Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. Royce chuckles as I climb off him and out of the car. The smile on Penelope’s face is giant. Ivan has his arms around her, cupping her belly like her baby might pop out at any moment and he might need to catch him.

“She’s mine,” Ivan says simply, his eyes boring into Royce. I know Royce can fight, but I’m not sure anyone wants to come up against Ivan when it comes to my sister.

Royce wraps one arm around me, pulling me into him. “And she’s mine,” he says simply.

They glare at one another, and Ivan nods to me. “And she’s my sister. Hurt her and I promise you it will be the last thing you do.”

It takes me a little by surprise, but his words make me smile. Ivan and I have become somewhat close over the years, with him being married to Penelope, but I didn’t think he’d say that.

“And this is my brother, Ivan,” I say, smiling.

“Hurting her is the last thing I’ll ever do,” Royce says, pulling me even closer to him. Ivan studies him for a moment before nodding.

“Look at them. He’s all cuddling her and she’s letting him!” Penelope says excitedly. She looks like she’s about to burst into a pile of sparkles.

“Pan,” Mom says. I turn to see her and Dad standing in the front door. Dad has his arms crossed over his chest and is giving Royce a death stare. Mom has a little smirk on her face. She and Penelope seem to be the only ones who are happy here.

“Hey,” I say, waving to them.

“You going to introduce us?” Dad says.

“This is Pan’s man,” Penelope says before I can get a word in. “She needs a ring and a baby,” she adds, and I feel myself blush. I give her a hard look, and she just shrugs.

Mom and Dad make their way out the front door. “Mom, Dad, this is Royce. We kinda work together,” I tell them.

“This is what had you in knots last week?” Mom asks. I feel myself redden even more. I had no idea I was a blusher, but leave it to my family to pull it out of me.

Royce reaches out, taking Dad’s hand. Dad holds it for a second before letting it go.

“I wasn’t in knots,” I say as Royce takes Mom’s hand next. Mom just smiles more, looking just like Penelope.

“Don’t let her lie to you,” Royce says before kissing the top of my head.

“I know my girl. And I know you,” Mom says as she lists off Royce’s life history. She even knows a bit more than I do.

“Mom,” I scold, but she shrugs.

Penelope keeps on smiling, and Dad stands there, seeming to know it all.