All the important things, huh? Just a month ago Brynn would have agreed. Just a month ago, her dad’s words could have come out of Brynn’s own mouth.
But now…
“Dad, did you just call me boring?”
His mouth paused in chewing a piece of some fancy deli meat and Marnie’s head shot up as they both stared at her. “Of course not,” her father said, his face the picture of confusion. “I thought I was complimenting you.”
She gave a small smile. In his mind, he probably had thought that. To the Daltons, there was no greater compliment than “reliable.” It was the reason Brynn had always gotten along so well with her parents while Sophie had ruffled feathers with every job she’d quit on a whim.
And speaking of…
“Where’s Soph?”
Marnie let out the tiniest of sighs. “Not coming. If it’s not one daughter avoiding me, it’s the other.”
Brynn didn’t resist the eye roll. “Laying it on just a little thick, Mom.”
Still, she was a little surprised that Sophie hadn’t mentioned not coming to the Sunday dinner. They usually gave each other a heads-up before leaving the other alone with the parents.
“Did she say why?”
Marnie shrugged. “Something about not being in the mood for fireworks. I can never follow that girl.”
Brynn’s eyebrow went up. Fireworks? At a Dalton family dinner? The closest they’d ever come to that was when Sophie had completely lost her shit and accused them all of belittling her existence.
It had been a spectacular explosion.
And, sadly, completely justified.
The front door opened and Brynn felt a little jolt of relief. Apparently Sophie had changed her mind.
She got up to greet her sister and dodge any more James was the best talks, but she froze when she heard a familiar laugh. And not Sophie’s.
Her skin went hot. Then cold.
Oh. Hell. No.
“Will’s coming to dinner?” She practically choked out the question, but her parents barely noticed. The entire family had learned to turn a blind eye to Brynn and Will’s angry history. Probably because they didn’t even have a clue what that history entailed.
“Of course he’s coming,” Marnie said with a scolding look. “He’s always been part of the family. He’s been here almost every Sunday since moving back to town.”
Her mother left it there, but Brynn heard what was unsaid. Unlike you.
So Will had been going to her family’s family dinners without her. The thought was unnerving. Had he said anything about her?
But Brynn rapidly realized that her parents were the least of her worries.
Because Will wasn’t alone.
Despite what Brynn liked to think of as her exacting standards, she generally tried not to judge other women.
But this one? This one was a bimbo.
The hair was dark brown with too-light highlights, not even remotely trying to hide the fact that the color was obviously fake. The long coral fingernails…also fake. The spider eyelashes? Fake. The “designer” purse? Fake. The boobs? Definitely fake.
In other words, here was Will’s dream girl. It made sense that he was hanging out with this creature. He’d probably needed to detox from all of Brynn’s class and sophistication.
Don’t look at him. Don’t look at him.