Page 75 of It's Complicated

She also looked like she was my age.

My father preferred younger women. My mother was almost fifteen years younger than him, and most of his dates and the women I’d seen him with fell around a twenty-year age gap.

Brianna was way younger than any of those women, and I barely managed to keep my expression neutral as she approached us, beaming a big smile at my dad and waving like she was welcoming him home from a long voyage.

“Walter,” she exclaimed, hurrying up to my dad’s side and bending to plant a kiss on his lips.

I looked away as the kiss went on for an uncomfortably long time.

“I missed you,” she purred as she finally stopped sucking my dad’s face.

“Me too, darling.” Dad’s soft voice and goofy smile were nauseating.

This was the same man who used to brag about making his subordinates cry and called married men whipped. Guess he’d changed his tune in the last eight months.

“Isaac,” my dad admonished when Brianna walked to the chair beside him.

“Allow me,” I said on reflex, standing so I could pull her chair out for her.

I didn’t bother pointing out that my father was perfectly capable of hauling his ass up and playing gentleman himself. It was a power move, nothing more.

“Aren’t you just the sweetest.” Brianna beamed a smile at me and tossed her long blond waves over her shoulder. “Hi, I’m Brianna, but everyone calls me Bri, with anI.”

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Isaac.” I put out my hand for her to shake, still reeling from everything my dad had thrown at me in the last ten minutes.

“Handshakes are for business deals and strangers.” She threw herself into my arms. “Families hug.”

The overwhelming scent of beauty products and perfume made my eyes water and my nose itch. Dutifully, I hugged her back, keeping my body angled away from hers so there was some space between us.

I wasn’t a hugger and being forced to hug people I’d just met made me incredibly uncomfortable. My dad knew that, but he either hadn’t informed Bri with anI, or she didn’t care. Both were equally bad in my mind.

“Walter has told me so much about you,” she gushed, finally letting me go. “I feel like I already know you.” She tittered out a laugh that sounded as fake as a seven-dollar bill.

“All good things, I hope,” I quipped, pulling out her chair.

“Of course.” She let out another of those fake laughs and slid onto the seat so I could help push it in.

My father was glaring daggers at me as I sat back in my chair. I ignored him. I was playing nice, and that was about as much as he could expect from me right now.

“Can I just say that I’m so excited to finally meet you?” Bri said brightly. “I promise I’ll be the best bonus mom to you that I can.”

I managed to not visibly react to that statement. Having a woman I’d just met and never knew existed call herself my bonus mom was more than a little off-putting.

“And I can’t wait until you meet your new brother or sister,” she added, putting one hand on her stomach.

This time I failed to keep my face blank.

My jaw dropped, and I let out a sound that was a cross between a cough and a gag.

Brianna was pregnant?

At least the expedited wedding made sense now.

“Darling,” my dad chided her playfully. “I hadn’t gotten around to telling Isaac about that yet.”

“Oops.” She looked between us sheepishly. “I’m so sorry, Wally. I’m just so excited I couldn’t wait to say something.”

“I understand.” He smiled indulgently at her. “Of course you’re excited. I am too.” He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “I can’t remember the last time I was this happy.”

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