Stepbrother Untouchable Read Free Page B

mom says,
cutting through the fog of emotion in my brain.
    “H-Hi. Nate. Brynn. I'm Brynn,” I stammer as he glances
over at me.
    “Brynn, pleasure to meet you,” he replies formally. Wait,
does he not even remember meeting me last night?
    “Well, scooch over Brynn, so Nate can sit,” Mom says, waving
me over with her hands.
    “Right, sorry,” I say, sliding over so that he can sit next
to me. I stare straight ahead as he sits. I can feel my body betraying me
already. The heat from his leg under the table is giving me heart palpitations.
    “Thought you weren't going to be able to make it,” Pierce
says a little tensely to his son.
    “Sorry, I was in the library studying. I had my phone off.”
    “Well, you missed the big announcement. We were just telling
Brynn that Holly and I have gotten married.”
     I glance at Nate out of the corner of my eye. I see
his eyes widen in surprise.
    “Married? I thought you said you'd never get married again.”
    “Well, things change. When I met Holly, I just knew. You'll
see when you get to know her. She's a special woman.”
    I watch my mom glow like a 1000 watt bulb and can't help but
smile. It's been a while since I've seen her so happy.
    “Yeah, I'm…I'm just…” I watch him struggle for words just
like I did. “Surprised. But happy. I'm looking forward to getting to know you
better, Holly.”
    Wow, that was…kind. Not what the guy I met last night would
say.
    “Oh, me too, Nate,” my mom replies, looking overjoyed. “And
I'm so excited for you and Brynn to get to know each other!”
    “Two only children…” Pierce says meaningfully. “You'll have
to learn to share.”
    My mom laughs and I join in weakly.
    “You always wanted a sibling, Brynn! And now you have one!
Well, a step-sibling, but still.”
    A step-sibling that I've had literally dozens of dirty
dreams about. Perfect.
    “So, you two have never met, then?” my mom asks, glancing
between us. “Pierce and I were so excited when we realized both our kids were
juniors here.”
    “UVA is my alma mater,” Pierce adds proudly.
    “No, we've never met,” I break in quickly. I see Nate eye me
for a second before he nods.
    “Nope, never met, unfortunately,” he says.
    “We thought it best not to tell you guys about us until we
knew it would really be forever. I thought it would have just been so awkward
for you two if we'd broken up and then you have to keep seeing each other
around campus,” my mom explains.
    “Yes, that would have been awkward,” Nate says drily, and I
know he's thinking that nothing could compare to my own awkwardness last night.
    The waitress comes over with the bottle of champagne that
Pierce ordered. Dom Perignon, I see as I look at the label. Whoa, he must be
loaded. My new stepdad must be loaded . She expertly pops the cork
and pours us each an elegant flute, placing the bottle into a wine cooler next
to the table.
    Pierce takes his glass and raises it. “To a new family,” he
says, looking around the table. We all raise our glasses and clink them together.
I manage to do so without making eye contact with Nate. The champagne tickles
my throat on the way down. I've never wanted to drink a bottle of alcohol more
in my entire life than at this moment, but I keep myself to a modest sip.
    “So, honey, you told me you had some news, too?” my mom
asks, as she puts down her glass.
    “Oh, yes, though I don't think I can follow that
announcement,” I hedge with a smile.
    “Please! You sounded excited on the phone,” she encourages
me.
    “Well, I got a lawn room,” I reveal. My mom gasps in
excitement, but I see Pierce glance quickly at his son.
    “I thought you said that they hadn't announced it yet,” he
says quietly.
    “I…I knew you'd be disappointed. I was waitlisted. It was
difficult, juggling two varsity sports, a double major—” Nate replies. I glance
at my mom and then between the two men. Nate is looking down at the tablecloth.
    “I was selected for a