“But Atlas…” She tried to look through the SUV but tinted windows didn’t give anything up.
“I’ll be there in a minute.” His voice exuded complete control.
While she was distracted, Phoenix leaned close and whispered. “You don’t think she’s pregnant do you?”
“Penny? Yeah, but we’ll?—”
“No, I mean her.” He tilted his head to Brynn.
I busted out laughing. So it was possible to further complicate our family. Remembering that I’d asked to take the lead on this reveal, I stepped toward the house, motioning for Brynn to see us in.
Crossing the threshold, she said, “Go easy.”
“Sounds like something we could all do,” I said, planting the seed.
She stutter stepped, causing Phoenix and me to pile up behind her in the grand entry. She turned. “Is everything okay? On the phone you said…”
“Never been better.”
Her eyes lit up. “Did you meet someone?”
“You could say that.”
She glanced at Phoenix. “All of you or just Everest?”
He shrugged, a smile playing on his lips. It was so funny to see him try to repress excitement. “All of us.”
Brynn clapped quietly then her smile dropped. “And Penny? She was so tight-lipped. Didn’t tell me anything except when she’d get home. I made sure her friends were going to be there to check on her.”
“You did?” I asked.
“I felt bad, not being there. But she obviously didn’t want to talk to her mom about her sex life. I wanted her to have someone.”
“You should probably trust her more.” I fought the urge to spill our secret.
“What does that mean?”
“She’s pretty amazing.”
Brynn studied me for a beat too long. I diverted my gaze to the credenza along the entry wall. There was a new photo collage. A wedding collage to be more specific. And our dad wasn’t the only groom.
What the fuck?
My mouth dropped open but I couldn’t get the question out.
She followed my gaze and stepped between me and the photos. “This isn’t going to plan. I meant to breeze right past that. Remember to be nice.”
This woman was too much. Maybe that’s why Dad had brought his best friend in. She hurried ahead, waving frantically for us to follow.
Phoenix went first. I looked over my shoulder, but Atlas and Penny hadn’t surfaced. Needing to hear this from our own dad’s mouth, I followed Brynn. If this was real, bringing Penny in wouldn’t be a big deal, would it?
Dad was rubbing the back of his neck when we got to the living room. He jumped up from the couch and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Hey, boys, where’s Atlas? We need to talk.”
“He’s outside. Let me get this straight. You and Wesley are in a ménage with Penny’s mom?”
Dad stumbled over his answer several times, something I’d never experienced.
“It’s okay, Dad. I’m fine with that. I just wish you would have told us.”
