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He looked at his father and was slightly shocked to see the fist pump. “Damn, Grant and Garrett were right once again.”
“No,” he said. “We didn’t need their help and I don’t want you even thinking it has to do with them.”
Elise just continued to laugh and he narrowed his eyes at her. “What’s the big deal?” his father said. “I guess I just can’t understand why it took so long.”
“First off, I know you’ve been in on it. So does Chloe. I’m not an idiot.”
“If anyone is an idiot, Dad,” Elise said, “it’s you.”
“What does that mean?” his father asked, frowning.
Elise wouldn’t be able to keep quiet now. “Remember when Royce had someone at his house on New Year’s Day? It was Chloe.”
His father’s jaw dropped. “How long have you been dating?”
He wasn’t sure he could put a date to it and wasn’t going to say since New Year’s Eve because that would make them both not look favorably in his family’s eyes.
“Early December or so,” he said. “You don’t expect me to know the exact date, do you?”
That at least seemed to pacify them. “But you two barely talked to each other at Diane’s house on Christmas Eve and again on New Year’s Eve,” his father said.
“Because you’ve been having me watched by the Fierces,” he said, narrowing his eyes.
“Well, you said you knew what they were doing,” his father argued.
“I did and didn’t care for it. Neither did Chloe. And to be honest, I didn’t know at first. She knew and she told me when we went to lunch that one time. That lunch where you showed up without me knowing and I didn’t expect her.”
His father laughed. “Damn, they are good.”
“Whatever,” he said, waving his hand. There was no reason to get into it with him. He had other things to address anyway. “It doesn’t matter. We got here on our own. It’s been months and we wanted you to know.”
“It seems Elise already did,” his father said, frowning. As if it just occurred to him.
“Yep, I did,” Elise said. “You think you’re sneaky, but you’re not. I guessed it and told Royce I’d keep the secret and I did. I’m glad it’s not one anymore.”
“No,” he said. “But something else is.”
“What’s that?” his father asked.
“Chloe is pregnant.”
There was silence that greeted him with that. “I’m going to be a grandfather?” his father asked.
“I’m going to be an aunt?” Elise asked, jumping up and dancing in place and then sitting back down. “Oh my God. You knocked her up.”
He knew his sister was more excited over the baby than picking on him, but it sucked just the same to hear that.
“Not funny,” he said.
“It sounds like the truth,” his father said. “How do you feel about it? I’m assuming this is why you are telling us about your relationship now?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’m fine with it. It was a surprise, but we’re in a good spot. We get along well. We respect each other. Things happen and this is just one of them. We’ll figure it out. She went to the doctor this week and is due November first.”
“Wow,” Elise said. “You work fast.”
He ignored his sister. “Regardless. The relationship won’t be a secret, but the baby will be. I’m asking you both to keep it to yourself until we let you know. That doesn’t mean you can’t talk to Chloe about it, but it doesn’t leave this room. Chloe is going to tell her parents tomorrow and is stressing the same thing.”
“As much as I want to let everyone know I’m going to be a grandfather, I’ll honor that.”
