“Always the attention king.” She made a face at him.
“Of course, I learned from you,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her cheek and when he stepped back, I put my arm back around his arm. I noticed once again he stiffened and then relaxed.
“And here I thought you learned from me?” The goddess that was Donatella stepped up next, dressed in black. “I tried so hard to be the show stopper. Ivy, you’ve stolen my thunder.”
“Thank you, Donatella, I’m sure once everyone has gotten over the novelty of me you’ll take your rightful place as the center of attention,” I replied and our eyes locked.
She stared me down what felt like hours but were truthfully seconds before she laughed.
“You’re forgiven. Ethan, bring her out more so she isn’t so new and shiny anymore.”
“I’ll take note. Wyatt?” he asked, and both women gave him a look, and he dropped it, moving forward, taking me with him.
We met his cousins, Nari standing among them in a red floral print dress.
“We aren’t worthy!” Darcy and Sedric, who both wore velvet suit jackets, mocked, bowing their heads at him.
“At least you know.” Ethan smirked at them.
“You know we meant it as a joke but…” Darcy started to say.
“But now you kinda feel shitty?” Sedric finished, nodding his head.
“Yea.” He nodded, obviously feeling it too.
“Me too.”
I laughed. They were cute. “Forgive him. He can’t help himself.”
“Forgot him, forgive me,” Darcy replied, taking my hand and kissing it. “I thought I was hallucinating, but here you are a real life angel among us mere mortals.”
I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear even though it was so corny.
“Sorry.” Sedric put his hand over his heart. “What did he say? I couldn’t hear him over the sound of my heart exploding at the sight of you.”
Darcy rolled his eyes and again I laughed. “Bravo, I’m thoroughly flattered, guys.”
“Do either of you have any other one-liners you’d like to use on my fiancée or are you satisfied?” Ethan questioned them, his eyebrow rising.
However, Darcy and Sedric glanced at each other and then back at him. “His fiancée.”
“Helen, Nari, get your brothers before I do.”
I hadn’t noticed Helen, who wore a strapless midnight blue gown, the bottom of which was covered in gold. Her curly brown hair stopped at her shoulders.
“The point of them being adults now is I don’t have to worry about them as much.” Helen sighed and then looked at me. “So you’re the one.”
“I guess I am.”
“Welcome to the family.” She hugged me, which I didn’t see coming. When she backed away she replied, “I’m counting on you.”
“For what?”
“To make sure Ethan answers calls.”
“Helen, not even Jesus himself can make me sit and listen to you talk about heuristic evaluations and noncontiguous data structures,” Ethan replied automatically, making everyone laugh, with the exception of Helen, who pouted, and me, who was lost. But I smiled anyway.
Nari came up to both of us and looked at Ethan first. “Our parents have already sent gifts. Grandmother says she’ll present them to you, to make sure everyone knows all the family knows.”