'My best friend is now my step daughter'

A woman who married her best friend’s dad, despite a 27-year age gap, says the three of them all still get along, even though she is now her friend’s step mum.

Taylor, 27, met her husband Kern Lehman, 54, through her best friend Amanda, 30, who is Kern’s daughter.

The pair from Phoenix, US, started flirting at a bar five-years-ago but never expected their ‘rebound fling’ to turn into marriage.

“When we first met, I worked with Kern’s daughter, she was my best friend and he was married at the time. I was also in a relationship,” Taylor said.

“At first I thought he was very handsome. I have always been attracted to older guys. He thought I was cute.”

After discovering a shared love for music, travelling and having fun partying, they pair quickly moved into together and now have been married for over a year.

“Amanda and I had been friends for a year before I got with her dad, so I did have a lot of guilt and felt bad at first,” Taylor admitted.

“But over time I have gotten over that. She knows I will always be there for her in her life and problems.”

Kern said Taylor is his ‘best friend’ and advices others in age gap relationships to ignore people who look down or judge.

“I didn’t really have any reservations, and whether Amanda realises it or not she was largely responsible for our meeting,” he said of his daughter.

“Neither Taylor or I really expected it to develop into what it did at the time.”

The couple who have been mistaken for father and daughter once, now also have the support of their families despite initial concern and shock.

“We’ve only had one experience of people confusing our relationship, it was when we closed on our California home, the notary said, ‘Your daughter can fill this out or sign here’,” Taylor said.

“We started laughing and Kern told her, ‘she’s my wife’ and the notary felt stupid.

“At the beginning my parents were kind of concerned, my mom was upset that this was my friend’s dad, but they know I’ve always dated older men.

“But time heals everything though and my mom, dad and step mom have visited us and are all fine with it.”

Taylor also says people compare them to Catherine Zeta Jones and hubby Michael Douglas.

“They have a similar age gap to us,” she said. “She is brunette and he has silver hair, like us, but Kern is way better looking than Michael Douglas.

“People have told us we look like them while vacationing and that we are a very striking couple.”

For Taylor it took a while to get used to the stares of strangers most age gap couples are met with. But over time she adapted and now doesn’t care what others think.

“When we first got together I was very insecure, I felt everyone was staring or questioning us, but that was only because it was new,” she said.

“People stare at us, but I think it’s because when we are both dressed up we are a good-looking couple.”

Taylor admits that she was surprised they got engaged and then tied the knot last year, in an intimate 25-person ceremony in Cancun, Mexico.

“We found out we had a lot in common, but I don’t think either of us expected we would get married. We thought it would be a rebound thing for us both.

“But, we hit it off, we like the same music and are both old souls. I fell in love with him for his personality, it made him so attractive to me.

“He is fun, outgoing, we both like to party, and he was charming. I appreciate his age, wisdom and also, the security we have as a couple.”

Instead of considering children in their future, Taylor says the loved-up duo are happy with their the freedom their lifestyle allows them from partying to date nights and exploring the world.

“Why would I want to change at that part of his life, honestly I love my life, we enjoy the freedom of traveling and having fun together,” she said.

“Every year we spend a week in Mexico, it’s fun but it’s a party. We have a lot of alcohol and fun.

“I am very domesticated too. Love being home, cooking and house work. We both take pride in our home and hosting.”

With an age gap of 27-years between them, the couple have had to speak about the possibility that Kern could pass away before her and lay out future plans.

“We met with a trust and will attorney, it’s something not a lot of mid-20s women have to deal with and it’s pretty hard,” she said.

“But who knows what will happen. Tomorrow is never promised. I could go first tomorrow by a freak accident or anything.”

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