“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.”
“Knows?” I said, and she nodded.
“The reason everyone else is waiting is because Ethan is officially introducing you to the family. Everyone has to welcome you,” she replied.
“I’m waiting for my welcome then.” I grinned at her.
“Why do I have a feeling I’ve created a monster?” she muttered when she hugged me.
I didn’t say anything in return.
“So when do we eat?” Sedric glanced around for the food, and Darcy followed. One by one they left us, and I turned to him.
“Why does it feel like they are looking for reasons to leave us?” I muttered to myself.
“Because they are.” He faced me, his hand reaching up to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. “They’re making way for other people to congratulate us. So smile.”
“Haven’t I been?”
He thought for a moment. “Correction, look as though you’re in love with me.”
Again I forced myself not to smile, saying, “What does that look like?”
“That.” His gaze moved to the Jessica Rabbit look-alike, with the red hair and dress, walking up to us with a few others.
“Ethan!” She sounded a little peppy. “Happy birthday!”
“Thank you. Ivy, this is Klarissa Moretti,” he introduced us. “Klarissa, my fiancée, Ivy O’Davoren.”
“Nice to meet you, Klarissa, thank you for coming,” I said, knowing full well it would annoy her.
“Of course. Ethan and I go way back.” Her eyes flickered to him and then back to me. “Congrats. It’s not easy being the new Mrs. Callahan.”
“Maybe for some. For me it was love at first sight.” I leaned into him more, and her jaw clenched.
“You’re a lucky man, Ethan. It’s a pleasure, Ms. O’Davoren,” one of the men beside her spoke, followed by another.
“You’re an absolute vision.”
And another.
“Your dress is gorgeous.”
They circled us like sharks would a beach full of seals, speaking and laughing all at once, complimenting me left and right to the point that it became repetitive.
“Ethan,” Klarissa spoke up, and whoever she was, people lowered their voices, allowing her to speak, “your gift.”
She nodded for someone to come over and handed her champagne to one of the maids, as the box was handed to her. “Came in from Paris an hour ago.”
“From Paris? I’m excited.”
I turned to him, unlocking our arms for him to open it.
Stepping forward, he flipped the tabs open to reveal…
“A pistol of Napoleon I,” she said proudly, as Ethan lifted the thing from the padded box.
“La victoire appartient aux plus persévérants,” he read with a perfect French accent, and she smiled, nodding.
“Victory belongs to the most persevering,” she translated as he put it back into the box.
“Thank you, Klarissa, I’m sure we’ll find a place for it,” I said, lifting the box from her hands and turning to the same person who’d brought it to her. “For now, have the butler store it in Ethan’s study, please.”
He nodded, taking it, and when I faced her I could feel the rage flow off of her in waves and so I smiled.
“I couldn’t help myself. I love gifts, and I peeked at many of the ones that came early. All of you are so gracious, my gift pales in comparison,” I lied through my teeth and they ate it up…with her royal pain in the ass Klarissa, who was doing her best poke at me.
“Oh, don’t tease us. What did you get the man who can get anything?” POKE…poke. Poke...that was what each word felt like.
And they all waited to hear, even Ethan, who was doing absolutely nothing to help get his groupie off my back. “It’s slightly embarrassing…”
“Oh, thank God,” a man cheered, drinking. “A Callahan should be embarrassed every once in a while, just for the sake of our egos.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you all. I’ll be right back.” I stepped away from them, trying to think quickly, until I saw the small orchestra in the corner, ’cause you know rich people, and walked up to the director, whispering the song to him. He looked over at me and grinned, which in return made me grin.
Thank you, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!