Seeing that further cemented my reason for doing this. I could survive this one night. We drove in relative silence, soft music filling the car.
"So, is there anything I should know before I go in there?" I asked.
He wore a thoughtful expression for a moment. "I don't think so. My family can be… a lot. Just be prepared."
"I thought it was just your parents," I said, confused.
"Well, it's Sunday night dinner, so my brothers and their wives will be there, and sometimes a few cousins show up with their spouses and kids, but it’s never any more than fifteen."
I almost swallowed my tongue. I was expecting a small, easy dinner, not a family gathering, and a large one at that. My entire family was comprised of my mom, me, and my grandmother. We never really spoke to extended family.
“Thanks for the heads up,” I mumbled under my breath. Hopefully these rich people had good alcohol.
We soon arrived at a large, cast iron gate. Ellery took out some card and scanned it. There was a buzz, then the gate opened, and we were driving through. The grounds were sprawling and my mouth fell as we approached the largest house I'd ever seen.
It looked just like every other large house I'd seen in movies. Topiaries in the front, nice cars lining the drive, most likely guests, and a large, tanned mansion with a million windows.
Yeah, I was way out of my league.
When the car stopped, I reached for the handle, but Ellery stopped me.
"I wanted to give you this," he said, handing me a velvet jewelry box.
My heart started pounding. "W-what..." I stuttered.
He scoffed. "I promise, I'm not proposing. Open it."
That was assuring at the very least. When I opened it, I still gasped at what was inside.
A diamond tennis bracelet sat in there with a small moon charm on it. This thing had to be worth close to what he was paying me to be here. "I don't understand," I said.
He sighed. "It's kind of a thing in my family. When you start to get… serious about someone, you buy them jewelry to show it. Don't worry, I won't take it from your cut."
"I–thank you," I said. "I can give it back at the end of the night."
"Don't worry about it. Let's go."
He got out of the car, but I was still staring at the bracelet. I had to admit, it was beautiful. The moon was gold encrusted, and exactly my style.
My door opened and Ellery put his hand out. I took it easily, remembering why I was here.
"Let me put it on," he said once he shut the door.
I leaned back against the car door as he pressed close to me and took the bracelet. I could feel his breath on my face as he slid it on, snapping the clasps. I turned it over and gazed at it.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
I looked up and met his blue eyes, shining even in the low light. He gave me an easy nod. "We should head in."
He stepped away, and I took his arm as he put it out to me. Ellery tossed the keys to a man standing in front of the door, who I assumed to be a valet, before leading us in.
The inside was just as opulent as the outside, with crystal chandeliers and a spiral staircase. It was a more old fashioned show of wealth, not really my taste, but beautiful nonetheless.
A woman came to take our coats and Ellery led me into another room. When we arrived, there were people milling about, drinking and mingling. This felt more like an event than a family dinner.
The first person who caught my eye was a stunning woman. She was tall, with deep brown skin and curls slicked back into a bun. She was wearing a dark green dress that hugged all her curves beautifully. She was standing next to a man who looked a bit like Ellery, but not quite. His hair was a dusky brown, and it was much shorter than Ellery’s, though they had the same strong jaw and arrogant smile, and that tanned skin and toned body.
The tall woman caught us in the entry way and paused, tapping her husband on the shoulder and gesturing to us. I felt suddenly like I was under a magnifying glass.
