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He didn’t know what to say to this. “I’m not so keen on being set up by anyone,” he said. “Though I know it’s worked out for you two.”
“We got lovely wives out of it,” Drake said. “And kids too.”
He hadn’t talked to Kara Fierce before, but Elise did. He didn’t even know who Noah’s wife was other than he’d been set up. But he did know that both of the men in front of him had a set of twins themselves.
“I’m just here for the party,” he said.
“You tell yourself that,” Noah said. “We never saw it coming.”
“Yet you are telling me?” he said.
“We saw it coming,” Drake said. “By then we knew what was going on since our cousins all went through it. Sam and Bryce didn’t see it, but you and I were on top of it.”
“If you say so,” Noah said. “They are sneaky and we are used to it now.”
Royce was looking around the room to see if he could find Chloe. He knew she was here, as she’d told him she was staying after work. It was eight now and he figured four hours was going to be his limit to mingle.
“Royce,” Ryder Fierce said, moving over to him. “Good to see you here, you brave man. This is my wife, Marissa.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, shaking her hand.
Before he could say anything else, two other women came over and Drake was saying, “Meet our better halves. This is my wife, Kara, and Noah’s wife, Paige. Ladies, this is Royce Kennedy.”
“Oh, you’re the one they think is next on the list,” Paige said. “I’m always amazed how they do it. You’d think they’d be too busy working it with Jonah and Megan tonight.”
He knew Megan was friends with Chloe and was currently dating Jonah Davenport. The brother of Raina McMillan, who he just remembered was also the brother-in-law of Ryder. One of those conversations he and Chloe had this week while she was laying things out for tonight.
No, wrong term. While they were planning for this night.
She’d told him people would be watching her and him, but he didn’t expect it to be this bad.
“As I was saying before you arrived, I’m good with going about my life on my own.”
There was a round of laughter to that and all he could do was smile.
“Good evening, everyone,” Chloe said, moving over. He hadn’t even seen her when he looked around, but she came from behind him. “Royce, it’s nice to see you. It’s been a while.”
There was more laughter there as if they were aware of the joke going on, but he trusted her to not tell anyone. She’d said she didn’t want anyone to think poorly of her for doing this and he wouldn’t want that either.
“It has been,” he said. “Work and the holidays and all. How were your holidays?”
“Good and I’m glad they are over,” Chloe said. “Family isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
“No,” Royce said. “It’s not. Not unless it seems your last name is Fierce.”
There was more laughter there and seven sets of eyes on him. It felt as if there were more in the room that he couldn’t see, but the Fierce kids in front of him were clearly enjoying this.
“I just wanted to come say hi. I’m being waved over by a few people. Have a good night.”
Chloe walked away and he didn’t turn to watch even though he wanted to. He had to make sure he wasn’t staring at her and what she was wearing while she was there for a few minutes.
Again, those damn eyes.
“You are going to give my father a fit,” Ryder said.
“Sorry for that,” he said. “It’s not my plan to give anyone a fit but not fall into their plans either.”
“It’s never anyone’s plan,” Jade Fierce said, moving over. “And here we are circling the wagon of the next target. You brave man. Stand your ground.”
