I grab the flops and he sweeps me into the garage and places me in his 911, dragging the seatbelt across my lap as he kisses me.

When he closes my door I sigh. He’s so perfect.

And I don’t want to ruin our night with talk of the media, so I’ll tell him about the tweets tomorrow.

I just want to enjoy my fairytale life for now.

Chapter Fourteen

#ThisCastleIsMine

“YOU’RE nervous?” Vaughn asks as we drive through the gates of his parents’—my in-laws’—palatial Beverly Hills estate.

“Of course I’m nervous. Your entire family is here.” Thanksgiving at the Chambers house was a low-key affair. It was buffet-style. We ate on the couch some years. They didn’t have a lot of family, and what they did have lived on the East Coast. It was not extravagant.

“Yeah, but they are pretty cool, Grace. We’re all close. And besides, you saw most of them at the wedding.”

“Oh, God. Please tell me all those people won’t be here.” My stomach twists from my nerves.

“Of course not, sweets. Only about a hundred or so.”

“What?”

“I’m kidding.” He reaches over to squeeze my leg as he pulls in the circular driveway and waits for the valet to come.

Vaughn exits the car while my door is opened for me. I’m just about to take the offered hand of the valet when Vaughn sneaks his hand in. “Princess,” he says with a grin as he helps me out of the low-riding sports car. “Welcome back to the castle. No film crews are here this time.”

I roll my eyes at him and we walk towards the front door. It’s already open, there’s a butler-looking man in formal attire standing guard, and his mother. He says she meets him at the door whenever he comes over, and he was not kidding. Who knew Vaughn Asher was a mama’s boy?

She kisses him on the cheek, then me, chatting about food and family. I swallow hard and cling to Vaughn’s hand as I’m led into the expansive living room. It’s got a huge cathedral ceiling with dozens of windows covered in elegant draperies. The back yard is not a water park like ours. It has a pool, but it also has manicured gardens, and of course, the pool house where Felicity is staying.

There are children running everywhere and double the amount of grown-ups.

“How are you feeling, Grace?” Vaughn’s mother asks. He calls her Mom. I know her name is Dana, but somehow I can’t bring myself to call her either of those things.

“I’m much better, thank you.” That’s about all I can manage.

“Well, we’re ready to eat now that you’re here. So let’s go get settled in the dining room.”

“We’re late?” I ask in Vaughn’s ear.

“On time for food and conversation, darling. I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed, so I said we’d only come for dinner.”

Well, that was thoughtful.

Mrs. Asher takes my arm and leads me forward. “The children are all eating outside, it’s a tradition, so don’t worry. It will be a nice calm experience for you.”

Vaughn snorts behind me.

She drops me off at the table set for a bazillion people and points to the little cards with everyone’s name on them. “I do arranged seating to liven things up. You’re here, sweetie.”

Mr. Asher—Adam, for some reason I feel OK calling him that. Maybe because he’s a movie star and I’ve heard it so often—is talking in a booming voice as he leads an entourage of relatives towards the table.

Vaughn’s calming hand is on my back as he pulls out my chair. “Sit, princess. I’m right across from you, so don’t worry.”

I look up at his concerned expression and give him a smile. “I’m OK.” I sit as he pushes my chair in, and then I arrange my napkin on my lap.

“Yo, Grace!” Felicity calls as she enters. “I’m next to you, sister.” We are in the middle of the table, with Adam at the head to my right, and Mrs. Asher at the head to my left. Thankfully, Samantha is sitting on the other side of me, so I’m flanked by the only two people I really know here.

I love Mrs. Asher and her seating chart.

“Conner?” Vaughn says as his brother takes a seat across from Felicity. I watch my husband assess that situation. He’s in denial about this and I have to stifle a small chuckle. I’m not sure if Conner and Felicity are dating, per se, but they are definitely up to something. Vaughn’s eyes shift back and forth between the two as a waiter reaches behind him to take a crystal flute and fill it with champagne. “Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

“About what?” Conner is swiping his fingers across his smartphone, not even paying attention.

Vaughn opens his mouth to add something snide when Tray appears to his right. “What the fuck—”

“Vaughn,” his mother chastises.

“We’re dating, V,” Samantha says as she eyes her husband with a strained smile. Or maybe he is her ex-husband and they are going for a do-over? I’m not sure. But it’s none of my business. I heard Tray was the first link in the chain to getting me back, so I’m not upset with him at all.

The whole room is filled with talking and laughter as everyone settles into their places and then Adam taps his spoon on his water glass. “It’s been a blessed year for the Asher family. We’ve had two marriages, no deaths, and two new babies.”

The room goes quiet and everyone looks at me. No deaths and two new babies. I’m not sure that’s accurate, so I just sigh.

Adam clears his throat to ease the uncomfortable moment and bring everyone’s attention back to him. And then he smiles at the two women cuddling newborns. The men across from them beam proudly. I can only assume they are cousins of Vaughn’s.

I look away quickly and adjust the linen napkin on my lap one more time.

“And Grace,” Adam says, directing everyone’s attention back to me. My face gets hot and my nose starts to tingle. I don’t want to cry here. I seem to be extra sensitive to crying these days and I really don’t want to cry here.

“You are the perfect wife for my son. So strong and sweet. Intelligent and beautiful. We’re sorry we missed your wedding. Perhaps you will let us have a party for you when you’re feeling up to it?”

There’s a chorus of yeses from around the table and my eyes get teary. But then I look across the table at Vaughn and his smile gives me strength. “Thank you,” I manage. “I feel so lucky to be part of this…” And then it hits me what I’ve got here. “Family.” They all go quiet to see if I’ll say anything else. And I’m about to just shut up and let the moment pass when Vaughn seizes control.