Southern Comforts (Pt. 01)

01.

The Invitation

Day 0

Alexis Cantrell was late.

But it wasn’t her fault. Not this time, anyway–she was stuck in traffic and could see flashing blue Police lights ahead, the same flashing lights she’d been watching for more than an hour while traffic sat at a standstill. It was a hot summer afternoon–the sun was still up, and the car’s AC was on full blast to compensate against the oppressive Southern heat.

Alex looked up to driver’s seat, where a man was sitting, playing a game on his cell phone. “Hey, you’re not charging me more for us being stuck in this, right?”

The ride share driver didn’t look up from his game. “Sorry. You’ll have to take it up with the Customer Service guys.”

“Shit.” Alex sat back in her seat, crossed her arms. Her little black dress was snug, hugging her curves in a comfortable manner–not too tight, not too revealing. It was the best dress she owned, a purchase she’d made for a first date with an ex-almost-a-boyfriend once before. She had a steady string of those.

Jeremy, the latest almost-a-boyfriend, was another attempt at an Internet romance that wasn’t working out. He was waiting for her at a nearby restaurant, a little place her co-workers had been raving about. She pulled her phone out of her purse, texting a quick update: *Still* stuck in traffic. Sorry!

He started responding, stopped, and started again–she watched it happen in real time, like he couldn’t decide what to say. Finally, he answered: JC its been almost 2 hrs already.

Alex frowned, began tapping with quick, deliberate precision. It isn’t my fault. I told you, I’m stuck behind a wreck on the highway. They aren’t letting anybody turn around.

Jeremy, it appeared, was unmoved by her plight or pleading. Just 4get about it he said, not even bothering to spell the message out properly. Maybe ill give u a call another time. L8r.

And, just like that, Alex’s night was officially cancelled. Hell, this latest almost-a-boyfriend hadn’t even come close enough to become ex material, but she was pretty sure he qualified as one now. She almost shouted out her frustration with a nice, healthy string of profanity, but just bit her cheek instead. She wanted to throw her phone out the window.

Instead of that, Alex sat back, blew out a sigh, and typed an address. “Can you take me here instead?” she asked, showing her phone to the driver. She wasn’t particularly happy at how events had played out, and didn’t give a shit what he thought about it.

“Sure, hang on.” The driver plugged in the address, nudged his car into the turning lane, and started the detour.

Alex sat back, tucked her phone away, and stared out the window. The sun would be setting in another hour or two, and the sky was far too blue and perfect to suit her mood. All combined, the traffic jam and detour cost her more than a good dinner would have anyway.

The car left the highway and, in a few more minutes, pulled into a well-to-do neighborhood set back from the main road. The houses were all too expensive for her to afford, but thankfully that wasn’t an issue on this particular evening, since the particular house she was niğde escort visiting didn’t belong to her, anyway.

Alex was in a foul mood by the time the car pulled up to her destination. She forced herself to say goodbye, grabbed her purse, and started the walk up the driveway as the car pulled away.

The house was a wide two-story, with a spacious garage, a well-manicured front lawn and tasteful-looking foliage, with numerous tall trees and flowerbeds that were regularly tended to. A long line of lamps stretched along the driveway, and when they were lit they shone like lights on an airport runway. The window blinds were all drawn.

Rather than head for the front door, she pressed a numbered combination into a pad on the side gate and let herself into the backyard. Pulling off her pumps, she sighed and stepped into the grass, heading around for the back door.

Even though the property was far enough from its neighbors to give the owner some sense of privacy, the back yard was surrounded by a tall privacy fence for additional isolation, with rows of trees on all sides for some last bit of protection from any prying eyes. Alex had always appreciated that extra attention to detail–she’d spent a number of years here as a teenager, and enjoyed the peace of mind from having those protections in place.

The back yard was a space of more green grass with a large pool, hot tub and patio space for hosting guests or the occasional social event. Since there weren’t any cars in the driveway or lining the street, Alex knew the homeowner wasn’t hosting that evening, which was a relief to her–she was in no mood for company.

She saw a familiar figure on one of the lounge chairs at a distance, lying down. It was obviously a man, one that she immediately recognized. “Daddy!” She shielded her eyes from the sun as she approached.

Daddy gave a start and picked up his head to look in her direction–given the look on his face, Alexander Cantrell was surprised to see her. He immediately turned over on his chair and grabbed the beach towel he’d set to one side, standing up and pulling it around his waist. “Alexis! What are you doing here?” he said, turning to face her.

She walked up and kissed him on the cheek. “Hi, Daddy. Had another date fall through,” she said, grumbling. “I just wanted to see you. And I promised my roommate she could have the apartment to herself tonight–her boyfriend just got home from boot camp this weekend.”

“Well, that’s a nice gesture, I suppose.” Daddy was an attractive man: his short hair was a lighter brown-blonde, and he had an all-over tan. She was named after him, but she hadn’t inherited his more-casual manner–Alexis craved order and structure in her life; her father had always been far more relaxed, and had somehow made life work for him that way.

“Is Michele in?” she said, squinting over his bare shoulder at the house. Her dad’s girlfriend was…well, some people would have called her an “acquired taste.” Alexis thought she was a controlling bitch, but she wouldn’t say that to her face.

“Ah, no,” Daddy said. “No. She…she’s gone.”

“Oh, good,” Alexis said with a sigh. “I can find somewhere niksar escort to hide or call another car before she gets back if you want.”

Daddy shifted the towel around his waist, looking a little awkward. “No, honey, that’s not… She’s gone. She, ah, left last week.”

