Page 67 of Fierce-Gabe

Which meant Gabe probably got some. She found it funny they didn’t say his name but was happy too. It was harder and harder to act all annoyed when she heard it like she had before.

“That’s a lot of cookies,” she said. “But we appreciate it.”

“You know it’s the day of love and all,” Diane said. “Got to do our part in playing Cupid.”

“Aim that bow somewhere else,” she said.

Elise watched as the two women looked at each other and shrugged. Good, she stopped it. “Is your father here?”

“He is,” she said. “Dad!”

Everyone laughed when she yelled down the hall. They were used to her doing that in the office.

“Coming,” her father shouted back.

“We’ve got cookies,” she said when her father came into the front room. “You get one and one only. Too much sugar isn’t good for you.”

“I heard cookies were making their way around,” her father said.

“Did Royce tease you with one too?” she asked.

She watched her father look at the Fierce women. “No,” he said. Most likely Grant or Garrett told him.

“I think it’s sweet that you are on your father’s case with his diet and health,” Diane said. “Our kids are always making comments about us getting old. With Sam and Wyatt being doctors, it seems we get it much more.”

“You’d think they would be busy with their kids,” Richard said. “All those grandkids.”

She frowned at her father. “You’ve got a granddaughter.”

“I do,” her father said proudly. “Light of my life.”

“Oh, it’s not me anymore?” she asked, grinning.

“You’ll always be the first light,” her father said. “But Willow is shining brighter now.”

“I guess it’s time to pass the torch.”

“That is what we’ve said of our grandkids too,” Carolyn said. “Our lives are just so full with them running around. Some day your father might get that too.”

“Not that many,” she said, laughing.

“No,” Carolyn said. “I’ve got more than Diane.”

“You’ve got more kids than me and yours were popping out twins. Dani is the only one to have twins,” Diane said.

“And she cursed and swore for months carrying them,” Carolyn said.

“How many do you have?” Richard said to them. She knew her father knew the answer and was just playing at this point.

“Drake and Noah each have twins. One of each. Wyatt has two boys and Jade a boy and a girl. So eight for me. Wyatt and Jade are done, I believe. Most likely Noah too. I have hopes maybe Drake will have another, but it’d be up to Kara.”

“Sam has three boys, Bryce has a boy and a girl, the same with Ryder. I know Sam and Bryce are done. I think Ryder can convince Marissa for one more. That would give me eight too,” Diane said.

“Sounds like it’s a competition,” Elise said.

“Nah,” Diane said. “We just love our family. The more the merrier.”

“Not always been the case in our family,” she said. “We’ve been good with the three of us for years. But Chloe is great. Fits right in.”

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