Page 10 of Fierce-Jax

“Hope no one thought I was going there for that,” he said, laughing.

“I doubt it,” Roni said. “But think of the number of people in this building when it’s filled and the other one a mile away. Many could slip in quickly for some Botox or other things they do. I saw the menu of services. They offer products and scrubs and facials.”

“Sounds like a gift from Trent,” he said. “Do I need to slyly put a good word in for it?”

“No woman would ever turn down a gift like that,” she said, laughing. “And I need to get a move on. I’ll stop up and see youwhen I’m done. I want to look around and see if there is anything anyone needs. They know to call me, right?”

“They know,” he said. “But they don’t know you’re my sister. Not sure if you want that as public knowledge.”

Her head went back and forth. “Does it matter?”

“Not to me, but it might to you,” he said. “They might feel they can call you for stupid shit if there are problems.”

“Or ask me all these personal things about you,” Roni said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Like if you’re single.”

He inhaled and let it out. “I never get involved with anyone I work with. It’s too messy and would give me and my agency a bad reputation.”

“I understand,” she said. “Many people feel the same way. Unless their last name is Fierce.”

“Which worked for you,” he said.

His sister had fallen prey to the Fierce matchmaking. More like interference, but it still worked.

If Roni wasn’t so thrilled with her new husband, he’d say it was a joke.

But since everyone the Fierces had talked to or touched with their plans was working out beautifully, he started to wonder how funny it was.

“It did,” Roni said. “Even with me fighting it. Sometimes you just can’t fight it all in life.”

“I’ll take my chances at being slammed into the friend zone again, thank you very much.”

Roni laughed and ran her hand on his arm. “You’re too nice.”

“Says every woman I try to date,” he said.

Which was why he was cooling off some now.

He had a big ego when it came to his career.

But women, yeah. He always lacked confidence there.

Could go back to all the girl friends he’d had.

The ones who were nice and sweet to him and he’d fall for them in school. They’d lead him on so that he’d think it’d be more.

The minute he’d ask if they were interested in going on a date, it’d turn awkward, and he’d be told he was such a good friend.

Heard loud and clear by the time he got to college.

He didn’t even want to count the times he did date someone for them to say they weren’t feeling it for more than friendship.

Since when was being nice, friendly, and considerate of another’s feelings a negative to a woman?

“Stop,” Roni said. “I think you’re great. You can’t help being who you are. It’s why you went for social work too.”

“Another thing women don’t find sexy,” he said.

He’d never been nerdy in his eyes.

---