My Friend's Father with THAT Smile

Author's note: I would like to extend thanks to a dear friend who served as editor and muse, offering tips on form, style and content. Without their tireless effort this tale might not have seen the light of day, and it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of my friend. Hope everyone enjoys it!

*****

My friend, Karen, and I boarded the plane and took our seats.

"So," Karen whispered, as she nudged me. "Details, please."

"Karen," I said in a hushed tone myself. "Now may not be the best time."

"Oh come on," Karen chided me.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "It wasn't any better than it was after prom," I huffed.

"Really," Karen asked in a disappointed tone. "I thought maybe he'd be more relaxed your second time together."

"Apparently not," I sighed.

As the plane lifted off, Karen and I shared details about what we'd done the previous night. She had been with her boyfriend, and according to Karen the sex had been fantastic, as it always had been between them.

For me on the other hand, it was another disappointing experience. I had been with this one guy the night of our high school graduation prom. And, it wasn't especially remarkable for me.

"It didn't hurt though, did it," Karen asked, still in a hushed voice.

"No," I replied.

"Well it's good I told you how to ready yourself for sex with a dildo," Karen chuckled.

I sighed and chuckled a bit at that.

A few weeks before prom Karen had given me a dildo, and told me how to go about 'taking my own virginity'. So that when I actually did have sex it wouldn't hurt.

The theory had been, if you aren't in pain, you'll be able to enjoy it. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. And, as I had told Karen the night before, we had gotten together for a 'good bye romp' and it wasn't any better.

We weren't sure if it was a 'good bye romp' or not even though he was leaning towards heading back east to attend college. Even if he didn't end up heading back east once that night was over, I was sure it was 'good bye' because I didn't want to go through that kind of boring experience again.

Of course, I don't know if it was him or if it was me that made it boring. I certainly knew how to get myself off. That wasn't the problem. But the whole 'sex' thing was different. I wasn't as preoccupied with it as Karen. Maybe it was my upbringing or whatever, but I just didn't feel the fire about it.

"Well," Karen sighed. "Maybe he's just a dud. We should be able to find you someone better where we're going."

"Karen," I admonished her. "I am going there to visit universities."

Karen rolled her eyes, and then looked straight at me. "Joanne, you have two visits planned, and we're going to be there for two weeks!"

The two of us. both eighteen year old, recent high school grads, were on our way to Karen's father's place about an hour flight away. I had heard Karen speak of her father many times in the past, but had never met him. According to her though he wasn't a bad guy. Karen had told me she was going to go and see him for two weeks, after we'd graduated, and that I should come along.

Even though I was strongly considering going to a university on the coast, I got my parents to agree to let me tag along with Karen by telling them that I could use it as an opportunity to visit the two universities in Karen's dad's hometown.

I also knew the town her dad lived in. In fact, my folks and I had visited there years before. But, in the years that followed, they were tied up running the family restaurant, and I usually worked there, long hours over the summer.

Karen had pressed for me to join her because she felt I needed to let my hair down a little. I have to admit, I did admire Karen for her carefree spirit and the confidence she exuded. She was a smart girl and had achieved second class honors upon graduation.

But she was also a great looking girl. About 5'6" and slim, but not skinny. She had filled out well over the years that I'd known her.

In fact, I was a bit jealous of her sometimes. Karen had long, flowing, wavy, dirty-blonde hair, a very pretty face. As well as near C-cup boobs and legs that I wish I had.

Me? I was 5'1" at best. And, I always felt my legs were kind of short and stubby I didn't consider myself ugly or fat, not by any means. Just kind of plain. I wasn't tall, didn't have big breasts, and my hair was jet black and straight as an arrow. I did wear it long, to my shoulders. Karen always told me it looked great when I didn't have it tied up. She said it really made my blue eyes stand out.

Getting a compliment like that from Karen always made me feel good.

In fact that morning, after I'd showered and dressed, I eyed my reflection in my mirror and had to admit I wasn't too bad on the eyes.

The other reason I admired Karen was how she was able to appreciate sex, without coming off like a slut. We'd known a few girls like that back at school. They'd sleep with anyone in an attempt to be popular. Karen wasn't like that. She didn't have a long list of conquests, because she was selective. But she still approached it in a care-free manner.

She had even told me if the opportunity presented itself she might have herself a fling while we were on our trip. I'd questioned her about that, especially since she had a boyfriend at home. She replied with a matter-of-fact answer: "It's just sex".

