“And pleased me you have! You look spectacular.” She gestured toward the crowd. “Let me introduce you to a few people.”
“Mother, maybe later. I would like to see Father to wish him a happy birthday.”
I knew what it meant—he was already done with the evening and wanted to discreetly exit as soon as possible.
“Ah, yes, but he’s in his office with Hugo right now.” She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “They should not be long.”
Ethan literally froze on the spot, his face closing up. I’d never seen him like that before.
“Hugo?” I tried.
“Well, yes, Ethan’s older brother.”
I turned my head quickly, looking at Ethan with incredulity. Ethan had abrother?
Ethan avoided my eyes, his jaw ticking.
“Oh, that’s right! You’ve never met him.”I looked back at her with a tight smile.
“So, let me introduce you to a few friends.”
“Brother?” I whispered as his mother took the lead through the crowd.
“Not now.” Ethan looked down, his usual playful look replaced by an almost begging one. “Please.”
“Okay.”
“Ah, Marlene.” Ethan’s mother stopped abruptly beside a woman with graying hair that was pinned up in the same style as her. Her pinched lip made her look so uptight and she stood so straight it had to be hurting her spine.
“I didn’t know you could have a stick so high up one's arse,” I muttered and Ethan relaxed, his lips tipping up in a half-smile.
“It’s a gift,” he replied to me before smiling brightly at the woman in front of us. “Mrs. Bamford, what a pleasure to see you again. Please let me introduce you to my fiancée, Ava Byrnes.”
“Byrnes?” She eyed me curiously. “Are you related to the Byrnes family from Knightsbridge? The ones who own the Capital hotel chain?”
“No, I'm a Byrnes from Sheffield. My parents are both high-school teachers.”
“Ah, how nice,” she replied, her mouth tipped down a little and I wanted to laugh.
Ethan’s mother looked a little embarrassed. “Well, why don’t you help yourself to some drinks. I will stay with Marlene.”
“Of course, Mother.” Ethan bowed his head toward the older woman. “Mrs. Bamford.”
“It was nice to meet you!” I called just as Ethan swirled me around and pulled me toward a waiter holding a tray full of champagne flutes.
“Do you know how much I want to kiss you right now?” Ethan chuckled as he reached for a glass of champagne and offered it to me.
“Just wait, I’ll tell the next one that I’m voting Labour.”
“Oh yes, please do! Let me find Viscount Ashton of Hyde, this will probably kill him.”
I laughed, resting my head on his shoulder. Leave it to Ethan to make me feel good in a place where I clearly didn’t belong.
He made a little disgusted noise at the back of his throat and I looked up to him in surprise to see him looking straight ahead.
“Brace yourself, the King and the almighty heir are coming our way.” The bitterness in Ethan’s voice confused me.
My friend was happy and playful with a dash of kinky. This version of Ethan was so unfamiliar and not one I particularly wanted to see again.