Chapter 01

Relax, Avery, it might not be as bad as you think,” My dear father said as he moved around the living room, checking if everything was in place like he wanted.

I whined. “Yeah… but, Dad, it might not be bad for you. It would be fabulous for you, on the other hand, na-uh, I'm already dreading this.”

He sighed and sat on the couch beside me, “Honey, I know it's not easy for you, but can you please try for me?”

I looked at his face; at 46, he looked like someone in their fifties. Work and responsibilities have made him older than his actual age, especially after the divorce.

I blinked my blue eyes at his matching ones, “I guess, but Dad, I can't guarantee anything. Like you know that I want this for you and I'm happy for you, but it's just a big change, and I'm just not sure if I'll be able to adapt to it,” I replied, knowing very well that he knew my fears.

He met Carla, his fiancée, last year on Christmas.

She is a good lady, 43, and a single mother.

Has a body to die for, thanks to her Spanish origin and the Pilates she raves about.

I've only met her a couple of times, and from what I gathered from those meetings is that she's not after my father's money and is genuinely interested in him, unlike the other women my father dated before her.

You see… she's good. What isn't good is that barely a year into the relationship, my father proposed to her, and now they are engaged and about to get married.

But before they tie the knot, they want to see if we can all coexist as a family or not.

So they decided that Carla and her son Liam, whom I have neither met nor seen, would live with us in our home.

And this change is what scares me. All my life, it had just been me and my father and sometimes Aunt Natalie, who visited us from time to time, one of the two mother figures in my life.

My Dad has always been lonely, ever since my mom decided to divorce him when I was three because “it wasn't for her”. I have always seen him taking responsibility, not only providing for me but also always trying his hardest to be there for me, whether it be my musicals or my gymnastics, he was always present there. He never made work as an excuse.

And now that he was finally happy with a partner, I wanted to let him live that happiness without being an obstacle.

But God!!! It was hard adjusting to strangers. And my introverted personality didn't leave much to adjust.

I sighed and raised my arms to hug him, to which he reciprocated, “I'm sorry, Dad. I'll try. Just promise me that these new changes will never affect us,” I asked.

I heard him chuckling over my head before I felt his hand caress the brown hair that fell on my back, “Never, Princess, you'll always be my number one,” He said and kissed my head.

“Now get up, they should be reaching here any moment now.”

And just as he said that, a G Wagon was crossing the gates of our house and pulling into the front of our Garage.

Carla stepped out from the passenger side of the car, and even before she could take a step in our direction, my Dad was already there scooping her up in his arms and hugging her.

It was so strange seeing a 6”1 big guy like him showing such raw and gentle emotions on his face. It never felt that weird because I was always on the receiving end of his gentleness, but now that I was looking at it from an outsider’s perspective, it not only looked weird, but I could also feel a little jealousy brewing inside me. I have never had to share him with anyone.

But they did look adorable together.

They've been apart for two months because her son graduated from Oxford and she had to go to London to attend his graduation ceremony, after which they took a vacation around Europe before coming back home to California.

As my Dad put her down and bent his head to kiss her, I averted my gaze from them in respect and saw one of the greatest species of a man I had ever laid eyes upon.

Dressed in khaki cargo and a black fitted tee was her son (I assumed), dragging out their suitcases from the back.

And God forbid if I didn't imagine his veiny tattooed arms wrapped around my neck.

“Avery!!!” An exclamation of my name brought my attention back to Carla, who was now hugging me. I hugged her back and welcomed her.

“Avery, come and meet Liam, your brother!” She said before dragging me towards him.

Brother didn't sound kinda gross in my head.

“Liam, meet your sister Avery.”

I looked up at Liam, his more than a six-foot build towered over my 5”7.

He extended his hand, “Nice to finally meet you, Avery. My mom talks a load about you,” he said with a little smile on his face.

I smiled back before reaching out to shake his hand, “Nice to meet you as well. And don't say that in front of my Dad, he might get jealous.”

On that, we all shared a laugh.

My dad and Carla relished in the “happy” moment while I relished in the feel of his grip on my hand.

And Liam didn't seem to mind it as he didn't avert his dark brown eyes from mine.

“Okay, kids!! Let's get this all settled in,” my Dad's voice brought me out of my mind, and I released his hand.

Dad and Liam took out the suitcases from the car, and we all headed inside the house.

It took a while before everyone settled in.

There was some time before dinner was served, and I wanted to escape, so I asked Dad, and he was very happy to allow me, as it meant some alone time with Carla for him.

Liam was already settling into his new room.

Their love sometimes made me want to barf. Not because it was cringe, but they were both just hopelessly romantic in love. And it just reminded me of my dry romantic life.

I guess that's why they didn't waste time and got engaged.

Lying on my bed, I picked up the novel that I was reading previously when I felt the sudden cramp in my lower abdomen that you feel just before your periods knock.

I put my head on the pillow and groaned before standing up and deciding to go to the common bathroom on my floor, because that's where I stored my essentials for now, as the attached bathroom in my room was going through some renovation.

As I made my way to the bathroom, I passed by Liam's room. Yes, we were on the same floor; my Dad's and Carla's room was on the first floor.

By habit, I didn't knock on the door and opened it with a push.

Not regretting it one bit when my eyes trailed upon Liam's wet nakedness.