Elizabeth is the first to arrive. Elliot was right about her outfit. She’s in a pink dress a lot like the one I was going to wear. She’s carrying a bottle of red, which Elliot accepts with a hum of appreciation and a squeezing arm around her shoulders.
She gives me a hug. “Welcome to the family.” She also puts her arms around Nonny, who has finally emerged from the bathroom. “Hey there. You’re looking gorgeous.”
“You think so?” Anxiety laces my sister’s voice. “You can’t see anything on my forehead?”
Elizabeth frowns. “No. What am I looking for?”
“Before you ask, her vision’s fine,” Elliot says dryly, making me chortle.
Nonny sticks her tongue out at him.
“Ryder?” Elliot says, and my sister’s head swivels back to him.
“Not here yet? He texted me and said he was going to be late.”
Nonny’s eyes go wide. “How late?”
“Oh, he’ll be in time for dinner,” Elliot says with a snort. “He loves free food.”
“If it’s gourmet,” Elizabeth adds. She looks at the flowers and the table. “Wow, you did amazing. I love how intimate and elegant this is.”
I flush. “Thank you.”
The next guest is Blake Pryce-Reed. He’s Elizabeth’s oldest brother, but looks nothing like her or Elliot. Something about his features does remind me of Ryder Reed; he has the same distinctive profile. Blake is in black, and with his near-black hair, he looks forbidding. It doesn’t help that he stands with an entitled arrogance and hauteur, his lean, muscular body tall, spine straight. The corners of his mouth lift in what I guess is supposed to be a smile, but the cool grimness on his face ruins the effort. “So. You’re the bride.”
I tilt my chin. “Yes.”
“I can’t decide between congratulations or condolences.”
“You’re such an ass,” Elliot says.
“If honesty makes one an ass…”
“No wonder you’re friendly with that sociopath.”
Blake snorts. “Don’t let Ryder’s bias mess with your judgment. That ‘sociopath’ may become your brother-in-law.”
Elliot laughs. “Not unless Lucas decides to start playing for the other team.”
“Dane’s going to marry Sophia.”
Elliot’s eyes almost bug out. “What?” It’s the first time I’ve seen him really surprised by anything. “Are they both high?”
“Quite sober, last time I saw them.”
My mind blanks for a moment, then horror seeps into me. “Who’s Sophia? Is she your sister?” Elliot didn’t say anything about another sister, so the poor woman wasn’t even invited.
“Half-sister,” Elliot says. “And cousin. Told you it was messy. But I don’t know her that well, and I’m certain she has no interest in attending this dinner. Dane, either.” He adds, “He’s a cousin on the Pryce side of the family. Thankfully he’s not my cousin.”
My head spins with the info. Good god. What a contorted family tree.
“Is Dad going to show?” Blake asks.
“Yes, along with Number Six.”
“Marvelous. Hopefully she’ll get drunk and pass out quickly.” He stalks away.
“Wow. Why does he hate her so much?” I ask.
“Nobody likes her, except for Dad…maybe. She’s probably younger than you,” Elliot says. “Just wait. She could make a brick look smart.”
I don’t have to wait for more than a few minutes before Elliot’s father, Julian Reed, and his wife Tiffany show up. He isn’t that tall, but he radiates a vibrant energy that makes him appear bigger than he really is. And the bespoke suit he wears gives him an air of authority and power. His golden hair is cut conservatively and expensively—finally explaining where Elizabeth got her coloring. His dark brown eyes take me in, and a small frown mars his otherwise smooth forehead. “You’re Annabelle Key?” he asks.
“Gigi,” Elliot corrects.
I stiffen.
“And now Reed,” he adds.
“Right.” Julian nods, but his sharp gaze assesses me, scraping my nerve endings like sandpaper. Unease chills my belly. Abruptly, he gestures at the woman next to him. “My wife, Tiffany.”
“Hi,” the brunette says breathily.
She’s gorgeous, the kind of woman that you see in beauty magazines. Her curls frame a doll-like face, and she’s generous with her smiles. Unfortunately her eyes seem to be a bit blank. The fitted red dress displays all her assets so that everyone can see exactly what snagged a rich, older husband. Her manicured fingers flex around a Fendi clutch that matches her dress. The sparkling gems around her neck say she’s being kept in style.