Run, Girl (If You Can)

Chapter 250: Are You Dating?

Keeley had a plan. She hadn't baked Aaron a birthday cake since they were in college so it was imperative she managed to keep it a secret, which was incredibly difficult to do when you shared a living space with somebody.

She was working on making it during her usual Sunday visit with her dad. Aaron liked chocolate cake but not chocolate frosting so she was whipping up a simple buttercream dyed blue, his favorite color.

Robert had already asked her why she was making a cake at his place instead of her own. She told him that she didn't have time to make it tomorrow so it was better to do it while she was hanging out with him. As excuses go, it was plausible.

The truth would come out sooner or later but she felt like Aaron needed to know she was pregnant before she told her dad. Keisha and Jeffrey being the first ones to find out was a situational problem.

"Who is this cake for again? I don't think you said," her father remarked from his place on the couch watching a Yankees game as soon as she turned the loud electric mixer off.

"Aaron. His birthday is tomorrow."

He smiled knowingly. "Not just anyone can make a man's birthday cake. How did you end up in charge?"

Keeley shot him an annoyed look. "You know his parents are distant. I'm…" She wanted to say she was the only family he had but couldn't without giving herself away too soon. "…his closest friend."

She shut up after that because he was still giving her the same dumb grin and focused on putting frosting on the cake. It was slow work because her perfectionism was activated and it drove her crazy if anything was left uneven. She smoothed the sides out multiple times until she was satisfied.

With the remaining frosting, she added yellow dye to turn it green and piped the words 'Happy Birthday Aaron' onto the cake. For the finishing touch she plastered the sides of the cake with rainbow sprinkles because it looked too bare.

Satisfied with her work, Keeley put it in a portable cake carrier and left it on the counter. She joined her dad on the couch and put on her best wheedling smile.

"What is it?" he asked suspiciously. He knew that face.

"Could you possibly come pick me up from work tomorrow with the cake and drop me off at Aaron's place so I don't have to carry it around campus all day? I don't want the frosting to get smushed."

"Yeah, that's fine. You don't get off until eight though…is he going to have to eat dinner alone on his birthday?"

She had already thought of this problem. Nobody should have to eat alone on their birthday so she conscripted Aiden's help. He invited Cameron and Jennica along as well and was gleeful at the prospect of 'surprising that stone statue' (his words).

"Nah his friends are taking him out. He just doesn't know it yet," she said with a slight smirk.

"Would these be the friends whose wedding you were in recently?" Robert asked.

"Yeah, plus one of the other groomsmen. He actually used to be my neighbor so I'm friends with him too."

"I didn't realize you two had the same friends."

"Not all of the same friends," she said a tiny bit defensively. "I don't think he's ever spoken more than two sentences to Valentina despite being in the same wedding."

Her father made a hesitant expression for a moment before looking her dead in the eye. He was ready to quit beating around the bush. Something about their relationship had seemed a bit 'more than friends' for a while.

He had respected his daughter's privacy thus far but they definitely seemed like a couple. If they weren't…he was worried that Aaron, who was obviously in love with her, might be led on unfairly.

"Honeybun, I have to ask…are you and Aaron dating?"

Keeley froze. She had endured a lot of his teasing about Aaron in the past but he had never been this straightforward about it. What should she say?

If she said no, that would open up a whole other can of worms when she announced they were getting married. Saying yes was definitely the better option here. She really hoped she could lie convincingly.

"Yes."

Robert was relieved. He let the matter drop immediately and went back to watching the game with a simple "okay."

She narrowed her eyes at him. He was really going to let it go just like that? Her dad was usually a bit nosier than this.

"That's all you have to say on the matter?"

He shrugged. "What else would I have to say? You know I like him. I was mostly worried you were leading him on since you two act more like a couple than any friends I've ever seen."

Her jaw dropped. Seriously? Whose side was he on here? No worry spared for his daughter at all! She scowled. Aaron was definitely going to get favored once he married into this family.

"Thanks, Dad," Keeley said sarcastically.

"What?" Robert asked innocently. "You two have been attached at the hip for a while. How long has it been, anyway? No wait! Let me guess…after Christmas but before your birthday. Was it around Valentine's Day? You stopped talking about him for a while after that."

Sometimes she forgot how perceptive her dad could be. Around Valentine's Day was when she found out the truth. It seemed like a lifetime ago now. So much had changed.

It was easier going with his guess than making something up on the spot. "You're a very good guesser," she said lightly.

He grinned. "I knew it! Well, good for you guys. He's a nice kid."

She suppressed a laugh. That 'nice kid' was mentally older than her father by about a decade. He didn't seem like an old man though. Maybe because he had learned how to have fun and be a little goofy for her sake.

Keeley's heart swelled a little at the thought. He had done a lot to make things up to her. Staying with him might not be the end of the world after all.

"Yeah. He is."