Given my experience, that was an answer I couldn't comprehend.

The plane had landed and taxied up to the gate, and shortly thereafter, Karen and I were making our way down the hall to the reception lounge. Karen seemed almost giddy. In the past, she had told me she always loved coming to visit her father, because she loved this town so much, especially this time of year.

"Although," Karen had confided in me once. "There are times I hate the old man, for not fighting for custody of me when he and my mom got divorced. To think, I could have been living here the whole time."

Even though she had said it in jest, there was still a ring of truth to what she had said.

We rounded one last corner, and through the glass we could see a crowd of people waiting for others to arrive.

Again, since I had no idea what Karen's dad looked like, I didn't know who to be looking for. I did however spot an older guy, in a suit and tie, standing there waiting, and actually felt a tingle, and found myself smiling a bit. Maybe I will like this town, I thought to myself, as I looked down to avoid staring. When I glanced back up, I felt my eyes get wide.

"Dad," I heard Karen yell, and saw her run to the same guy in the suit I had just gotten a tingle over.

Seriously, I thought to myself. That doesn't look like any 'dad' I've ever seen.

Karen ran up and gave him a big hug as I slowly walked over to join them.

I felt myself shaking my head. I had seen 'dads' before. Most of them looked like my dad. Those would be the ones who were overweight, losing their hair. Those types of things. Or there'd be the ones who were more like the guy Karen's mother was seeing back home. Those that 'tried too hard'. They dyed their hair way too dark and spent too much time in the gym. So they'd be muscled up, but it never looked right. And they'd dress in the latest fashions, to appear hip. Every time I saw Karen's mom's boyfriend in board shorts I almost laughed.

"How ya doing, sweetheart," Karen's dad said, as their embrace ended.

He had this GORGEOUS smile, with a great set of teeth. His face didn't seem too have many wrinkles, other than crow's feet when he smiled. His hair was totally gray, and thinning a bit, but it was there. He wore it longer than most guys his age too. Certainly not all the way to his shoulders, but well past collar-length.

And yet, on him, it seemed to work. He still looked like a 'suit', but a much a more comfortable with himself 'suit'. I put him at about 5'9", and he appeared to be in great shape. As well, he appeared to have a great tan.

Karen told her dad she was great, and as he took her bag from her, she turned, and smiled. "Dad," she said, grabbing me by my shoulders. "This is Joanne."

"Pleasure to finally meet you, Joanne," her dad said, warmly, and with a smile.

I swear, I felt weak in the knees, when he smiled at me.

"Karen's told me a lot about you," he continued. "It's nice to put a face to the name. Here," he gestured towards me. "Let me take that for you."

I glanced down at the strap of my bag over my shoulder, and then shrugged with a smile. "No, Mr. McIvor, I'm okay," I replied.

"Now, now," he playfully admonished me. "Give it here. You're on vacation, after all."

God that smile!

"Thank you," I finally said, with a smile, and I passed the bag over to him.

Holy crap! Was I blushing? What the hell was going on with me?

"Shall we ladies," Karen's dad said, with a gesture towards the door.

Karen's dad lead us to his car, and tossed our bags into the trunk. He'd put on sunglasses and it just seemed to make him even cooler. Karen offered me the front passenger seat, but I declined.

Karen's dad was about to climb into the car when he paused. "Joanne," he asked from the opposite side of the car. "Do you mind if I smoke while we drive?"

I was bit taken aback. "Of course not," I almost blurted. "It's your car, sir."

"Sir," he chuckled. "This one is well-mannered, Karen," he said to her before looking back at me. "That'll be the end of that, though. No more 'sir', okay?"

"Yes sir," I smiled back.

I sat in the back as we pulled out of the parking lot. I felt 'warm' for some reason, and it wasn't because it was a sunny, hot day.

Karen's dad had thrown me for a bit of a loop. When he asked me if he could smoke in his own car. I struck me as odd, but polite - and I liked that. Still it was odd. Not in a bad way though. Many of my friends' parents, were all courteous like that. But for some reason, this act, struck as being 'above and beyond the call'.

And, I didn't know why.

Karen and her dad were getting a bit caught up as we pulled onto the main road.

'So are you seeing anyone, dad," Karen asked.

"Nope," her father replied, as he took a puff of his smoke.

Karen sighed. "We have got to get you a woman," she chuckled.

"Why," came the quick response. "Single life seems to agree with me."

