BE MY DADDY...
Pining for an older man with a collection of sexy childhood crushes, Sav Harrison, 25, knew what she wanted – and boy did she find the perfect gentleman...
Rummaging around in my bag, I had a realisation that I’d forgotten something. ‘You’re going to have to pretend to be my dad,’ I hushed as we approached the till with a bottle of wine in hand. ‘I haven’t got my ID.’
Able to hold himself with grand confidence and a glimmer of grey showing through in his stubble, I knew that Mars wouldn’t have a problem.
‘Ah this is for me, she’s my daughter,’ he grinned as I nodded innocently.
And coming out of the supermarket with a bottle of wine in hand, we’d done it.
Only, it wasn’t the first time that Mars had found himself in this position.
‘Can you go and get your father to hurry up,’ the shop assistant insisted when we’d been out clothes shopping together.
‘You’ve made my day,’ I laughed. ‘He’s not my dad, he’s actually my husband!’
While it was clear that Mars was older than me, the age gap wasn’t quite what people would assume – he’s 22 years my senior!
Something that I’d been pining to achieve since my teens – forget other boys my age, I needed a real man.
Plastering my bedroom walls with the likes of David Tennant and Robert Downey Jr, not forgetting Kiefer Sutherland, too, there was just something about an older gentleman that I couldn’t get out of my head.
So when it came to downloading Tinder in 2017, when I turned 18, I knew what I had to do.
Setting the age preference from 28 to 58, I wasn’t looking for silly boys who thought that grooming was just a chore.
Maybe I’ll find my own David Tennant...
Not checking the app regularly, swiping left with very slim pickings available, that’s when one profile stood out to me in particular. Mars, 40. Now you are really pretty, I thought. Perhaps a little too pretty for me…
And looking at Mars’ photos, his snaps were screaming well to do.
Initially sparking up conversation that was all on a surface level, I can’t really remember who spoke first or what was said, but it was just the start of getting to know one another.
We both loved ‘80s music and I filled him in on my obsession for Alice Cooper.
And so, adding me on Facebook, the pair of us kept up with one another’s lives over on there instead.
However, life was busy and while Mars would send some messages, I’d leave him hanging for weeks at a time – it was very on and off.
Only, on a night out with my friends in Sydney, Australia, someone very unexpected was there.
‘There’s a super-hot guy at the bar looking at you,’ my friend pointed when we arrived.
‘OMG! It’s him – it’s that guy from Facebook,’ I squealed, running straight to the dancefloor to hide.
What were the odds that we’d actually bump into one another that night?!
‘You’re so much more beautiful in real life,’ a husky voice said, as a hand wrapped me on the dance floor.
‘Yeah, obviously. I know that,’ I smirked – some absurd confidence radiating from me as I turned to face Mars.
And after grabbing a drink together, we ended up in another club after Mars landed some VIP passes.
When the night was over, I went back to Mars’ swanky, waterfront high-rise flat and he was a gentleman.
Offering me his bed, as he took himself to go and sleep on the sofa, he gave me a glass of water before my head hit the pillow for the night.
And when waking up the next morning, I grabbed my
things, ready to dash.
Kissing me on the lips before my swift escape, it was just a peck, but boy was I excited.
Wow, I thought. Feeling the strangest sensation all over my entire body.
This guy really is the one for you!
It was something that I’d never felt before.
And after that moment, I was obsessed.
With Mars having set his dating preference from 18 to 65, age was just a number.
And arranging to meet once or twice a week, we’d grab a bottle of wine and talk for hours before cracking on and getting down to business.
Within a month, I knew I was falling in love with him.
‘What? He’s 22 years older?’ some of my friends asked. ‘Are you surprised?’ I said. Only, there was one person I wasn’t so sure on telling. However, I didn’t have to… Looking after my mum Sandy’s house while she was away, I’d asked Mars to come and stay for a few nights.
And after spending the evening together, Mars went to grab something from the living room completely naked with what I can only describe as a full morning wood.
‘Be quiet,’ I’m getting a call from Mum, I hushed as Mars walked back into the room.
‘There’s an old man in my living room with his penis out!’ Mum screamed after spotting Mars on the nest cam.
‘Get him out of my house before I get home,’ she yelled.
It wasn’t quite the interaction I’d imagined when I thought about Mars and Mum meeting.
But despite everything, after two amazing years, Mars and I moved in together.
It was only actually then that we described ourselves as an official couple!
During that time, Mum finally got to see Mars for the gentleman that he was.
She loved him, even after the whole blunder.
And Mars’ family are a real dream – all equally eccentric.
I didn’t believe in marriage, but Mars showed me that he was there to support me, rather than compete with me.
He was so affectionate and patient with me – always my biggest supporter.
Plus, we had so many fun adventures together.
Over time, my thoughts on marriage began to change.
And apparently I wasn’t the only one thinking about it.
‘Pick a date,’ Mars asked over breakfast one morning in late 2020.
‘What do you mean?’ I said, checking the calendar.
‘I think we’re ready – pick a date,’ he insisted.
‘Well, I can do this?’ I said. ‘No, that doesn’t work for me,’ Mars joked.
The whole situation was so laidback and chilled, just like Mars – I never expected anything less.
And just four months later, on 20 February last year, we tied the knot in our back garden – the whole thing cost just £3,000 in total.
Telling our 70 guests to wear whatever they wanted and to bring their own own wine, we didn’t want anything fancy.
We didn’t need to put on a show for anyone.
Being with me is like being with a feral cat and trying to tame it – so Mars is constantly in for a real treat.
When out in public, there are only some rare occasions where people will say something or make a judgement.
And when people genuinely mistake us for a father and daughter duo, it makes my day.
However, I do worry that there will be an extended period of my life, when I’m older, that I won’t have Mars by my side due to our age difference.
In the future we would love to start a family, but right now we’re continuing to travel and spend our