Page 62 of Chloé

“You’re nothing like Priest. Looks or temperament.”

“You’re right, I’m not.” Justin’s expression softened as he looked over to Chloé, and then the men in question. “I would be honored to be any of these men’s child, but I was lucky enough to be adopted by them instead.”

Adopted. Ethan wasn’t sure why, but that had never even occurred to him. With Chloé bearing such a strong resemblance to Priest, it had been a natural conclusion Justin would be one of theirs too.

“Should I apologize?”

“Why? Did you do something wrong?” Justin chuckled and stirred the contents of the pan. “I’m proud to be their son. Biological or adopted. I have three amazing fathers and one super-smart, talented,precocioussister. I’m never ashamed to talk about that.”

“I wouldn’t be either. I think you’re one of the luckiest men in the world.”

Justin tossed an easygoing grin his way. “I am.”

As he went back to stirring the filling for the tortellini, Ethan looked at the rest of the family.

Chloé and Justin really were two of the luckiest people he knew. They’d won the lottery when it came to a loving household and parents who cared for them.

Robbie, Julien, and Priest had raised two wonderful children, and the more Ethan got to know all of them, the more he was moved that they were letting him and Zayne into their close-knit family. That they’d been willing to accept them, even after the unusual way they’d met their daughter.

“You never did say,” Justin said. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

“No. Zayne and I are both only children.”

“That explains a lot.”

“Such as?”

Justin laughed and shook his head. “You two just strike me as the kind of guys who are used to getting what they want. You know, only-child syndrome.”

“That definitely wasn’t the case with us when we were young.”

“But it is now?”

Ethan thought about that for a second, then a wolfish smile curved his lips. “We got Chloé, didn’t we?”

“Ha, yeah, but we both know she went after you.”

Ethan laughed, remembering the way she’d doubled down on her lie to get into the club that second night to see them.

“You know your sister well.”

“Let’s just say being alone for the first four years of her life made a lasting impression. Shestillsuffers from only-child syndrome. Even though there’s— Heeey, kiddo.”

Ethan turned to see Chloé standing behind him with her hands on her hips, and Zayne beside her holding a blender.

“Don’t you ‘hey kiddo’ me. Here I am over there talking all nice about you, and you’re telling my boyfriendI haveonly-childsyndrome?”

Ethan looked to Justin, who smirked. “If the shoe fits.”

“I don’t think so,” she said, snatching the blender from Zayne and putting it on the counter, where she jammed the plug in a little harder than necessary. “Who always got away witheverythingin this house? Not me.”

“I was older than you. I was allowed todomore than you.”

She walked up to poke Justin in the arm. “Even as a kid? I don’t think so. You had them wrapped just as tight around your little finger as I did. Psh, only-child syndrome.”

Zayne moved in beside Ethan. “You think we should step in?”

“No. I think this is a brother-sister thing.” He grinned, wishing Justin all the luck in the world. Chloé’s temper had clearly been provoked, and it was a thing of beauty—when not directed at them.

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