Page 74 of Fierce-Hyde

“Are you going to have your mother meet Tori?” Ryder asked.

“At some point,” he said. “I just told her my mother knew about her.”

“Dude,” Ryder said. “That’s early to be bringing it up. Especially with the rocky start you’ve had with her.”

“I know,” he said. “They know the history. I told them.”

“Shit,” Ryder said. “I’ve got to sit down for this. What was your mother’s response?”

“Not as bad as CeeCee’s,” he said. “She’s more concerned that I’m trying harder than Tori.”

“Are you?” Ryder asked.

“I don’t know. It’s crossed my mind and I’m being aware of it if it is the case, but I’m not positive.”

“It’s all you can do,” Ryder said. “What’s the next step?”

“I’m not sure,” he said.

“The next step is telling our fathers,” Drake said, coming into the room.

He turned to see his immediate supervisor standing there. Ryder’s first cousin. Garrett’s son.

“No way,” Ryder said. “They will only get nosier.”

“No, they won’t,” Jade said, moving in.

What the fuck? Did this family have radar for personal dating conversations?

Hyde got up and shut the door before the two elder Fierces found their way into the office. As it was, they were all crammed in.

“How the hell do you guys know what is going on?”

“I was listening in the hall,” Drake said. “If you didn’t want anyone to know, you should have shut your door.”

Drake was grinning and Hyde realized now he should have shut Ryder’s door and wasn’t sure why he hadn’t.

“I saw Tori leave your office with a big smile on her face,” Jade said. “Then I went to talk to Raina. She’s a tough one, but she was smirking so I caught on enough. I wanted to go see you and then saw Drake eavesdropping here so I joined in.”

“This is too much,” he said.

“Tell me about it,” Ryder said. “I vote you don’t tell our fathers. They will tell our mothers and then you’ll get no peace.”

“Don’t listen to Ryder,” Jade said. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

“I agree with my sister,” Drake said. “They will be more nosy and pushy if they think they need to find you someone or they think you’re sneaking around. Ryder didn’t have that luxury. Everyone found out about Marissa at once, so there wasn’t any matchmaking there.”

“No,” Ryder said. “But there was plenty of meddling.”

“You had a unique situation than the rest of us,” Drake said, waving his hand. “Don’t listen to him, Hyde. They set up the rest of us. There was no history like Ryder had for the most part. If you tell them you’re dating Tori and are working it out yourselves and would appreciate if they keep their distance, they will honor that.”

Jade laughed. “All you men are clueless. No, they won’t honor it completely, but they will give you space. They will check in and see how things are going. But they won’t get in your face about it. So you have to decide. Do you want them in your facetrying to find out secrets or setting you up with someone else, or occasionally checking in to see how you’re doing with Tori? They are going to be around regardless. It’s just how you want it to be presented.”

“Jade’s right,” he said. “I’ve heard it enough from everyone else your parents have had a hand in.”

“See,” Jade said, brushing her knuckles across her chest. “I’m right. The next time you get a chance, don’t tell them you’re dating Tori. I wouldn’t go to them and announce it. I’d just let it drop and then walk away. Act like everyone else knows, how could they not?”

“That I agree with,” Ryder said.

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