One night stand with my daddy's best friend
95

Dane

The only thing worse than getting through the workday avoiding Bridget on Monday, was having dinner with my parents, Anne, Bran Erickson and his sister Harper. The dinner weighed heavily on me all day, which was why I didn't hunt Bridget down to finish our conversation. Then again, what could I say that hadn't already been said?

As much as I'd have liked to continue our relationship, it was doomed the moment I learned Troy was her father. She knew that. Of course, it didn't stop the erotic dreams or the longing to see her, both of which still happened and I felt guilty for it.

I managed to get through the day, and now I sat at my parents' dinner table with Anne next to me, per my mother's insistence, and Bran and Harper across from us. My parents sat at either end. My mother looked smug as she smiled over at me and Anne. My father held his usual scowl, although he looked pale and tired, which made me wonder about his recovery.

"I hope the wine is to your liking," my mother said, her attention on Anne. "I know your father is quite the wine connoisseur and I imagine he passed that on to you."

Anne smiled politely. "The wine is lovely. You'll have to tell me what it is, and I can tell my father."

My father wasn't interested in small talk about wine. He took over the conversation with, "I know that our deal stalled a bit since my heart attack, and it's been a bit bumpy since Dane is rusty in business having spent the last twenty years playing soldier instead of negotiating deals."

I kept my face impassive as my father tossed me under the bus.

Anne put her hand on my thigh. I looked at her, and her expression was supportive. She knew my father was being an ass. While I appreciated her support, I didn't want her hand on me.

"You were a SEAL, right?" Harper asked. I nodded.

"There's no playing soldier as a SEAL. You were defending our country.

Thank you for your service." Bran rolled his eyes.

Anne's fingers tightened painfully on my thigh. When I glanced at her, she was staring daggers at Harper.

My father cleared his throat. "The point is, we need to get this deal back on track. I know we can replace common ground, Bran."

Bran nodded. "I'm eager to see what we can come up with."

"Let's not have business talk at the dinner table," my mother said. "Anne, what have you been up to lately?"

Next to me Anne flinched.

"The whole reason we're having this dinner is to straighten out the business deal that Dane hadn't been able to close," my father groused.

My mother sighed. "Yes, but can't you do that after dinner? I'm sure Anne and Harper aren't interested in your business dealings."

"If it's important to Dane, then of course it's okay with me," Anne said, surprising me. I figured she'd be on my mother's side.

My mother smiled. "How wonderful that you're so supportive of him." "He needs all the support he can get," Bran quipped.

Harper gaped at him. He shrugged in response.

"Eat up then. Afterwards we can go to my study and hash this thing out."

It occurred to me that I looked weak and pathetic sitting there and not offering my two cents or defending myself. I couldn't muster the energy to care. However, as my mother prattled on about Anne and then me, working hard to make a match between us, I considered suggesting we go back to the business discussion.

When the meal was finished, I went to my dad's office with him and Bran.

"I gave Dane my offer, Marcus. I don't know what you expect to hash out," Bran said, making himself comfortable on the couch.

"Would you like a brandy?" My father was at the little bar he'd set up in

his office pouring himself a brandy.

Bran shrugged. "I'd prefer scotch." "Fine. Dane?"

"Nothing for me, thanks." The sooner we were done with this the better. "Now, as far as the deal you gave Dane, surely you were testing Dane's

business acumen and that wasn't a real deal. Otherwise, I'll feel insulted." My father handed Bran a scotch along with a stern look.

For the first time, Bran shrank back. Bran was aggressive in business, but my father had more influence and powerful contacts than him. Insulting my father could be bad news for Bran.

"Dane was right to turn it down," my father said. I was surprised by the compliment.

"Of course, sending you packing was stupid." My father's praise was nice while it lasted.

The two of them discussed the project, neither of them asking my opinion and to be honest, I didn't care enough to join in, especially since they were both missing an obvious compromise that would work for them both. When they started winding down and switched to talking about baseball, I excused myself and went out to the back terrace for fresh air.

"It can't be easy to be in your position." Harper stepped up beside me. "Especially since my brother can be difficult. I'm sure something will be worked out though."

"There's assertive and then there's stubborn. One gets what you want, the other doesn't."

She laughed. "I think you're right. But I have confidence that our families will come to some compromise." She was quiet for a moment. "Speaking of partnerships, are you and Anne getting ready to join together in holy matrimony." Thank God I didn't have my drink, or I'd be doing a spit-take.

Before I could open up my mouth to tell her no, Anne sidled up next to me, threading her arm through mine. "What a lovely evening.'

Unable to contradict Harper's statement without looking like a douche, I simply nodded to Anne's comment. Harper smirked. For a moment, I wondered if I showed interest in Harper, if my mother and Anne would back off. Harper was a beautiful woman on her own, but because she was rich, she could spend a fortune to accentuate her natural beauty.

