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Laughing, Levi stares at the man behind the couple. “Well, fuck! Ryker, what the hell are you doing on this side of the Atlantic?”
“On my way home for Valentina’s graduation. I can’t believe my little sister is old enough to be going to college.”
“Hell, I forgot about that. Don’t tell her I said so. I’ll be there.”
Ryker’s eyes drift over me, which Levi notices. He takes me by the hand and tugs me into his side. “My uncle
Eric and aunt Sylvia.” He points to Ryker, “My cousin, Ryker, son of Eric’s brother, Aiden and his wife, Sarah. This is Ryan’s girl, Gretchen.”
“Hmm.” His uncle Eric gives him a look before shaking my hand.
“Trust me, Ryan is my boyfriend. Levi had his tongue down a girls’ mouth last night.” I cringe as the stupid words tumble from my mouth.
Ryker bursts out laughing as his eyes fill with amusement.
Levi slams a hand over my mouth. “My sensitive Aunt doesn’t need to hear that.”
“Your sensitive Aunt has heard a lot worse than that,” Sylvia says with a teasing smirk on her face as she eyes her husband.
“I bet,” Levi hisses under his breath. “Join us.”
They take their seats beside us, and Levi asks, not so politely, “I know why Ryker is here, but why are you?”
I choke on a sip of champagne and laugh. “Sorry,” I chuckle.
“We’re used to him,” Eric says. “Sylvia held McKenzie Holdings together once upon a time.”
“A long time ago,” Sylvia sighs, whimsically. “That’s how I met Eric.”
“The best thing that ever happened to me,” Eric adds.
“You didn’t think so at the time,” Sylvia counters.
“I didn’t know what the hell to do with you.”
“You sure figured that out quickly.”
“Oh, God! Please stop.” Levi shudders.
“I forgot how good it is to be around family.” Ryker grins.
Eric gives him a long look. “You need to come home more often.”
“You sound like my mom, although Valentina is the worse. I can’t talk to her without her asking when I’m coming home.” Ryker looks pained as though he wants to be home but can’t for some reason.
Sylvia changes the subject. “So, Levi, you’re opening a business with Ryan, huh?”
“We used to talk about it as kids.” Levi shrugs. “And now it’s going to become a reality. I can’t wait.”
“From what we’ve heard, Emma is excited to be involved and can’t wait for a trip to Lexington.”
Sylvia is quite lovely and delicate. However, I have a feeling nothing gets past her. Her husband positively adores her as he keeps his arm around her shoulders with her pressed into his side.
“I’ve sent her a ton of photographs, but somehow I get the feeling I haven’t sent enough.” Levi shakes his head. “She’s not going to settle until I get back to Essex so she can come up here and see for herself.”
Distracted, Levi stares off over my left shoulder. “Ryan’s grandma and grandpa have just arrived.” He drops his mouth to my ear. “Pippa and Elias are in their nineties and live in an assisted living facility a few miles from here.”
I watch as Lucien and Sebastian, push their parents’ wheelchairs to the front, so they get the best view. Watching them, and how their family greets them with so much love on their faces, is beautiful, making my eyes water.