We'd driven for about five minutes, when Mr. McIvor looked into the rear view mirror. "So, Joanne," he asked. "First time in town?"

"No," I replied, and had to stop myself from adding 'sir'. "My folks and I were here years ago. It does still seem as beautiful as it was back then though."

"Ah, yes," he said. "Your folks. Spoke with your dad, seems like an all right fellow."

I sort of cringed at that. My parents wanted to know all about where I'd be staying on this trip.

My folks knew Karen's mom. Enough to say 'hello', but that was about it. But, Karen's dad? Nope. And, my folks being who they were, wanted to know more about him. So, my father asked Karen to ask her dad if he could call, and 'chat'. Which apparently they had. I loved my folks, but at times they seemed overprotective.

"I hope my dad didn't pester you with too many questions," I almost apologized from the back seat.

"Not at all," he chuckled.

We got to Karen's dad's place, and I was stunned when we got inside.

It was a nice, two-bedroom condo unit, with a view of the nearby lake. Carpeted floors, and a sunken living room. It also had a fairly nice sized kitchen, and a pretty big deck, that had a couple of folding chairs, a table, two regular chairs, and a barbeque. Even though the place her mom had, back down on the coast was very nice, this had a special feel to it for some reason.

Karen's dad had gone into one of the bedrooms. He left our bags in there, and reemerged. Karen was standing in front the doors to the terrace, while I hung back a bit closer to the kitchen.

"So," Mr. McIvor said. "What do you girls want to do?"

Karen turned around. "I thought about taking Joanne downtown and showing her around."

Karen's dad smiled at her, then he glanced at me, still smiling.

God that smile! I felt warm, and flush again.

"So," he said slowly, and somewhat sarcastically. "The chauffeur can take the rest of the afternoon off?"

"Dad," Karen, playfully whined. "Please. I just thought I'd show Joanne around. Besides, you usually golf Friday afternoons."

"I had to beg off this week," Karen's dad explained, as he loosened his tie a bit more. "The time your flight was supposed to arrive. What if it's delayed? What if there was traffic," he asked.

Karen put her hands on her hips and smiled at her father.

I wasn't sure what was going on, but it was something.

"And," her father added, emphatically. "How big of an ass would I have been, to just dump you both off, and said 'I'm off to golf'."

Karen glanced over at me. "He likes to guilt me."

Mr. McIvor looked at me and shrugged. "Fringe benefit of being a parent."

I chuckled.

"Seriously, dad," Karen said. "If you'd wanted to golf, you could have."

"Well," he said, as he pulled off his tie. "Lemme check," he slung his tie over his shoulder and pulled out his cell-phone. "Your sure I won't get called a dick for this?"

"No," Karen chuckled.

Karen's dad tapped his phone and put it up to his ear, as he looked at me. "I'm not saying you'd call me a dick, Joanne. But, if this one does, I want to hear about it."

It was said in jest, and it got a chuckle from both Karen and I.

Karen's dad spoke with his friend. He asked what the tee-time was scheduled to be.

"No," he said into his phone. "They're here already. Picked up and delivered at home. And, as expected, they're ditching the old man."

I was almost going to protest, when I saw Karen laugh a bit, as she shook her head. My gaze shifted to her father, and he had glanced at me and winked. Mr. McIvor got the tee-time, and told his friend he could make it after all.

"All right," he said as he hung up the phone. "I guess I'm golfing."

"You're a dick," Karen said, matter-of-factly.

I was stunned.

Karen's dad groaned. "Duped again," he said, sarcastically.

That's when I knew they had a special relationship.

Karen's dad excused himself, and he headed into the other bedroom.

"Come on," Karen gestured to me. "Let me show you the view."

Karen and I were out on the terrace, taking in the view. "You are going to love this town. Downtown's less than a ten minute walk away," she gestured with her head.

I glanced over. It certainly wasn't a metropolis like the city Karen and I lived in, but it wasn't too shabby from the view I was getting. I heard the door to the terrace open behind us, and then heard Mr. McIvor's voice.

"Hey, you," he said.

Karen turned, just as I did, and I saw her father toss her a set of keys.

"Spare set," he said. "Same rules, still apply."

I heard what he'd said, but I actually had to stop myself from staring, again. Karen's dad stood in the door to the terrace. Now, he was dressed in a short-sleeved, collared shirt, and a pair of shorts. My suspicion that he was in great shape was confirmed The shirt was pretty tight, and gave no evidence of a big gut, as men his age would often have. And, his legs! They weren't huge or anything, but they were muscular.

