Dad is strict need heLp !!

So I’m 16 and i Only live with my dad and grandma I am a only child . He does have a gf but she lives in Mexico and visits when she can. The issue is I want to introduce someone to him and I’m scared. He’s strict and always wants me to be his little girl. The guy I want to introduce is someone that we went from being friends to something more and he is willing to meet my dad. My dad sorta knows bc he saw a message in my phone once and wouldn’t stop bugging me about him and would ask question so I said do you want to meet him and he said not yet . How do i tell my dad about him ? I really think he is my last boyfriend and we have talked these things very seriously so now it’s just my dad i don’t want to hide it and him find out on his own . Any ideas how I could possible tell my dad and let them meet and spend time together he is older than me by a year and is a seniors this year and I’m a junior . PLEASE HELPPP