Page 52 of The Plus One Contract

She didn’t grill me, but she did ask questions—where I was from, what I did for a living, how I met Sienna, and whether I liked lemon cake because she happened to have one cooling on the counter. At least it wasn’t upside-down pineapple cake. I think Sienna would have had a conniption.

To Sienna’s credit, she let me handle most of it.

When her father walked in, it was a little different. Not bad; just calculating. The kind of stare that measured, weighed, and assessed. I recognized it instantly. I’d seen it in boardrooms, at negotiations, in men sizing up a business deal before they shook hands. But he didn’t grill me the way I’d expected. Didn’t toss out awhat are your intentionsorif you hurt my daughter, I’ll bury you in the backyardspeech.

He shook my hand firmly, looked me in the eye, and nodded.

Which, as far as I could tell, was about as much approval as any man could expect from him.

I came prepared for more. Hell, I was ready for a full interrogation. But instead, I’d been invited to stir the mashed potatoes while Sienna’s mother flitted around, barking orders.

It’s in the moment I hear the front door open, I feel the shift.

Sienna tenses beside me, glancing up.

Game on.

I follow her into the living room, watching as the space fills with bodies. First, a woman with dark curls and a bright, easy smile enters. She’s with a man who has the same sharp blue eyes as Sienna, just more calculating.

Her brother, Jeremy. Built like a guy who’s never lost a fight.

His gaze lands on me, not quite hostile, but assessing. He’s the type of older brother who doesn’t trust easily, no matter how good my handshake is.

And then there’s him.

Daniel.

The ex.

I know it’s him before Sienna even stiffens at my side. His hair is a little too perfect, his smile a little too practiced. The kind of face that used to get called boy-next-door but now just says asshole who fucked up.

Behind him is his fiancée, Lauren, who looks Sienna up and down like she’s about to pounce on Daniel and steal him back.

I was prepared for someone to mention him tonight. I wasn’t prepared for him to be standing in the goddamn room.

Lauren’s smile is polite but tight, her eyes darting between Sienna and me like she’s trying to read something that isn’t there.

The second they step in, Sienna’s mother beams. “Well, look at you all! Come in, come in!” She rushes forward, hugging Grace, Jeremy, and then—to my complete fucking horror—Daniel.

Sienna’s fingers tighten around the stem of her wine glass.

I lean in slightly, lowering my voice just enough so only she can hear. “Breathe.”

A shaky inhale. A slow exhale.

Good girl.

Grace notices her first, eyes lighting up as she pulls her in for a hug. “Sienna!”

Sienna forces a smile, shifting her glass to one hand. “Hey, you.”

Jeremy claps a hand on her shoulder. “Sis.”

“Jer,” she mutters.

Then, of course, her mother turns toward me. “Daniel, Lauren, I’m sure you remember Sienna.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

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