“I showed Cali the videos that I’ve done, and she’s impressed. She invited me to intern with her this summer,” Julianna squeals. I’ve never seen her so happy. Well, not since her mother and I divorced.
She’s jumping up and down, eyes radiant as the sun. “You have to let me go, Dad. Please.”
“I don’t have to do anything. Where is it?”
“California.”
“Of course it is,” I mutter. “Cali is from California. Is that even her real name?”
“I don’t know.” Julianna shrugs.
“What do you even know about this woman?” I ask, steering Julianna into my office. I shut the door, not wanting anyone to overhear our private discussion.
“What’s there to know? She offered to teach me everything related to vlogging and influencing. It’s so cool, Dad. You have to say yes. Please. I want to be an influencer. I can make a lot of money at it, and you won’t have to support me.”
I rub my eyes, trying not to roll them back into my head. “Influencing isn’t a job. It’s a hobby.”
“You don’t know that,” she argues. “You should talk to Cali.”
“I already have,” I seethe, and there’s no way I want my fifteen-year-old hanging out with her over summer break next year. Not only do I not trust the woman because she’s a stranger, but I also don’t want Julianna getting any crazy ideas that she can be a vlogger.
“Wait, you did? She asked you about me interning for her?”
“No,” I growl, and gesture for Julianna to sit across from me at the empty seat by my desk. I lean back on the desk, but I can’t sit for this conversation.
“Oh.” Julianna’s face falls. “I knew I should have waited to ask until you were in a good mood, but that happens like never.”
The kid is mouthy today. Probably part of her being a teenager and her hormones or something. It hasn’t been easy, just the two of us. Her mom didn’t even ask for joint custody when we divorced. She gave me Julianna but wanted the house in Greece. Like our kid is worthy of that kind of shitty trade?
Jess still irks me, the mere thought of her. I don’t want another Jess hanging around Julianna, and I worry Cali will be no better, with her head in the clouds, convincing my innocent kid that she can be the next great influencer and go viral.
“We can talk about you accepting an internship later, but it’s not going to be for some random girl who shows up at our lodge,” I say. “We don’t fraternize with the guests.”
“What does that even mean, Dad? I’m not sleeping with her.”
I choke back a laugh. Thank heaven, because the woman is too old to be bedding my daughter. “Is that what this is about, a crush?” I ask.
Julianna hasn’t been secretive about her girl crushes. She’s had more of those than boy crushes over the years. I think she’s still figuring out her sexuality, and it’s not something I want to discuss with a fifteen-year-old. She can date whomever she wants, as long as I meet them and approve.
And I don’t approve of Cali. She’s closer to my age. Well, in between. I’m forty-three. She’s what, maybe twenty-five? I’ll look her up later when my daughter isn’t glaring at me.
“Cali isn’t a crush. I mean, I’d die if she’d look at me that way, but she’s fourteen years older than I am, Dad. Like, eww.”
I laugh and do the mental calculation. That makes Cali twenty-nine. Fifteen years younger than I am.
Why do I care?
It’s not like I’m interested in dating her.
Absolutely not. I’ve sworn off women since Jess did a number on my heart, tap dancing, stomping, and then flushing what was left of it down the toilet.
If it weren’t for Julianna, I’d probably hate all women. But I love my kid, even if she doesn’t know what’s in her best interest. That’s what I’m here for, to remind her and keep her on the straight and narrow.
“Seriously though, Dad, Cali invited us to dinner tonight.”
“What?” I growl. I’ve heard enough. “Get back to work.”
“Come on. You can’t say no. I already told her I’d join her, and she wants to meet you.”