The next day my dad says he'll pop round to give me the tent for our trip. He said he couldn't get off any time in the week but today suits him and I've got nothing better to do. William shuts the restaurants on Sundays, says that we should be spending it with our loved ones and not working our asses off. I really respect him for that.

My dad used to love going camping, hiking, you name it. That's why he's adamant he has to explain how to put up this tent properly as it doesn't come with instructions, he lost it long ago. Although I'm sure the two brains of me and River could figure out how to pitch a tent, my father doesn't think so.

I take my phone out from my pocket and quickly drop him a text.

Alex: Hey, my dads coming round to drop the tent. Says that he has to show me how to put it up because there are no instructions and 'apparently' we won't know how to do it otherwise.

River: Yikes, sounds like an absolute chore. Shall I come round and witness the demonstration too?

Alex: If you want. My dad is lovely but can sometimes be very overbearing.

River: I'm good with parents.

River: Except my own.

River: haha

I wince at his own joke. At least he can attempt to laugh about it. Acceptance is the first stage of moving on and I know River is beyond acceptance, now he gets on with his life and I truly admire him for that.

Alex: My dad will love you. Be prepared for a million different questions.

River: I've already got myself prepared, don't worry about it.

River: When should I come by?

Alex: Now? He should be here in like 10 mins. Are you busy?

River: Never busy for you.

I'm blushing. How am I fucking blushing when he's halfway down the hall?

I put down the phone and quickly look at myself in the reflection of my living room mirror. I don't usually care about my appearance but ever since we got a little dirty on his sofa last night, all I want to do is impress and I'm not even embarrassed about it.

There is a knock at my door and it must be River, my father would text me to say he was downstairs. I walk across my apartment and open the door, I stare back into River's green eyes and I'm flushing pink all over again.

He drops his gaze down my outfit and he cringes. "Shit, was I supposed to dress a little more formal?"

I glance at his own attire, usual hoodie and jeans with his black converse. I've always liked him like this, comfy but effortlessly cool. Even his dark brown hair is slightly swept back with damp strands.

My head shakes. "No. No. Not at all," I laugh lightly. "I just felt like putting a shirt on."

"Okay. You look good." River smiles and steps inside. Once I shut the door he turns to me. "Your father knows we can put up a tent ourselves, right? He doesn't think we're too dumb to be able to put up a tent?"

This time I laugh louder. "He's just trying to over-help. He knows we can put up a tent, Riv. Trust me, I've done it with him a thousand times before. He's just being sure that we don't get there and we panic without the instructions."

"That's kind of him," he smiles in my direction. "What's your dad's name?"

"Mark."

"I should have guessed. I'm sure all fathers across England are only called five different names."

My cheeks hurt from smiling. "Right, you have Gary."

"And Dave. There is always a Dave."

I point at him. "Definitely. Paul too, that's a very popular one."

River grins at me. "And last but not least, Nigel."

My eyebrows crease with amusement. "Nigel?"

"Yeah," he nods confidently. "Maybe more grandad vibes."

I breathe a slow breath through my nose and walk towards him, slowly I lean and press a soft kiss to his lips. "Thanks for coming over," I mumble.

"And miss meeting your awesome dad? Absolutely not."

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I look down at it. He's outside. I drop him a message with the combination number outside, I'm sure he remembers the number of my apartment from when I first moved in.

Soon there is another knock on the door and River stands out of the way so I can greet my father. When I open the door he stands there, greying hair but still looks incredible for his age and even after my brother's death.

"Hi, son," he grins and opens his arms.

"Hey, dad," I wrap my arms around him. "Missed you."

"Missed you more, my boy."

I bring him inside and shut the door. "Errr, dad this is River. He's my neighbour and good friend."

My dad's light blue eyes lock on River and he grins brightly. "River, this is my dad Mark." I introduce them both to each other.

River steps forward and holds out his hand. "Nice to meet you, sir."

"Sir?" My father chuckles deeply. "Call me Mark, honestly. It's good to meet you too, River."

They shake hands but before River can escape anywhere, my father drags him in for a hug. He's always been affectionate like that and makes an effort with hellos and goodbyes, he says it's the most important interaction as it's the first and last thing you see of the person.

"Where shall I put this?" He raises the bag with the tent inside.

I point to the door. "There will do. Drink, dad?"

"Sure," he nods anc places it on the floor. "A cuppa will do."

"River?"

River turns to me and smiles. "Yeah, thank you."

I head to the kitchen as my father takes a seat on the sofa, River following his lead. "So River," he starts already as I flick on the kettle. "You're Alex's neighbour?"

"Yeah, right down the hall. We got on like a house on fire, didn't we?"

"He saved my lazy ass a couple times."

My dad tilts his head. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't have any Wi-Fi and ran out of data so he let me use his. There was also a power cut and he took me in to watch a movie on his laptop that he had downloaded," I explain as I bring down three mugs from the shelf. "He's not a bad guy."

I notice how River smiles at this. "Alex is not so bad himself."

"Alex is incredible," my dad says loudly. "I'm so proud of him."

My heart warms instantly and River nods at my father. "I'm proud of him too."

Now I'm completely melted into a puddle on the floor. "So tell me about yourself, River. What do you do?"

I wait for the kettle to boil as I start preparing the drinks. River explains to my father about his youth work, about helping children get a better future, and some of the projects he leads within the town.

"Sounds like my boy," my dad says after a few moments. "He loved working in the community, helping kids do the same as you."

"Liam," River's voice dips. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

My dad's eyes fixate on the floor at the mention of my brother. "You knew him?"

