Daddy's Girl: A Daddy Issues Novel by Rebel Wild (books to read for 13 year olds .TXT) 📕

we’re dating. I realize the thought of dating him doesn’t make my stomach turn like it used to.

I’m having so much fun that I stay longer than I meant to, but I’m not really that worried. Mr. Garrett isn’t due home for another two hours. I was tempted to buy the fruit pastries shaped like little envelopes for him. They were unique enough to please him and I know he has a sweet tooth that he tries to hide. I found his stash of hard candies in the library. I was disappointed that they weren’t fresh enough for his taste and I didn’t have time for them to fill a special order. We get more drinks to go and I’m in an excellent mood as we walk out of the coffee shop, but I stop mid-stride.

“Did you forget something?” Matt asks.

I’m unable to take another step as the person I’m looking at advances closer to us. It can’t be him. I want to kick myself because thinking about him all day has conjured him up. Leslie follows my stare.

“Whoa,” she says about the man in the dark gray suit that is so tailor-made to fit, it looks like it’s painted on to showcase every well-defined muscle in his body. His hair is a coarse blend of black and gray that’s styled to make him look more playful than I know he is.

“Sydney,” he says, approaching us. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”

The way he is staring daggers at Matt makes it obvious he’s the only “friend” he’s interested in being introduced to.

“Of course,” I say, but I’m not sure how I’m to introduce him. “Well, you know Leslie, and this is Matt. Matt, this is… uh…”

“Tristan Garrett,” he finishes for me. “Sydney’s boyfriend.”

I nearly drop the to-go cup of coffee I’m carrying with that announcement. It’s one thing not to correct his mother when she catches us kissing, but now this makes no sense.

“Nice meeting you,” Matt says, but Mr. Garrett isn’t even pretending not to be an asshole to him.

Poor guy’s just standing there sipping his coffee, completely oblivious to the disgust Mr. Garrett has all over his face for him. Meanwhile, I’m looking behind him, making sure a cop car doesn’t pull up and arrest him for daring to breathe the same air as his submissive. What’s he doing here anyway? Did he think I was jacking him off in the middle of the coffee shop?

“Good to see you, Leslie,” Mr. Garrett says.

“Hi, sir,” she says.

I can almost see the hearts bursting from her eyes when he smiles at her. She has gone all bowed-head and shy like she used to. I guess that’s why Mr. Garrett didn’t mind her being around. She’s naturally submissive to him.

She’s ready and willing to do whatever he says, and I want to punch her right now for it. I hate seeing how pleased he is with her submitting to him so perfectly, unlike me, who messes it up nearly every chance I get. I’m sure seeing her do it right makes him see what he’s been missing with having me. What I don’t get is why I care.

“I just came to pick you up to celebrate your first day back in school together, baby,” Mr. Garrett says to me.

My entire body heats up at the way he says the word baby like he means it. I know damn well he doesn’t. In the back of my mind, I still catch myself wondering how it would be if he actually meant all of this and he wasn’t just using it as a way to beat his chest to Matt.

Tristan Garrett is not boyfriend material. Tristan Garrett is not boyfriend material. I repeat it over and over in my head until I believe it.

“But I drove my car,” I say, reminding him of the car he gave me just this morning so that I could drive myself to school and back. I mean, that was the whole point.

“I’ll have someone pick it up for you,” he says. He pulls me into his arms and gives me a kiss that makes my knees weak. I even hear Leslie moan in vicarious ecstasy from it. I feel his hand come up and tug at my collar to remind me of what it means. “I missed you today, baby,” he continues to slather it on thick. “I want to take you out to dinner and show you just how much.” He actually smacks me on my butt.

“Hmm,” is all I manage to say at this point. I’m caught between feeling embarrassed, angry, and as humiliating as it is to admit, turned on by the fake-ass, loving boyfriend’s attention.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” I call back to Matt and Leslie over my shoulder while I’m being pulled away.

“Have a good time you two,” Matt says, with a wave.

I envy his oblivion. To him, Mr. Garrett is just a loving boyfriend coming to surprise his girlfriend by taking her out to celebrate, only I know better.

“Call me later.” Leslie mouths.

I already know she wants all the details on what it’s like to be involved with him. I shake my head. I won’t be calling her for that conversation anytime soon.

Mr. Garrett opens his car door for me and slams it shut once I’m safely inside. I see him give one last glance at Matt before hopping in the driver’s seat. Now that we’re alone, the loving boyfriend disappears and his mood sours. We sit in silence as he navigates his black sports car through the city.

“Sir, I don’t think I’m dressed well enough for this place,” I start to tell him as he tosses his keys to the valet outside of the Mediterranean Blue restaurant Daddy took me and Mom to when she came to visit four years ago. I think he was trying to impress her.

“Are you questioning me, Miss Warren?” He demands to know. So much for “baby.”

“No, sir.”

I’m just questioning