“That means a lot, Ellen,” I reply. Hesitantly, I add, “I know this probably isn’t what you envisioned—or necessarily wanted for Jace.”

“It certainly wasn’t what I expected,” Jace’s mother replies, laughing. “But all I want is for him to be happy. And I’ve never seen him happier than when he’s with you.”

I smile at her.

“So…you two are getting married.”

“Yeah.” What was once an impossibility, spoken as a statement. “We are.”

“And it will be in your home country?”

“Yes, at the royal cathedral.”

“That sounds fancy,” Ellen remarks.

“The entire event is going to be pretty over the top,” I respond. “I haven’t been very—uh, involved in the details so far, so I could be walking down the aisle atop gold-coated rose petals at this point.”

Mrs. Dawson lets out a disbelieving laugh, but I’m fairly certain I heard Joan mention that at least once. She keeps asking me questions about the wedding and Marcedenia as we continue cleaning up. Jace enters the kitchen as we’re just finishing the dishes.

“Sam wants us to come over,” he informs me.

“Okay…” I respond. There’s something lurking in his expression I can’t quite discern. “You want to go, right?”

Jace glances at his mother, and she’s quick to excuse herself. “I’d better get Claire to bed.”

“I think Gretchen will probably be there,” Jace tells me.

“I already know she likes you, Jace,” I reply. “It was fairly obvious the last time I was here.”

Jace groans. “Do me a favor and don’t mention that to Mike.”

“Mike? How come?”

“Well, I came home after the first preseason game, you know when…”

“When I let the whole world know you getting knocked unconscious bothered me,” I finish.

“Yup.” Jace smirks. “Anyway, when I came home I ran into Gretchen. She suggested that we get drinks, and—”

“You got a drink with her?” I aim for nonchalance, but fall spectacularly short. It shouldn’t bother me. I know he loves me. But Gretchen is someone who already fits in his world. Someone he wouldn’t have had to give up anything for.

Jace’s smirk morphs into a full grin at the blatant jealousy in my voice. “I had an idea she was interested in high school, but I didn’t think…anyway, Mike suggested she still was, and I didn’t listen to him.”

“So, you got a drink with her?” I prompt.

“Yeah, I did. I literally had a drink, but she had several. And then she made it very clear she was still interested, and I turned her down.”

“And you think she’ll be at Sam’s? That’s why you don’t want to go?”

“That, and she mentioned you.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Really.”

“She said I was turning her down because of you, which was partially true, and that I was only into you because you’re hot, which is mostly true.” He grins.

I scoff. “So you’re worried she’s going to say something if we show up together?”

Jace nods. “I’ve learned she’s a little unpredictable if there’s alcohol involved.”