im 15 and have stupid boy problems abd dad problems

I have recently found out that my best friend like me and he know i like him our friends keep trying to get us together and it is making it awkward. all I hear day in day out is oh ye should date or omg cake is so cute ( cake is the ship name for us ) I'm just afraid to (A) ruin the friendship because he's the only person who knows how to make me laugh on my worse days and I would never want to lose him (B) tell my dad about wanting to date. I'm a daddy's girl I'm his favourite and I have always said I was never interested in boys I'm a total tomboy we go all around the country together supporting a soccer team and although we have a good relationship he is still really overprotective of me . What should I do I don't want my friend to lose interest in me but don't want my dad to think of me differently please help