Baby Daddies - Tara Brown Page 0,74

amongst the dozens of cars and trucks parked at the seaside hall.

“Well, let’s get this over with,” Dad laments and climbs out, getting the door for me. He smiles at me. “You look so much like your mother it shocks me sometimes.” He leans in and offers a simple kiss on my cheek and walks away like he hasn’t just offered me the greatest compliment of all time.

“You’re reaching there, Dad.” Josh snorts and follows him, giving me a cheeky look.

I flip him off and walk after them.

As we open the doors and Dad walks in, the huge room erupts in streamers and horns and people shouting, “Happy Birthday!”

Dad feigns surprise in the best way.

Judith gushes and kisses him. Her smile and the way she stares at him are genuine, and as much as I hate to admit it, she loves my father.

And then as always, it happens, the onslaught occurs. The focus drifts from my father to his two remarkable children. Aunts, uncles, cousins, family friends, and strangers come out of the woodwork to flatter us over gold medals and famous musicians and how grown we both are. How proud they all are. How proud our father must be. And worst of all, how proud our mother would be.

It’s intense and overwhelming and makes me wish I’d dressed differently. I stand out like a sore thumb, especially in my heels which make me six feet tall.

Sarah is sitting in the corner with her fiancé, her eyebrows are drawn and there isn’t a single person trying to talk to her. Judith loses some of the glow she had when Dad walked in. Josh and I are too much. We’re circus freaks. We steal all the limelight.

That needs to end now.

I grab a glass from the trays of champagne being walked around by servers and a butter knife from the buffet that’s set up without the food yet. Tapping my glass, I walk to the stage and prepare myself for the ultimate spin, pasting a smile on my face. A work smile.

“Can I get your attention, please?” I say loudly as I turn on the mic. It makes a sound before it settles, drawing all eyes this way. “I just want to say happy birthday, Dad. You’ve always been such a rock for Josh and Sarah and me, with everything our families have been through. And Judith, I want to thank you for loving my dad as much as you do. You are an amazing woman and this party with all his friends and family is proof of that. Thank you for making him feel special and including everyone who is important to him.”

Josh lifts an eyebrow but I ignore him and force my smile wider.

“I can comfortably speak for Josh and myself when I say we are so grateful for you and Sarah, our sister. You complete our family. So from all of us, thank you, and happy birthday, Dad. Cheers!”

The glasses lift, Judith beams as she kisses him, Sarah even smiles at me. Josh chokes but pretends it’s the champagne. Dad’s face is red but he stands and walks to me. “Kiss ass,” he whispers as he gives me a quick squeeze before he takes the mic and lifts his drink. “Thank you, Jenny. And yes, thank you, Judith. You are the light of my life. This is wonderful. What more can a guy ask for on his birthday than to be surrounded by his friends and family? I love you all, thank you for coming!” He lifts his drink and everyone toasts him again.

“That was amazing,” Josh mutters. “I actually believed you.”

“I’m skilled at lying, Joshy.” I nudge him. “It is my job after all.”

“Jesus.” He drinks the flute and then takes my full one and walks away laughing.

“Jenny,” Sarah says loudly as she walks the tall drink of water she’s holding hands with over to me. “This is Bradly. Bradly, this is Jenny, my stepsister.”

He offers a hand but his smile isn’t convincing enough. Clearly, he is stuck on a version of me Sarah has told him of. “Lovely to meet you,” he says.

“You too. So where did you guys meet?” I ask as if I don’t know the story. As if Judith hasn’t told it a hundred times.

“On a flight. I was going to Vegas for a friend’s bachelor party and she was seated next to me. By the time we landed I’d convinced her to meet me for dinner.” He glances at Sarah and there