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“Ethan!” Victoria raced over, flinging her arms around me, and I staggered backwards at the sudden assault.
“Watch it, V.” I laughed, releasing her. She immediately noticed Avery, and a beaming smile spread over her face.
“Well, are you going to introduce me?” She stared at me expectantly.
“Victoria, this is Avery. Avery, meet my sister, Victoria.”
“Avery. I am so pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Avery smiled warmly at my sister’s enthusiasm.
“You know, you’re nothing like the girls he usually dates.” She stepped closer to Avery. “And trust me, that is a very good thing,” she added in a stage whisper. She turned back to me.
“Ethan, you two make a gorgeous couple. Now, do you mind if I steal Avery for a moment? I’d like a chance to chat with my brother’s new girlfriend. Why don’t you go and get a drink?”
Avery stared up at me, a question in her eyes, and I bent down to whisper in her ear, my hand clasping her waist.
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
She turned her head, her lips so close to mine that I could feel our breath intermingling. Her proximity made it difficult for me to concentrate on anything.
“I’m fine,” she whispered back. “I’ll go, but I think we should leave everyone with a reminder that you’re off limits for the weekend.”
Before I could react, she’d grasped my chin and reached up to plant a kiss on my cheek, so close to my mouth that if I’d turned my head slightly, our lips would have met.
Dazed, I stumbled backwards, my hand reaching up to touch my cheek, burning from her kiss.
“Don’t touch,” she cautioned me. Smirking, she added, “Every woman you speak to will see my lipstick on your cheek.” Tossing her dark hair over her shoulder, she sauntered away, arm in arm with my sister, turning back once to blow a kiss over her shoulder.
Grinning, I shook my head and flagged down a passing waiter. I was going to need a drink if I was to cope with the evening ahead.
“Ethan.” A nasally voice came from my left, and I steeled myself.
“Ralph.” I studied my sister’s fiancé, wondering for the hundredth time what she saw in him. Tall, blond, reedy, with an aristocratic air that I knew for a fact he exaggerated, he was ten years older than Victoria, and I trusted him about as far as I could throw him. He’d somehow managed to worm his way into my sister’s life, and I knew, deep down, that she was making a mistake by marrying him.
“We’re so glad you could make it. Victoria thought you would be too busy working to get here until tomorrow.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” I said through gritted teeth. Where is that waiter with my drink? “Excuse me, Ralph. I spy my mother waving at me.” Unable to bear a moment longer in his presence, I strode away.
“Sir?” The waiter returned with my drink. Lager. I would have much rather had a decent Scotch, but at this point I’d take what I could get.
I thanked him and moved to stand in front of the large windows, covered by heavy brocade curtains. An arm slipped into mine.
“Ethan, come with me.” My mother led me around the room, and the next half an hour was a whirlwind of catching up with relatives and being shown off to my mother’s friends. I kept an eye on Avery, who was drinking champagne and laughing with my sister and her friends. Every now and then she’d look over at me, and we’d share a private smile. I felt a jolt every time she smiled at me. She was so different to most of the crowd here, but she’d slipped into her role with ease and had completely charmed Victoria by the looks of it.
The urge to go over to her was growing stronger, and finally I couldn’t resist any longer.
“Mother, I’m going to rescue Avery before Victoria talks her ear off.” Before she had a chance to answer me, I started walking across the room, my gaze fixed on Avery.
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” Suddenly blocking Avery from my view, my ex-girlfriend stood in front of me, hands on her hips.
Great. I dredged up a smile which I’m sure came out as more of a grimace. “Clarissa.”
6
Avery
I watched as Ethan’s progress towards me was abruptly halted by a tall, elegant blonde, dressed in a floor-length pale grey silk dress. “Who’s that?” I turned to Victoria, my curiosity piqued.
