AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, did she pick one?” Ramsey asks excitedly.
“I am not picking one.” No way in hell am I going to admit that if I had my choice, it would be Declan. Every single time I’m around him and his adorable little girl, I get this feeling in my chest. It’s not something I’ve ever experienced. It’s scary and tempting all at the same time.
“What? Why?” Ramsey’s face falls.
“This looks like trouble.” I look up to see Palmer and her sister, Piper, walking toward us. “I thought this was my party? I missed the invite to this little side bash,” Palmer teases.
“We need all the juicy gossip, ladies,” Piper tells us, sipping her drink.
“No gossip,” Jade tells her.
“She won’t pick,” Ramsey tells them. Her nod toward the guys is the only explanation she needs to give them before they’re caught up in the conversation.
“You really should. We all picked, well, except for Ramsey. She was already madly in love with Deacon at the time, but we’re all still madly in love with our men that we chose.”
“Come on. You realize how that sounds, right? I can’t just say, hey, universe, I want insert name here.” I wink at them, and they groan. “Send him my way.”
“It doesn’t work like that, and damn, I thought we had you.” Palmer chuckles.
“She’s right. But is it really worth the chance if that is how it works? Are you willing to miss out on your forever, Kennedy?”
“You all are too much.” I laugh.
“So?” Jade asks.
“I’m not picking.”
“You have to,” Piper chimes in.
“It’s tradition,” Ramsey adds.
“Yes.” Palmer points at her. “It’s tradition. You’re the only one of us who’s unattached and hasn’t picked.”
“This is crazy,” I say, already feeling myself start to fall under their pressure. “This is peer pressure.” I try to give them a stern look, but we all end up falling into a fit of giggles.
“We’ll help,” Ramsey says. “Okay, we’ll start at the top from eligibility down. Declan is the oldest of the seven available, but he’s a single dad, and I can’t let you pick him unless I know you’re down with being second sometimes. That little girl is his world, and she’s all that he has.”
“I would never do anything to take Blakely away from her daddy. She’s a precious little girl, and you can tell how much he loves her.” I clamp my mouth shut, knowing that the conviction in my voice gave me away. Palmer links her arm with mine and places her head on my shoulder.
“Welcome to the family,” she says.
I’d laugh off her antics, but she’s not laughing, and neither are the rest of them. “I didn’t pick,” I remind them.
“Oh, you picked,” Jade tells me.
They’re all watching me, except for Palmer, who’s still standing with our arms linked, and her head on my shoulder. “Fine.” I roll my eyes. “Declan.”
“What about me?” the man himself asks.
My head snaps to the left to seek out the voice. He stands with his hands shoved in his pockets, Brooks right beside him. “Nothing,” I’m quick to deny. Damnit. I should have kept my mouth shut.
“Beautiful, our parents are leaving,” Brooks tells Palmer. “Come say goodbye.”
She nods and then turns, keeping her voice low just for me. “He’s had a rough few years. I think you’re exactly what he needs.” With that, she releases me and allows her new husband to sweep her away.
“I should go find Heath,” Piper says before skipping off.
“Have you seen Orrin?” Jade asks Declan.
Up to this point, his eyes have been locked on mine. He turns away to address her, and I take my first breath since he walked up to our little huddle. “He was helping Dad with packing some of the food and taking it to their car.”
“Thanks.” She rushes off.
“My fiancé promised me a dance that I need to collect.” Ramsey reaches over and gives my hand a gentle squeeze before leaving me alone with Declan.
“Something you need to tell me, Kens?” He takes a step closer and links his hand with mine.
His back is to the room, so I know that they can’t see us, which I’m grateful for. My heart thunders in my chest. “Nothing,” I lie.
“You know you can tell me.” His voice is low, keeping this conversation intimate and just between the two of us.
“They wanted me to choose,” I tell him.
“Choose what?”
“One of you. The seven eligible Kincaid brothers.”
He nods. “Palmer chose Brooks. Jade chose Orrin.”
“What? You know about that?”
“Of course we do. The girls tell, and the guys fill us in.”
“I should tell them this is happening.”
“They know,” he assures me. “They only share the stuff they don’t care that anyone finds out. You can trust them. All of them.” His eyes bore into mine as if he needs me to believe what he says is true.