“You mean…for good?”

“Yeah.” Daddy nodded and took a seat again.

“Jesus.” Alexis set her pumps and purse on a table. “You didn’t say anything about it.”

“I didn’t want to worry you,” he said, crossing his arms on his lap. “It’s my problem, Lexi–you’ve got your own stuff to handle without trying to take up my burdens, too.”

“Well…still, you didn’t have to…” Alex coughed, licking her lips. “Are you okay? Was it sudden?”

Daddy gave a small, butter chuckle. “Sudden, as in ‘months-in-the-making-sudden,’ I guess. The signs were there, but I didn’t see them–or didn’t want to see them, maybe.” He sighed, rubbing both hands across his face, like washing it clean.

She sat down next to him; the chair gave a slight creak under their combined weight. She hugged him tight, pressing another, longer kiss to his cheek. “I’m sorry, Daddy. That sucks.”

His chuckle was slightly less bitter that time–slightly. “Yeah, sweetie, it really does.” He sighed and looked away for a moment.

“I guess both of us aren’t having any luck at relationships lately,” she said, feeling awkward.

Daddy nodded. “Looks that way.”

Alex wasn’t sure what to say next. She looked down and suddenly noticed something that, in retrospect, should’ve been more obvious at the beginning. “Um…Daddy?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Are you…” She squirmed, pursing her lips as she gestured down to his waist. “Why are you…” She looked around, immediately feeling silly for it, since they were alone. “Naked?” She even whispered the last word.

Daddy snorted. “Generally, folks whisper when they’re worried about other people overhearing, Lex.”

“Well, you’re still naked!”

“It’s my house, dear. You came to visit me, remember?”

She wilted under his long stare, looking down. “That’s true, I guess.”

Daddy’s chuckle was bitter-free as he kissed her cheek and patted her knee. “I told you I was going on vacation again in a couple of weeks, remember?”

“Yeah.” Daddy took the same vacation every year; it had turned into a regular thing, him up and vanishing for a week or so near the end of August. “I remember.”

“There’s a resort down south I sometimes like to visit. I was planning on taking Michele with me again. But now…” He blew out a breath. “Now I’ve got an extra ticket I can’t get reimbursed for. I’m still going, but I wasn’t planning on flying solo this time.”

“What does that have to do with you being nude?” She still whispered the last word, ignoring his amused look.

“Parts of the resort are nude, sweetie. The nomenclature is ‘clothing-optional’ these days.” He wiggled two pairs of fingers for effect. “I was just getting back into the habit at home before the trip, that’s all. Michele didn’t visit those parts with me, but at least she was willing to go.”

“And now you don’t have anybody,” Alex said. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

He nilüfer escort waved a hand. “That’s alright, I’ve gone by myself before. It just feels like a waste of a reservation… Hell, you could come with me, if you wanted to.”

“Me?!” Her voice squeaked so badly it was almost inaudible.

“Why not? The room’s already bought and paid for. The plane ticket’s a loss, but I can get another–assuming you come with me.”

“I…” Alex pushed some hair back over her ear, suddenly faced with a decision she couldn’t have begun to plan for. “I don’t know, Dad–“

“Look, it’s fine.” He raised a hand to stop her, then kept a grip on his towel as he stood up. “It’d only be for a week and or so near the end of the month. Think it over, call your boss or whatever, make sure your roommate’s fine with uninterrupted, loud sex for a few days if you decide to go–that sort of thing.”

“Daddy!” Alex went hot all over. Her father was always a little loose with his tongue, but he wasn’t usually so blatant as that.

Daddy smirked. “We both know that’s what they’re doing, honey. I’m going back inside to change. You can stay here tonight. Just think it over.” With that said, Daddy turned and walked back to the house, letting himself inside and leaving the door cracked for her.

It was still hot outside, but Alex didn’t follow him in–she stared into the blue waters of the pool, puzzling over his surprise invitation. Alex hadn’t had a real vacation since she was a teenager, after her mother Louise died; Daddy told her to pack her bags and they were gone, taking off to Seattle on a surprise trip. Alex had cried into her pillow every night, remembering her mother wasting away in a hospital bed. Father and daughter used that trip to grieve, and to spend some long, quality time together. It was one of the best memories she had, something she thought back to for comfort when she needed it–they were just a pair of tourists, not having to care about sickness or bills, not caring who saw them or anyone asking uncomfortable questions.

On the other hand, a nude resort…well, “clothing-optional.” That meant she didn’t have to go places she didn’t want to go, right? Alex thought of herself as a very private kind of person, someone who didn’t even like showering without the bathroom door locked. Her father had no such hang-ups, though; she envied him for that. Alex wished she didn’t feel so squeamish about her own body.

A whole week away was a long time, but was it really? It might be another chance at a good memory, an opportunity to bond with him in a way they hadn’t had since she’d moved out. And she hadn’t taken a day off all year.

It was late in the day, but Alex had her phone. And it wouldn’t hurt just to check if she had the time available, right? The mental checklist in her mind began to scratch itself out, one item at a time.

No vacation in years? Check.

Time to spend with Daddy? Check.

Enough time off? Check.

Available disposable income? Check.

No other calendar conflicts with colleagues? Check.

No boyfriend to have to explain things to? Triple-check.

Alex stared at her phone when she was done, but she was looking right through it, asking herself the most obvious question of them all: did she really want to go?

The sun was nearly set by that time. Alex needed to cool off, so she finally stood up and headed for the house. By the time she reached the back door, she already had her answer.

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