I snapped back to reality, when Karen acknowledged her father's comment about 'rules'.

"Yes, father," she said, sarcastically.

Karen's dad looked at me and smiled. "It makes me a stick in the mud, apparently," he explained. "My rule is that NO ONE comes over without my knowledge or permission."

"Oh," I said. "I totally agree with that." I glanced over at Karen, and she smiled at me, in a way that let me know she thought I was 'sucking up'. I'd seen that smile before, usually at school. Still, I ignored it, never thinking I was 'sucking up'. I glanced back at Karen's dad, and smiled. "My parents have taught me, that when in someone's home, abide by their rules."

Karen's dad beamed a smile at me, and I think my knees got a little weak.

He glanced back at Karen. "You see," he said. "That's a respectful way to react to rules and boundaries. And yet," he sighed. "You just give me grief."

Karen folded her arms. "I thought that was our father-daughter agreement. You make reasonable requests, and I give you grief."

Karen's dad nodded. "You're right," he chuckled. "I believe that was in the contract."

I shook my head as I chuckled at their interaction.

"All right," Karen's dad added. "I'm outta here then. You girls enjoy your afternoon."

Karen's dad took another moment to explain that there were leftovers in the fridge, if we were hungry. As for later plans, he told Karen to call him, and let him know what we were up to, and if we'd all hook up for dinner or not. As he headed off, Karen's dad looked at me once more, and gave me that smile of his. "Joanne," he said. "Please, feel free to make yourself at home, and enjoy yourself."

As he turned, Karen called out to him. "Have fun, dad," she said. "I'll text you and let you know what's happening."

"Sounds good," he called back.

"Enjoy your game, Mr. McIvor," I called out, feeling the need to say something. And, that worked.

"Thanks," came the reply. And he was out the door of his place with his clubs a moment later.

I took a deep breath for some reason. When I glanced over at Karen, she was giving me a wry smile.

"You don't have to suck up to my dad," she almost giggled.

I cleared my throat, as I tried to show some composure. "I wasn't sucking up," I said, flatly.

"Yeah, you were," Karen chuckled, as she began to head inside. "Come on, let's get changed and head downtown."

I changed my clothes, and was now sporting a tank top, and my 'short' shorts. While Karen changed I got my cell and called my folks to let them know I had arrived safe, and sound.

Karen emerged from the bedroom, in a way-too-tight tank-top, and yoga shorts that were probably a size to small for her.

"Let's go," she said, with a grin.

We made our way to the downtown area, as Karen showed me around. We got ourselves some ice-cream, and took a seat on a bench in the park there.

"Mmm, hmm," Karen almost chuckled, as two guys walked by us.

Even though neither of them did a thing for me, I still admired how open Karen was.

"Y'know, babe," Karen said, after taking a lick of her ice-cream. "I really want you to let your hair down, while we're here."

I sighed. "I know you do."

Karen took another lick of her ice-cream, and then pulled down her sunglasses a bit to look at me. "Just because you had a dud back home, doesn't mean all boys are duds," Karen said with a smile, as she pushed her sunglasses back up. "After all, you're on vacation."

"I'm also here to visit universities," I replied.

"You're not actually thinking of going to one of them, are you," Karen asked.

"Maybe," I said, with a shrug, as I took a lick of my own ice-cream.

"Well," Karen replied, with a smile. "If you do end up going to university here that's another reason for me to visit."

Karen and I meandered around the downtown area for a few hours. At one point, I pulled my phone from my tote, and glanced at it. "You know," I said. "Your dad is probably home by now. Shouldn't we be getting back?"

"No," Karen replied, with a wave of her hand. "It's fine."

I was a bit taken aback. Even though Mr. McIvor had said it in jest, hours earlier, he had been 'ditched'. And, in truth, Karen - and I - WE, had ditched him.

"I'll send him a text," Karen finally said.

I don't know why, but at the moment, I felt a little mad at Karen. And, a bit at myself too.

An hour or so later, Karen and I finally got back to her dad's place. He was sitting on the sofa, watching TV.

"Hey girls," he warmly greeted us.

He was warm, welcoming, charming, and didn't seem the least bit put off by the fact that we had ditched him hours earlier. He asked if we'd had dinner. He expressed relief when we told him we had. "I didn't really feel like cooking," he said, as he stood up. "Probably would have been a dining out night."