“The Fierce Five, right? The brewery and restaurant?”
“That’s them.”
“It’s hard not to know about them living around here.” She wasn’t going to say that when she’d had the beer at her father’s she’d asked. Then after she’d started to hang out with Wyatt that she looked them up. Since they resembled Wyatt and Sam it was easy to piece together they were family without having to ask. “Are they going to be here today?”
“No. None of them are. They are probably working or at least most of them are. We just saw everyone for Sam’s wedding anyway. You were in the OR when Sam and I were talking about this. I know you were paying attention even if you don’t want to admit it. Aunt Jolene and Uncle Gavin have a huge summer party and we will all go there for that. But you’re going to meet the rest of the crew today. So be prepared.”
That was the understatement of the year it seemed when they walked in the back. Looked like they were the last to arrive.
She met Sam’s wife, Dani, first, then Wyatt’s cousin Bryce and his fiancée, Payton. She only nodded her head to Ryder who seemed to be minus the blonde bombshell that was on his arm the other day.
As they moved further into the backyard, she met Wyatt’s brothers, Drake and Noah, and their fiancées, Kara and Paige.
Wyatt’s sister, Jade, was the last to move forward. She and Wyatt looked the most alike. There was no doubting they were twins. “So you’re the one that has Wyatt all twisted. Interesting.”
“Behave, Jade,” Wyatt said. “Ignore my sister. She thinks she is being funny.”
“Only trying to be like my twin. Don’t take any of his shit,” Jade said. “We don’t. You won’t make it if you do.”
“Go,” he said to his sister. The minute Jade walked away though an older woman came rushing over and she knew beyond a doubt she was meeting Carolyn Fierce.
“Adriana. You are even lovelier than the pictures Maggie has on her desk. We are so happy you could join us today. I see Wyatt is introducing you. He’s such a good boy. So many manners though many will tell you otherwise in the family. Don’t listen to them.”
“Thank you for inviting me,” Adriana said. She hoped that was the right thing to say. Maybe Carolyn Fierce didn’t invite her and Wyatt just decided to bring her. She might have put her foot in her mouth.
“Anytime,” Carolyn said, then rushed away.
She looked around and noticed that no one was doing anything other than sitting and eating, mingling. “How come no one is playing anything? Did you trick me?”
* * *
Wyatt was going to do everything in his power to get Adriana to this party, even if he had to fabricate how much running around and activities everyone did. But since there was a teen present this time, he figured he could convince others to join in the fun.
His mother had been more than willing to ask his aunt and uncle to put the volleyball net up and now he should have questioned why she didn’t question it.
Even questioned the warm welcome. Normally his mother kept her distance from women he brought around this early, thinking it was temporary. Of course he wasn’t used to bringing any woman he’d only dated a few times around for a family party.
He was probably reading more into it. Adriana’s stepmother worked with his mother. His mother was probably being nice and felt the connection that way. It had to be that.
“No, I didn’t trick you,” he said. “See, the net is up. Everyone is eating. It looks like the snacks just came out. After everyone gets their fill I’ll gather them up. How about basketball?” he asked. Sebastian would be on board and that meant getting Noah there too. No problem. Two against two, but if he could get two of the other women it’d work in his favor and not seem like he was trying to pull one over on her.
Thankfully thirty minutes later he’d been able to enlist Noah on his side and Sebastian convinced Paige. They just needed one more woman and Payton jumped in saying, “I like doing things outdoors. I can block but not shoot,” she said.
“Thank God,” Kara said. “Basketball isn’t my thing. If you want to do volleyball later, sure. I’ll jump in. I can hit a ball back and forth if I need to.”
Even Dani said she’d do volleyball but not basketball and Wyatt felt like everything was just falling into place.
It was the girls against the boys. He was guarding Adriana and she had the ball, backing up into him while his arms were somewhat around her. He wasn’t letting her move until she actually touched him and she had no problem doing that, her ass against his groin and she pushed back fast, then turned and shot, swoosh in the net.
“Dude,” Noah said. “You let her get the best of you.”
“What do you want me to do?” Wyatt said. “Block it back in her face? She’s just a little thing.”
“Little my butt,” Adriana said. “I played in college. I’m just messing with you but I can turn it on if you want.”
Payton started to laugh with Paige. “I thought we were outnumbered, but this is going to be fun.”
“Noah,” Paige said. “Remember who you sleep with.”
“Paige.” Sebastian let out a sigh. “That’s not right threatening Noah that way. Don’t listen to her, Noah,” his nephew said. “You can sleep in one of the bunks in my room if she kicks you out.”
All his cousins that were watching the match and cheering everyone on started to laugh. “This just got interesting.”
By the end of the match the girls had won. Yes, Noah
