As I tried to smile and look happy, realizing the people in the room were imagining all the sex I’d just enjoyed with my husband, put me on the defensive. I had to agree with Ethan’s earlier suggestion. The window escape plan sounded pretty damn appealing right about now. He must have sensed my reluctance, because he gave my side a little squeeze and whispered, “Four more hours, my beauty. We’ve got this.” He pressed a kiss to the side of my head and in we went.

Duties to our guests aside, I was very aware of how Hannah had gone over and above in her efforts on our behalf, along with our wedding planner, and the perfectly timed assistance of Elaina, had ensured our gig had gone off without a hitch and I couldn’t be more satisfied with how everything had turned out.

Only one thing was missing. Well, one person…but there was nothing to help me with that one. Love you, Dad.

The formal hall at Hallborough was casually set up with several tables dressed in cream linens, purple flowers, and old silver, that had to be worth a small fortune. The fact that Ethan and I would soon be country neighbors with Hannah and Freddy, and their three beautiful children, was something that made me very happy. Having a family to love and support you meant everything to me. They had done so much for us already. I looked forward to being closer and spending more time together.

So I found myself standing amid all the splendor, with my husband beside me, making the rounds, thanking everyone who’d stayed over at Hallborough to celebrate with us. He looked gorgeous as usual without barely any effort, his damp hair curling at the neck of his thin creamy sweater, paired with faded jeans and buttery-soft loafers in camel. Ethan did casual just as skillfully as he did suits. Mouthwatering.

After our shower, we’d dressed quickly and driven over to greet our guests one last time before taking off. We’d insisted on a very casual and informal gathering this morning, thus our simple outfits of jeans for Ethan, and a white eyelet sundress with leather wedges for me. I ended up wearing my hair down, because he had indeed laid a significant hickey on the side of my neck, and I certainly didn’t feel like sharing it with others the morning after my wedding night. It would only serve to feed more fuel to their imaginings of how I’d earned it. Nope. I was too private for that kind of nonsense. And Ethan’s remorse later over marking me up, after the fact, always struck me as a little surprising too. For a man so dominant during sex, he sure worried about me a lot. I had told him over and over that if he ever went too far, I’d let him know, but I’m not sure he really and truly believed me. Oh, Ethan, what am I going to do with you?

He never took his hands off me the whole time. As we chatted from place to place in the room, he always had an arm tucked around my waist, or a hand at my back. He would press kisses into my hair and brush up and down the side of my bare arm with his hand if we were idle. He just seemed to need it, and for whatever reasons, the idea that he needed to touch me in order to feel comfort, was extremely powerful in my own journey of emotional healing. I felt much loved and very cherished as we made our way around to thank everyone.

Even my mother managed to be happy for us.

“Oh, darling, what a pretty dress you’ve chosen to go away in. I love the cutwork at the hem,” she gushed.

The cutwork at the hem? Seriously? “Ahhh, thanks, Mom. You know me, I like things brutally simple,” I told her as I accepted a hug. It wasn’t lost on me that Ethan and my mother didn’t really acknowledge each other. They had a wary truce of sorts for the moment, both of them intelligent enough to get through the wedding without adding to the drama. Poor Ethan; he’d inherited a monster-in-law, and now had to tolerate her for life.

My mother frowned at my answer, just a tad mind you, but still qualified as a frown by my standards, her unlined face not even hinting to her true age of forty-four. She looked much younger. “But you could wear anything right now, Brynne. You should take advantage of it while you still can.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, my mother realized her mistake and started fidgeting with my hair. She’d managed to bring up my pregnancy, and avoid it like the white elephant in the room that it most definitely was, both at the same time. Bravo, Mom. Why couldn’t she be even a little bit more like my Aunt Marie? Marie didn’t judge, didn’t make me feel like an irresponsible slut for getting pregnant before I was married, and didn’t pretend she wasn’t going to be a grandmother in another six months. “I don’t know why you don’t wear your hair up, darling; it would give just the right touch of elegance to that neckline—”

Mom’s eyes widened. And then she dropped the bun of my hair she’d been arranging like it was radioactive waste. As my hair settled back down around my neck, she shoved Frank forward to give his congratulations. Guess the giant hickey had freaked her shit right out. Was it bad I had to stifle the urge to tell her how good it had felt when Ethan gave it to me?

I wished for a tiny moment I could indulge in one of those mimosas people were drinking with their breakfast.

My stepfather, Frank, kissed me on the cheek and told me I was a beautiful bride. As much as I tried to appreciate his gesture I felt a sudden clawing ache for my own father, who wasn’t here. And whom I’d never see again.

Ethan thanked them both for coming and sensed my need to move on. He was so good with reading me. I felt nothing but relief when we made our way over to Neil and Elaina.

“You’re still walkin’, mate,” Neil teased, delivering a hearty clap to Ethan’s back.

“Indeed I am.” Ethan returned a half hug, half back-slap to his friend and partner.

But Neil wasn’t done with the tongue-in-cheek I was pretty sure. I’d seen these two in action for the last months and they went ’round and ’round all the time. “So, how did he do, Brynne?” Neil asked me, before breaking out in a snickering laugh. “You look absolutely glowing this morning by the way.”

Elaina smacked her fiancé’s arm and told him to shush.

I laughed back and told Neil a lady never tells, before accepting hugs and kisses from our closest friends as a couple. Neil worked with Ethan as partners in Blackstone Security, while Elaina and I had hit it off from nearly day one. They lived right across the hall from us in London and we spent a lot of dinners and down time together.

“In six weeks or so we’ll be doing this again, only then it will be you two that are fielding all the wedding night innuendo comments,” I said to Neil, reminding him that his own special day was right around the corner.