Chapter 30
ROYCE
“Istill don’t understand why everyone was required to come,” Lincoln grumbled, slamming the door to his truck shut.
Royce cut him a look. “You said we needed to come up with ideas for how to keep that goat on her side of the fence. Well, this is my idea. And if we’re going to get a dog or two, I want everyone involved in picking it. We’re all going to have to take care of them, right?”
Lincoln’s scowl didn’t change. “While I appreciate that you’re thinking outside the box, I disagree that we all need to be here. Mateo could have easily picked out a few pups for us and delivered them after the initial training was complete.”
“Come on, Lincoln,” Morgan crooned, hopping up beside him. “You love animals. You want this dog as much as we do. And I bet you’re going to be the one to veto any of our choices anyway.”
“Exactly my point,” Lincoln muttered. “I could have easily picked one, and we’d be done with this whole charade.”
He glanced over to where their father was walking beside Bentley. “At least you didn’t make the others come.”
Lucy’s kids, the four younger Meyers siblings, had been left behind.
When Lincoln had insisted on a compromise on who would be in attendance, Royce had begrudgingly agreed.
The others were about eight years younger than Morgan, who was the last child born to his mother.
They weren’t as indoctrinated with Lincoln’s feud mentality.
For the most part, they just went along with the others because that was what family did for one another.
Well, when everyone got home today, they’d see just how far that rule would apply.
Royce battled the nerves that wouldn’t abate. What made it worse was the occasional flicker of joy that would appear when he least expected it. That sent his senses into overdrive and caused his fingers to twitch.
Lincoln had cast him several unnerved glances in the truck. He likely knew something was up, but he wasn’t prepared to ask Royce about it. Not now that they’d arrived in Palmer territory.
“You said a new litter was born last week?”
Royce nodded absentmindedly, though if he were honest, he wasn’t paying much attention. With help from Morgan and Rose, he’d gotten Isabelle on board for this little intervention. It had been incredibly difficult to get her to agree not to tell her husband.
Chances were slim that she’d kept it from him, though.
But Royce had a feeling Jason would be more accommodating when it came to a marriage between the two households.
“Royce, you’re here!” Isabelle grinned broadly the second they rounded the side of the house. “They’re just back here.”
“How long is this going to take?” Lincoln muttered. “I have to get back to work. We’re in the middle of baling the hay in the northern field.”
“Hold your horses. It’ll take as long as it takes.”
Lincoln whipped his head around to where Morgan was smirking at him. She probably thought she looked all kinds of innocent with her hands in her pockets and strolling along like she didn’t have a care in the world.
But Lincoln definitely knew better.
Unfortunately for him, he realized it a second too late.
They entered the backyard to find all the Taylors seated in a circle on folding chairs.
Lincoln stopped so quickly that Bentley collided with his back, making an oof sound. Royce’s father muttered something under his breath, and his hard eyes found Royce.
“What have you done?”
Royce shrugged and continued walking.
Nothing was going to get to him today.
Because today he had his own line to draw.
Without missing a beat, he crossed the space to Penny. The nerves in her eyes faded the second he reached for her. She stepped into him, and he lowered his head, kissing her with enough tenderness to make the ripple of gasps around them fade into the background.
He released his wife, reveling in the way she stared up at him, breathless.
Her nose and cheeks were now a delightful shade of pink, and her eyes were brighter than ever.
He mouthed the words, I love you, before he turned toward his family—or rather half of it—who was still standing on the outskirts.
Morgan shrugged and moved into the circle of doom, choosing to sit beside Rose.
Subtle.
Royce gestured toward the remaining seats, and Penny slipped her trembling hand into his.
“Where are the others?” she whispered.
“Lincoln insisted they didn’t have to come.” He kept his voice low. “They’ll get the rundown later. I’m sure they’ll all be thrilled to know they missed the show.”
He didn’t miss the way Rose smirked.
She must have heard every word.
“What on earth is going on here?” George Taylor shot from his seat, his face resembling a tomato. He whirled to face Isabelle, who stood behind Jason’s seat.
To his credit, Jason scowled right back and rose slowly. “This has nothing to do with her. You’d be wise to remember that.”
The tension between all of them continued to mount as insults and demands were flung among them.
Royce let them expel that energy, watching with only mild interest. Jason, Rose, and Morgan seemed to be the calmest. Bentley and most of the Taylor sisters were more confused than anything.
And their fathers, along with Lincoln, were the loudest and angriest.
That was to be expected.
“Royce?” Penny whispered. “Shouldn’t you—”
He squeezed her hand and raised his voice above the chaos. “Clearly, most of you want to know why I would dare put us all in the same space. Believe me, I wondered the same thing. Until it occurred to me that we all have something in common.”
Disgruntled disagreements shot through the air.
More insults too.
It was almost too much for Royce to hold in his amusement. Eventually, he released Penny’s hand and stepped into the middle of the circle of chairs—a circle his father and oldest brother still hadn’t joined.
“Family.”
That one word quieted everyone.
He turned in a circle, meeting everyone’s eyes one at a time. “We all can agree on one thing. Family is everything.”
Still, no one spoke. He couldn’t decide if he liked that. He’d grown used to the anger and hatred that got tossed around so often.
Now, he wasn’t sure what to do with the silence.
“As some of you may know, a little under two months ago, I got married.”
The Taylors who hadn’t been at Penny’s apartment that morning seemed mildly curious about where this was going. Everyone else maintained an aloof expression.
