Page 100 of Fierce-Jax

“She is,” he said. Dillion was talking with Roni and his mother. His father was manning the grill and he and Trent were further in the backyard while Eli and Gianna played.

“But something is on your mind,” Trent said. “What is it? Or you can tell me to mind my own business?”

He debated a second. “This is the first time I’ve dated anyone with a child.”

“It’s difficult,” Trent said. “I know. Especially someone who is used to doing it all on her own or wants to.”

“You’d think I’d be used to it with Roni. And I kind of am. But this weekend I saw another side to it all.”

“Care to elaborate?” Trent asked. “I know you’ve been spending a lot of time with Dillion with Gianna around.”

“I have, but this was the first it was for several days in a row.” He explained what happened on Friday when he picked up Gianna and then at dinner that night.

“That’s rough,” Trent said. “It is her child and she has the right to decide those things.”

“One hundred percent agree,” he said. “But she gave me conflicting information. How hard it is being the boss.”

“Which we know from our jobs,” Trent said. “It’s an added layer of stress and responsibilities.”

“It is,” he said. “Then she comes home and it’s all on her too. When her kid doesn’t like the answer, there are tears or fights.”

“Just like you and I did as kids too.”

“I don’t know that I shed too many tears if I didn’t get my way.”

Trent snorted. “Like me. We are the more diplomatic ones.”

“I accepted it if I couldn’t change it. You most likely tried to talk your way out of everything.”

“I didn’t pick this career for nothing,” Trent said, smirking.

“True,” he said. “So advise me here as my brother-in-law. Dillion was talking about how hard it is to be the boss but then on the other hand didn’t like that when she tells her mother to do something, her mother doesn’t always listen. It’s like you can’t have it both ways.”

“Women are fickle creatures,” Trent said. “I’m learning that too. I think the best advice I can give you is what I did with Roni. Eli has a father, and as much as I can’t stand the guy, he’s always going to be in Eli’s life. Most things have to be between Roni and Jeff and I step in if she asks me to or I feel as if I need to.”

“Gianna doesn’t have a father,” he said. “The first time she met me she asked if I was going to be her daddy.”

“Oh,” Trent said. “I hadn’t heard that.”

“I have told no one. We said I was Dillion’s friend. She’s too young to understand, but I think she knows it’s more. She’s telling everyone how great I cook breakfast.”

Trent laughed. “Out of the mouth of babes.”

“Exactly. Dillion doesn’t seem to mind and it’s fine with me. We’ve said no secrets or hiding what we’ve got. Even the Fierce women have been around little.”

“They are getting information from others most likely,” Trent said. “At least that is what they did with us. Be lucky you weren’t at their party on Saturday.”

He’d been invited to the annual Memorial Day party and was told to bring Dillion. Grant and Garrett stopped in the week before to let him know, but he had no intention of going and seeing all the matched-up couples and families and being put on display as the next work in progress.

No, thank you!

He knew Dillion wouldn’t want to go either and the only reason he was being invited was his relationship to Roni. They hadn’t invited him in the past.

“I’d rather not,” he said, laughing. “They’ve had enough entertainment with me and Dillion.”

“Considering you agreed to be set up, I can understand that.”

“Can I let you in on a secret?” he asked.

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