Private Affair (The Private Series) by Danielle Torella

and I am relieved to see that she is doing well.
    “When did you get out?” I ask her.
    “Yesterday. But I just needed a day at home in my own room to rest and think.”
    “I don’t blame you,” I assure her. I can tell she looked a little nervous with her answer and thought that it would upset me that she didn’t call me right away, which made me think. “Do you have your phone back?”
    “I do, but am limited to numbers and time.”
    I hear some noise coming from the bar area, I stand to go check it out and I tell Caroline I will be right back. I walk in to find Ben chest to chest with Dan. What the fuck?
    “What are you doing here Dan? I didn’t invite you.” Ben snaps at his friend. I am confused I thought they were doing okay once Dan had agreed to keep a distance from Caroline… oh shit…
    “Dan?” I try to break the attention from the two men.
    “Hey Tess,” he greets me quickly, “You look nice.”
    “Thanks. What’s going on?” I ask between the both of them.
    “It’s my birthday and Ben put this together. I would have thought he would have invited you to something like this … Ben?”
    Ben comes to his senses and steps back, he pinches the bridge of his nose and I know he is stressing out again. “I obviously planned for Caroline to come and with that I wanted Dan to stay away.”
    Jack is coming through the small hallway from the restroom, when he hears this, “What does that have to do with Caroline, Ben?”
    “Fuck,” Ben hisses. “You,” He points to Dan. “Out!”
    “No! She called me asking for me to come here.” Dan explains.
    I see Caroline come through the archway. “Benji, I did ask Dan to meet me … us here.”
    “Why?” Ben grunts.
    Jack is standing with a look of distraught and confusion, “Will someone please fill me in here? Ben, why wouldn’t you ask your mate here to come to your fiancés birthday party? Aren’t they friends now as well?”
    “Yes, they are, but Dad…” His face is going red, this is not a good sign. I know about what had happened with Caroline and Dan, but I thought that was just a misunderstanding and that the guys were getting through it, I suppose I was just wrong.
    “Then tell me what is going on…now.” Jack demands.
    Caroline walks over to her father and places her arm on his. “Dad, there is something I want to talk to you about … with Benji too.” She looks over at me, “Tess I am so sorry to do this here, but I figured it would be one of the only times to get everyone together on mutual territory to explain.”
    I can only nod my head, I am all too curious and concerned.
    “Dad, Benji … I have been talking to Dan for some time now. For a couple of years. Only as friends here and there. He was there for me as a little girl, with being at the house a lot hanging out with Ben and all. But, I am shy of being sixteen in two weeks… I am not a little girl anymore and my … our feelings for one another have started to grow…”
    “Fucking asshole! If you touched my sister I will hang you here and now and cut your mother fucking dick off!” Ben screams at him and starts to reach for his neck and Caroline screams at him to stop and just listen.
    “Daniel?” Jacks voice is stern.
    “Mr. Mitchell, please understand, first I haven’t done anything with or to your daughter. We have only been one anothers confidants for a couple of years, merely chit chat and talking about one another days. I have been conflicted for, I don’t even know how long about it. I know it’s wrong I do. That’s what makes this so hard. I respect you and your daughter sir, but my feelings for her have grown. We have never acted on anything. I swear.” Dan is nearly on his knees begging for Jack and Ben to understand.
    “I was so messed up after Jackie. I was on Facebook and Caroline had sent me a friend request and she asked how I was doing and where I have been. I got in the habit of messaging her and eventually texting her. We are friends.