moment of Sarah's visit. The way Sarah had touched Marcus. The way he had stood there, silent. The way he'd said "probably not" instead of "no" to that damn dinner invitation.Emma pushed off from the door and walked through the quiet house. Everything reminded her of Marcus. The couch where they'd sat together. The kitchen where he'd made her coffee. Even the air seemed to carry traces of his cologne.She couldn't stay here. Not right now.Grabbing a thick blanket from the hallway closet, Emma slipped out the back door and made her way down to the beach. The sand was cool beneath her bare feet, and the sound of the waves was the only thing that seemed capable of drowning out the noise in her head.She found a spot away from the main path, spread out the blanket, and lay down, pulling the edges around herself like a cocoon. The sky was painted in shades of pink and orange, beautiful and indifferent to her pain.Emma c

*Sarah, I'm sorry but I won't be able to make dinner. Something's come up at home. I need to handle it.*He hit send before he could change his mind. The whoosh of the message felt like jumping off a cliff—terrifying and irreversible.Marcus stared at the screen, watching the message turn to "delivered," then "read." Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.*Everything okay? We can reschedule if you need.*He typed back quickly: *I appreciate it, but I think I need some time to figure things out. You deserve someone who's all in, and I'm not sure I can be that right now.*Another whoosh. Another point of no return.Marcus stood, his heart hammering against his ribs. "What are you doing?" he asked himself again. "She could rebuild you, or she could destroy you. Maybe both."In the evening, the air was cool against Marcus's skin as he sat on the back patio, a carefully curated playlist humming softly from the outdoor speakers. He'd set up everything with shaking hands—the small

They sprang apart as Marcus's security man stood in the doorway, soaking wet and furious. “Sir” He got distracted by his presence.Marcus became angry with him.”What's the problem with you?” Marcus yelled, their eyes blazing as he looked between them. "We need to talk. Marcus stared at him as he walked out and followed the security immediately.Early in the morning, Emma seems to be getting Marcus's attention.The silence in Marcus's apartment was deafening.Emma stood by the window, watching the city lights blur through the glass. She shouldn't be here. She knew that. But when Marcus had texted her at midnight asking if they could talk, she hadn't been able to say no.She never could say no to him."I made coffee," Marcus said from behind her, his voice rough and uncertain.Emma turned to find him standing in the doorway, two mugs in his hands. He looked tired. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his hair stuck up in different directions as if he'd been running his hands through it a