Page 81 of Fierce-Zander

“Don’t I know it,” Jolene said. “Ben proposing to Eve was the best one yet. When they ask you to be part of it, you know you’ve done right. Remember that. You haven’t had a hand in it yet.”

“Don’t go there,” she said, laughing. “We were part of Trent’s engagement and you know it.”

“You were there for it,” Jolene said. “The same for a few others. But I actuallyplannedthis one.”

They’d all heard the story a few times. Jolene wasn’t going to stop reminding them that she was asked to come up with the trivia questions the night Ben proposed to Eve. That she’d helped plan it more than any of the other engagements.

“You did,” Diane said. “And for now you’ve got no one you’re working on. That isn’t like you.”

“I’ve always got one up my sleeve,” Jolene said. “Give me time yet. What about Zander?”

“It’s getting there,” she said. Diane didn’t want to admit that she had no idea what was going on and that Zander was playing with them. Worse yet, she didn’t even knowifhe was playingwith them. Letting them think he wanted help or winding them up to push them off again. He was a hard one to get a read on. “The guys have a better handle on this. We like to think it’s a team effort. At least we got an opportunity to see Sloane and Dane on the same day.”

“Some are harder than others,” Jolene said. “But as you said, as long as the couples are happy in the end, it’s all that matters.”

24

NOT A COLD FISH

“It’s so nice to meet you,” Regan said to Chloe, shaking her hand the following weekend.

There was part of her that was glad she was meeting Zander’s friends and the other part that felt bad she didn’t have any friends to introduce him to.

Would he think she was some kind of loser? Or maybe a cold fish that couldn’t connect with people on an emotional level? Though she did connect with him easily enough.

She just had to get it out of her head that people thought that of her for years.

She was doing so well being this confident doctor to her clients that behind that façade of her career she wasn’t anything like that person. In her personal life, maybe she was the one that needed help and she should listen to her own advice rather than always dish it out.

“Not as nice as it is to meet you,” Chloe said. “Zander told us all about everything.”

“Everything?” she asked, turning to look at Zander.

“I told you how Royce and Chloe were set up. They know how we met and it was on our own and not with the help of the Fierces. Even last week I confused them.”

He’d told her what he’d said to the Fierce women and she’d told him that could have been taken as he wanted their help.

“Chloe came home laughing on Tuesday,” Royce said. “And nice to meet you too.”

Regan shook hands with the big man. Just a little taller than Zander and maybe more muscle. Could be from his job, but Zander had a fine body on him in her eyes.

“Why was she laughing?” she asked.

“Because Grant and Garrett came to my office and tried to find out what Zander meant by his comment,” Chloe said. “They didn’t come out and say exactly but hinted around the bush that maybe Zander wanted help finding someone. They were trying to find out if Zander was onto them too. All sorts of things that most of us see right through now.”

“You’d think they’d be more excited over their new grandson,” Royce said.

“I heard,” Zander said. “A little boy? Micah?”

“Yes,” Chloe said. “They were telling most at the party last week.”

“Mamamamamama,” Regan heard coming from another room.

“Someone wants me,” Chloe said. “Sorry for stopping you at the door and chatting. Let me take your jacket.”

She took her jacket off and handed it over, Zander doing the same. There was more childish jabbering in the back of the house and it was getting louder as they walked there.

She saw Royce’s daughter, Willow, in a playpen standing up and bouncing on her legs at the sight of them.

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