Barbie
“Are you telling me,” Ethan begins, “that there’s more tomorrow?”
A snort escapes me before I say goodbye to Auntie Van, who nods in approval when she spots his jacket draped around my shoulders. Subtlety doesn’t exist on either side of my family. “We don’t have to stay for the whole thing.”
“It seems rude to leave your sister’s wedding early.” He pauses. “Even if it’s day one.”
“She doesn’t mind. She already told me I can leave the moment I feel overwhelmed.”
“And?” His face appears in my periphery.
There’s a line of stubble dotting his jaw.
Maybe it’s the glass of champagne I had earlier to take the edge off, or perhaps I’m utterly attracted to my boyfriend, but the unshaven look is doing something for me tonight.
More than his arms are, which is quite a feat to achieve. “Do you feel overwhelmed?”
“No,” I answer truthfully. In fact, most of the people I knew here left me alone. Some concerned relatives did check in on me in the women’s restroom, but they respected my boundaries this time.
And Ethan would whisk me away and lead me outside the venue if he thought I needed a breather, which I genuinely appreciated. To distract me, he’d identify the helicopters we’d see in the distance every time we headed into the gardens.
“I’m fine,” I say, then stop short to stretch on my toes and loop my arms around his neck. “I’m more than fine.”
His dark eyes are half-mast as he places his hands on the small of my back. “Much more than that. You’re beautiful. Breathtaking, even.”
My head tips back, and I throw out a loud cackle. “You are so dorky.”
“You like that about me,” he says. “We get to be dorky together.”
“Mmhmm.” The distance between us is shrinking as he draws me in easily like the ocean tides, my lips merely touching his when a piercing whistle rends the air. We both jolt apart, and my younger sister hooks her arm around my neck with a giant, shit-eating grin on her face.
“Hey, Doctor,” Bell sing-songs, and Ethan heaves a disbelieving groan.
“Why does everyone here assume I’m a doctor?” he asks, threading his fingers through his hair. “I’ve already had someone flash me the mole on their back.” When I let out a nervous chuckle, his gaze snaps to mine. “Did you tell them I was a doctor?”
“No,” I say. “Nobody here understands what QA or QC is. I was gonna tell people you were a circus clown, but I went with a pilot instead. Then I had too many uncles and aunties excited about free flights, so I had to tell them why you wouldn’t be able to hook them up.
I said you did emergency flights for hospitals.
They must have heard hospital and assumed you performed life-saving surgeries in the back of a ’copter or something. ”
Ethan stares at me.
“My Vietnamese is a little rusty with certain words. My Cantonese is still spot on.” I wince. “Next time, I’ll just tell them my boyfriend’s a rodeo clown.”
His expression remains inscrutable. “Like an EMS pilot?”
“Don’t know what that is, but sure?” I say, then nudge my sister off me when she leans her weight against me and cackles shrilly into my ear. “Oh. Look. It’s the couple of the hour, Mr. and Mrs. Fang.”
Our older sister’s a vision in the gown she designed.
Effortlessly stunning. Her talent as a costume designer truly shines in the details, down to the beaded lace.
All the time and energy she’s spent on her wedding has truly paid off and then some.
I don’t think the wedding I could have had with Warner would have been as grand.
I can only hope that when I finally do get married, my wedding will be just as nice. Warm fuzzies race down my spine as I cast a glance in Ethan’s direction, my heart practically skipping a beat.
“I’m going to say it again.” Bell waddles over to the bride and throws her arms around her. “Betty Fang is a kick-ass name.”
Betty laughs, hugging her back with no concern over her hair and makeup. Her focus goes straight to me. “Are you leaving?”
“I told you we should stick around,” Ethan mutters under his breath.
“I had to wake up early this morning for the conservation—”
“Got it.” Betty smiles kindly at me.
Bell snickers. “Just a heads up, since I’ve decided I like you,” she says, casting Ethan a glance. “Barbie will never shut up about the ocean if you let her get way too into it.”
I turn on my feet to glare at her when Ethan says, “I don’t mind.”
“That was a test, which you passed,” Bell says, ignoring the frown from both of her sisters. “You should always support her dreams and interests, as any good partner would.”
“Since you seem like a nice guy,” Vincent tacks on, “you should never accidentally eat her pistachio ice cream. Trust me on this.”
My mouth parts. Betty delicately presses the back of her hand to her lips.
Bell hollers with laughter. “No. Wait. Do accidentally eat her pistachio ice cream. Trust me on this.”
“This is why you’re my least favorite sister now,” I mutter.
“I’ll live,” Bell replies without missing a beat.
“Oh, I know she goes absolutely feral for it,” Ethan says, amusement gleaming in his eyes when he looks my way. He’s met with a dry stare from me.
“She does love her snacks,” Betty whispers.
"Et tu, Betty?” I gasp. “And on that note, goodbye,” I broadcast flatly, sticking out my tongue at my younger sister while I slip my arms around Ethan’s waist. “We’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
“So, you met my family,” I say. “And all the extended ones, too,” I tack on with a laugh. “Well, most of them. The rest of them will be here tomorrow for the second day of the wedding if you’re still willing to be my plus one.”
“I don’t mind.” Ethan quietly snorts, reaching for my hand. “They’re not so bad. I like them.”
“I like your family, too,” I say. “Maybe, when I fly out next month for your birthday, I can finally meet them in person.”
“I would like you to meet my sister and Aaron,” he responds.
“But not your mom?” My brow quirks.
“Barbie, the minute she meets you in person, she’ll start asking what the name of our future kids will be.”
“Obviously,” I hedge, “it’s Bambi.”
He halts in his tracks and tilts his head to the side. “Good God—”
“I’m messing with you.” Amusement tugs at the corners of my lips as we come to a stop before our hotel door. Instead of dealing with the traffic from LA to Newport tomorrow afternoon, we’ve decided to get a room not too far from the venue. “You are so easy to mess with.”
He expels a sigh. “I think I actually miss when you were half-assing your edging operation.”
My grin widens. “Is this your way of telling me you want me to edge you the entire time you’re here?”
“Baby,” he says, all low and growly, and I’m practically beaming at him as I key us into our room. “I’m only here until Sunday morning.”
“That’s plenty of time to edge you,” I tease. “I’m kidding.” I kick the door open, gesturing widely to the suite. “There’s only one bed here, and we’re putting it to good use and making the most of it like we should have done in South Carolina.”
Laughter lines form around his eyes. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” My hand fists his tie, and his adorable dimples pop in response.
“I like where this is going,” he whispers, his hands going to the zipper on the back of my dress.
“I like where this is going, too,” I reply, breaking into laughter when he lets me tackle him and we go tumbling onto the mattress together. His lips find mine easily. My leg hooks around his hip.
I’ve got a one-track mind right now and it’s Ethan, Ethan, Ethan.