“I fell in love with Penny, and we eloped.” He turned, and his eyes clashed with hers.
He didn’t look away as he continued. “It was fun, reckless, and exactly what we both chose. I know some of you won’t understand that.
You might think we moved too fast. You might say we were wrong to make such a rash decision. ”
Penny’s fingers tightened around his.
“But I love her,” Royce said, his voice steady. “And I’m not going to apologize for that.”
Lincoln scoffed. “You’re such an idiot. I’m out of here.”
“You’re going to be an uncle,” Royce called out to his back.
Lincoln froze.
The people in the circle gasped or went stock-still. No one moved a muscle or voiced their surprise. Royce had expected them to erupt with some kind of reaction, but… nothing.
He waited for Lincoln to turn. To yell. To say anything.
When none of that happened, he turned back to the group, his eyes flicking to his father for only a moment, just to ensure he was listening.
“This baby wasn’t planned. Neither of us expected to start a family so soon. But that doesn’t mean we won’t love this baby with everything we have.”
He reached out his hand to Penny, encouraging her to join him. They’d discussed when the best time would be to tell her mother and ultimately decided to wait until she had one of her good days after they’d let everyone currently present know.
Her cool fingers slipped into his warm ones, and he held her tightly.
Nothing but adoration shone from her eyes.
He winked at her before kissing her knuckles, then he returned to the announcement.
“Now, for the reason I wanted you all here today. This baby deserves everything life has to offer. I refuse to raise my child in the middle of this tiresome feud. This baby shouldn’t have to choose a side.
It shouldn’t have to witness hatred for any of its family.
And that includes everyone here.” He let the words settle before continuing.
“If you can’t accept those terms, then you won’t be part of this child’s life. ”
Silence.
It wasn’t the cold, unnerving silence he’d anticipated.
It was more contemplative than anything else. Everyone present glanced around the group. A few turned to look toward his father and his brother.
Then Mathew blew out a heavy breath and slapped his knees with his hands. “Well, that wasn’t expected.”
A few murmurs of agreement rippled among them, but that was quickly followed by small smiles and whispers of congratulations toward Penny—her cousins, mostly.
Bentley eyed him, then Lincoln, warily before he rose to his feet and pulled Royce into a brotherly hug. “I’m proud of you,” his brother murmured quietly. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”
Royce chuckled. “Not a clue, little brother. Not a clue.”
Pulling back, they smiled at each other.
Bentley glanced toward the house. “Does this mean we’re not getting a dog?”
“Oh, we’re definitely getting a dog. Maybe three.”
Royce and Bentley turned toward Lincoln, who was still standing outside the circle of chairs. His arms were crossed, and he was staring daggers at Rose.
“We have to find some way to keep the vermin off our property seeing as we can’t fight with the source anymore.”
Rose rolled her eyes, then leaned in close and whispered something to Morgan.
Lincoln’s eyes widened as he took in what he would likely describe as treachery. His focus bounced from Rose to Morgan and back. His sister snickered before she got to her feet with Rose at her side. They moved over to where Isabelle stood.
“Can you take me to see the puppies?” Morgan asked. “I want first dibs.”
Lincoln opened his mouth, then snapped it shut and leveled Royce with a dark stare. “You’re seriously going to prevent me from meeting my niece or nephew?”
“If you can’t get along with the Taylors? Yeah. We need to set a good example for the next generation.”
Royce cut a look at his father, who was unusually quiet. Their eyes met, but his father didn’t say anything. His whole body was stiff. His cheeks ruddy. There was a definite struggle going on in his mind.
He had nine months to figure out where he stood.
The line had been drawn, and Royce wasn’t going to allow anyone to move it.
Not even his father.
Lincoln grumbled something.
“What was that?” Royce asked.
“I said, fine. I’ll…” He made a face. “I’m not going to be friends with them.”
“I didn’t say you had to be,” Royce said.
“And I’m not going to be all buddy-buddy at joint family things.”
Royce crossed his arms. “That’s fine.”
His brother blew out a breath. “And I still hate that woman.” He jerked his chin toward Rose’s retreating form.
“As long as you don’t say or do anything in front of my kid that indicates you do, I really couldn’t care less. On the surface, respect. That’s all I ask.”
His brother studied him for a long moment, then finally gave him a curt nod. “Fine.”
Lincoln turned on his heel and charged in the direction from which they’d come.
“What about the dogs?” Royce called out.
“Pick one for me. I’m not going anywhere near that woman if I can help it.”
Bentley chuckled at his side, then let loose a whistle. “That could have gone so much worse.”
They both glanced over to where their father stood but found him following Lincoln out.
Bentley clapped Royce on the back. “He’ll come around. It’s just gonna take him some time.”
Royce nodded. Then he cut a look toward George Taylor.
The man was seated now, his back slumped and his eyes locked on nothing at all. He looked just as defeated as Royce’s father. He must have felt Royce’s eyes because he lifted his own and their gazes locked.
He didn’t say anything.
But there was a slight quirk of his lips.
Then one jerk of his chin.
That was about all Royce could expect from the man regarding their truce.
Two slender arms wrapped around him from behind. Royce turned toward Penny and pulled her into his arms. When she smiled up at him, he lowered his head and kissed her.
This kiss was softer than the one before. More like a promise for the future to come.
Then he placed a hand to her belly, imagining it swelling in the coming months. When his eyes lifted to hers, he whispered, “My whole world.”