Page 78 of Fierce-Zander

“With her grandfather,” Royce said, smirking. “My father.”

He laughed. “Does he ever let her go?”

“Rarely,” Royce said. “Unless Elise is around and then he gives her up. Though he does share with Chloe’s parents too because I’ve told him he has to.”

“I’m surprised he doesn’t want you bringing Willow to work with you and leaving her back in the office so he can watch her.”

He knew Richard Kennedy wasn’t on the sites of Kennedy Construction as much as he used to be after his heart attack. That his best friend’s father did more administrative work and made deals rather than overseeing crews and doing physical labor now.

“It’s happened a time or two,” Royce said. “When we don’t have daycare and my father and Elise keep an eye on her for a few hours if Chloe needs to be in the office. We make it work.You’re earlier than I thought you’d be. Most are still arriving. You tend to be late.”

He laughed. “I set it on my calendar thirty minutes earlier than you told me. I didn’t realize it until I got here.” And he noticed not as many cars as he expected.

Royce laughed. “Whatever works for you.”

“Hey,” he said, nodding his head toward the living room. He figured now might be the best time to say something. Especially since he’d been told the Fierces would be here for this party too.

“What’s going on?” Royce asked when they were away from anyone else. “Anything wrong?”

“I’m dating someone,” he said quietly.

“You should have brought her,” Royce said.

“Not yet. But I’d like you to meet her.”

Royce grinned. “Is this a setup from you know who?”

He sighed. “They are trying to but have no clue yet.”

Royce still had his grin in place. “Which is why you didn’t want to bring her here. Chloe hasn’t said a word so they aren’t saying much to her. They’ve spent most of their time dropping hints about Dane. Now that they know Dane and Sloane are a couple, they’ve backed off some. But with the two of them being here today, it should be interesting.”

“Good,” he said. “They will leave me alone.”

“Nope,” Royce said. “They tend to work on multiple people at once. Are you going to tell me who it is?”

“Regan Philes.”

“The doctor next to your office?” Royce asked. “Damn. Did this happen before or after the Fierces got involved? Because you know damn well with that close proximity they put you together fast.”

“She’s only been next to my office since the summer,” he said.

“How long has it been you’ve been dating?”

“Just shy of two months maybe. I guess if we count the first dinner we had together at my office that was late September.”

“Does Betsy know?”

“No,” he said. “And Regan’s assistant doesn’t either. But they’ve been recruited by the Fierces and Betsy and Miles are pretty close and talk all the time.”

“So they’ve got someone else keeping tabs on you and doing their dirty work?”

“Sounds that way. Not sure how much longer we’ll let it go.”

“Is Regan aware of it?” Royce asked.

“What’s going on here?” Chloe asked, coming into the room.

Zander looked between the married couple and knew there were no secrets. “Your bosses are trying to set me up.”

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