"I worked with him a couple times."

The room is silent for a few moments and I realise my father is registering this information. He's probably going to choose to ignore it because I know how much he hates talking about Liam in front of other people.

"Well," he rasps and sits up against the back of the sofa. I bring over the drinks and place them down onto the coffee table, both of them thanking me at the same time. "I'm pleased to hear that you really care about the children of this town, River. It's really great. Do you like it?"

"I love it," River admits as I perch on the edge of the sofa arm beside him. "It's tough at times but it's always worth it."

The wrinkles around my dad's eyes begin to crease as he nods. "I'm glad you enjoy it. What about you, son? The new job."

I nod with a shrug. "Yeah, it's good. Pays the bills and is a stepping stone. Not much to it."

"Owner nice?"

I hum as River turns to glance at me. "Yeah, he's wonderful. Doesn't allow us to work Sunday's so that proves what kind of guy he is."

"Pleased to hear it, the both of you. I'm so happy you've found home in this town, Alex."

My chest can hear my father's sincerity. He didn't want me to move here in fear that it'll make matters worse but he still let me do it anyway because it's my choice and he'll support me any other way. I'd be lost without him.

He leans over to take his coffee. "Right, let's have a sip of these and I can show you how to put up the tent."

River nods in agreement. "I'm ready."

"Better be," he stands up and walks to the tent, patting it on the front. "Because this baby is a work of art."

I roll my eyes with a smile. "Dad, it's just a tent."

"No," he points a finger at me. "Just not any tent. It's the best tent in this entire world. It needs to be treated with care."

My eyes glance to River's and he's clearly amused by the situation. "Alright, we'll treat it with care."

And for the next hour, I want to dig my eyeballs out because the tent doesn't need instructions. We could have worked it out on our own but I let my father take the lead regardless.

❖ ❖ ❖

My dad leaves a few hours later, he doesn't stop talking but River keeps his conversation going. The two of them might as well have been left in a dark room and they'd still find light from the conversation.

When the door shuts I turn to River. "So yeah..." I trail off. "That's my dad."

River's arm rests on the back of the sofa. "He's lovely. You're very lucky to have a father who cares for you and loves you like he does."

I sit down beside him remembering his relationship with his own father. "I know," I nod in agreement. "He always gave us everything we ever needed. So supportive."

"What a man," he smiles back at me.

My eyes narrow in his direction. "Don't tell me you fancy my father."

River extends his next to the ceiling and releases a loud laugh. "Wow," he shuffles closer to me and cups my knee. "I mean he has great use of tents, so many tips for young people. But I have to say, he's not my type."

"What is your type?"

"You."

His eyes sparkle with honesty and playfulness. I shove his shoulder anyway because I can feel heat beginning to creep up my neck.

"I don't think I've ever asked this before," he clears his throat and moves his hand to interlink with mine, offering a small squeeze. "What happened to your mum?"

I inhale gently. "She didn't want to know after I was born," I admit. "Said that having children was too much of a commitment and that she couldn't deal with the responsibility."

River's eyes soften with empathy. "Oh. I'm sorry."

My shoulders raise and I release them. "I was too young to remember her but I wouldn't change anything for the world. Our dad brought us up just fine. He's dating someone else now and he's happy, that's all I ever wanted for him."

He nods and drags his thumb across my knuckles in a long motion. "She lost out."

"Sure did." I prompt. "And your mum, she passed away?"

River's throat clenches for a brief second. "Yeah. She died when I was seven."

Now it's my turn for my expression to crumble. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he shakes his head. "We lose people we love but that doesn't mean we can't live on. You know that too. But I'm just grateful I got to know her a little bit before she died. Part of me thinks it was better that way considering how nasty my father turned out to be."

I lean forward and kiss his warm cheek with a light brush. "Do you think your father became the man he was because she died?"

River nods after a few moments of silence. "Yeah. I think so but who knows? He might have been an asshole from the get go. I was too young to understand their relationship when I was a child."

"Of course," I say in agreement.

He turns to me and glances down at my lips. "But I don't need a father or a mother," he says with the ghost of a smile. "I have my sister, I have my amazing friends and most importantly I have you." He pecks my lips. "And your dad."

I pull back with a gasp. "I knew you fancied him."

River chuckles loudly again, it fills the room and it brings me so much needed joy. "I'm messing, I'm messing."

"Are you looking forward to the trip?

His eyes roam my face before he places his palm against my cheek, brushing my skin with his thumb. He watches the action in awe. "I am, a lot."

"Me too," I hum in agreement. "It'll be good for us."

"Do you reckon your dad will be mad if we do what we did last night but in his tent?"

I nuzzle my head into his with a laugh. "Not if he doesn't find out."

River's mouth stretches into the wildest grin. "Don't think he'd ever forgive us if he found out we did bits in his precious tent. Guess we'll have to leave no traces after."

"Impossible with how much you bust," I joke.

His eyes narrow at me with shock. "I haven't had anyone touch me in a very long time. Thank you very much."

"I've never had anyone touch me, ever. I think I win this one."

"Whatever," he dips his head so that our lips brush and I tremble at the sensation.

"Whatever."

❖ ❖ ❖

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Author's Note

Hello my loves, what did we think of this chapter?👉🏼👉🏼👉🏼

I adore Mark hahah he's such a nice guy

Alex and River's flirty banter will have me on the floor and I can't help but think how much River brings Alex out of his shell.🥰 Such a perfect match!

Don't forget to vote, it makes my day!🌟

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