In the end, I decided against playing games. For one, my mother would

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be thrilled if I showed interest in Harper. My mother wasn't interested in Anne so much as her status. Harper had the same status. Then there was the fact that Bran was her brother, and I didn't want to have to deal with him anymore than I had to.

"Harper, we're heading out," Bran said from the doorway to the terrace. Harper smiled at me and Anne. "It was good to see you."

"You too," I said.

As Harper left the terrace, I realized I would be alone with Anne in the moonlight. I couldn't have her getting any romantic notions, so I headed inside.

"I should probably go, too," Anne said once we reached the living room, where my mother sat primly chatting away as my father read the newspaper.

"I can walk you out," I said.

"Dane, you need to take her home," my mother interrupted her own conversation to tell me.

What? How the hell did she get here?

"I had my family's driver bring me over, but he's off for the rest of the night. I hope it's not an imposition." Anne's gray eyes tried to look innocent, but I knew the deal. She and my mother probably concocted this situation. But I couldn't bow out without looking like a petulant child, so I agreed.

At least it allowed me to leave my parent's company.

"I hope you're not too irritated at your mother," Anne said once we were in the car driving toward her family's home. "But you must admit, we're well-suited to each other. I know how families like ours work. I know how to be a corporate wife."

"Would you want to marry me if I were still in the military?" I glanced at her to gauge her authentic expression in case she tried to lie to me.

"If you were in the military, you wouldn't be here."

I took that as a no. "It doesn't bother you to have someone playing matchmaker? This is the twenty-first century. You can replace your match based on love, not bank accounts."

She stiffened and looked out the window. Apparently, I offended her. "Love could be involved. We get along. We're both attractive."

It was my turn to look away so she couldn't see how much I wasn't attracted to her. It wasn't because of her looks because she was beautiful just as Harper was. But her conniving with my mother made her disagreeable to me. "If I get a subservient corporate wife, what do you get out of it?" "Subservient?"

"Well, that's what you said. You'd be the kind of wife I need to be successful. Be like my mother who lives and breathes to serve my father and now, apparently, marry me off."

Her jaw tightened. In the next second, her features went lax, and she sighed. "I know you and your father struggle to get along, but my father is a cruel, controlling man. He blames me for my mother's death."

I frowned, glancing at her. "How come?"

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"She died in childbirth. If she wasn't having me, she'd be alive." She laughed but bit her lip as if she was trying not to cry.

Now I felt like an asshole. "She wouldn't be having you if your father hadn't had sex with her."

"Yes, well, he doesn't see it like that."

"I still don't see how us getting married benefits you. I think you're a nice woman, Anne, but I don't want to get married. Not to anyone." That dream was now long gone.

"I might have a pedigree-" "Jesus, we're not dogs."

"You know what I mean. I come from a prominent, wealthy family, but all I have is the name and the fact that George Francis is my father. I won't inherit anything. I want to use the connections I have to secure my future."

"I guess I can see your reasoning, except, this isn't the eighteenth century.

You can be your own woman. Make your own way."

"I'm not afraid to work, Dane. But my life has been very limited. My education was limited. It's like my father wants me to live a miserable life. He doesn't want me to make my own way. He wants to control me so he can punish me for my mother's death. Besides, what could I do? The only thing I enjoy isn't marketable."

"Can't you change that now? Go back to school?"

She laughed. "That takes money, Dane. My father won't help with that." "What about Peter?" I asked of her brother. "Can he help?"

She scoffed. "He's in allegiance to my father." She looked down. "I know my quest is foolish and a slap in the face of strong women everywhere. My world has been so small, Dane. The only thing I know is how our families operate. That is my marketable skill."

I felt bad for her and pissed at her father who kept her from all avenues

that would allow her to be successful. Who did that to their kid?

"I'm sorry, Anne. You'll have to replace someone else, which shouldn't be hard. You're a lovely woman. How about Bran?"

She made a face. "He reminds me of Peter."

I pulled up to her family home. Why did she stay here if her dad and brother were so spiteful? Money, I supposed.

"Again, I'm sorry I can't help your escape." She nodded. "That's unfortunate."

A moment later, her lips were on mine. I jerked back. "I don't give up easily, Dane." She exited the car.

Shit. All the sympathetic feelings I had for her dissipated at her last statement. Why couldn't she and my mom leave me alone? Why couldn't my father give a shit about me? Why did Bran have to be such an asshole? Why couldn't Bridget be some unknown guy's daughter?

Of all those things, the last one was the one that made my life the most miserable. The few weeks Bridget and I had together, my father's disappointment in me, my mother's meddling, and Bran's dickish personality didn't bother me as much. But now she was off limits, and it felt like my world was a black hole.