My Dad's Bestfriend novel Chapter 152

Evelyn

The evening unfolded, setting the stage for a casual barbecue on the patio. Mason and Eliot had taken up the roles of chefs, with Mason offering his help, albeit in a manner that made me wish he hadn't bothered. Outside, the air carried a chilly bite, the grass beneath my feet teasing my skin with its gentle tickle. Jacob's gaze seemed to linger on me persistently, subtle yet undeniable.

This felt good. Atleast, distracting enough.

Jacob, Clara, and Dad had joined us just half an hour earlier, settling comfortably on the patio. It had been Jennie's suggestion to invite them, and they graciously accepted, offering a few guidelines to navigate our somewhat chaotic cooking session.

Slipping on a loose white shirt over my bikini, leaving a few buttons undone, and allowing my messy hair to fall over my shoulders, I took a seat beside Cameron. He lit a cigarette, the smoke curling lazily as his blue eyes met mine. The simple act of him placing the cigarette between his lips brought forth memories of Jacob doing the same countless times and a shiver ran down my spine as the memories attacked my mind. Glancing across at Jacob, seated opposite Dad, I found him staring back at me, unnerving me almost instantly.

Those moments, those memories he'd given me—they were etched into my mind, impossible to erase. They were the most beautiful moments of my life, and yet, I couldn't help but resent the fact that they were gifts from him—the same person who fucking shattered my heart into a million pieces.

I needed to forget him. At any cost.

As Jacob poured himself a glass of whiskey and raised it to his lips, his gaze still remained locked with mine. I felt my throat getting dry at the sight. Those lips had been on my nipple earlier this morning...and countless times before that. They had been on every part of my body—every single inch of my skin.

"Shit, Evelyn, get a grip," I muttered to myself, clenching my jaw and balling my hands into fists as I tore my gaze away from Jacob.

"Care for a drag?" Cameron's voice broke through the tense silence, drawing my attention away from Jacob.

I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "I'd rather not risk invoking Dad's wrath and ruining the party for us both.”

"Well, I can't exactly blame him for being protective. It's only fair if he catches me leading his daughter astray," Cameron said with a smirk, taking another drag and exhaling a plume of smoke into the air.

"Evelyn, who's that hot guy?" Anabelle piped up from beside me, her gaze fixed on Jacob.

"Yeah, he's...god, he's ridiculously handsome," Ruby added. "Is he a relative of yours or something?"

Something about their question ignited a bizzare storm within me, stirring my blood into molten lava that seared through my veins, igniting a blaze of rage within me. The feeling itself irritated me but I couldn’t shake it off.

"A hot guy?" I scoffed incredulously, feigning disdain, "What about him could possibly be considered attractive? He's a total zero in my book. And no, thankfully, he's not a relative—I don't have any ugly family members."

"Ugly? Are you serious?" Anabelle's voice held a note of disbelief, as though my statement was the most absurd thing she'd ever heard. "He's easily one of the most attractive guys I've ever seen."

"If you think he's attractive, then you've clearly been looking at sloths," I retorted sharply.

"Fine, maybe he's another of the sloths," Ruby conceded, "But we need to know his name because right now, that 'sloth' looks very, very delicious.”

"Gross," I grimaced at their words. "Get a grip, guys. You've definitely seen better."

"Nope, he's definitely up there," Anabelle insisted. "Now, can you please tell us his name?"

I bit down on the inside of my cheek, torn between the desire to strangle her and the need to maintain composure. A part of me wished they'd agree with my assessment of his appearance—that he was unattractive. But deep down, I knew that was wishful thinking.

"Jacob Fucking Adriano," I spat out his name, the bitterness evident in my voice.

"So he's Italian," Ruby whistled lowly. "Fuck, Evelyn, suddenly the barbecue doesn't seem as appetizing."