Giovanni linked arms with her, only turning around once more to grin at Jasper and say, “Better hope it’s nothing spicy, eh, bambino?”

While Jasper scowled, Seth burst out laughing. Together, we followed after the odd couple, the whir of voices growing louder the closer we came. A heavenly scent wafted through the festively decorated halls—cinnamon and cloves, chocolate and pine—and by the time we stepped through the arches of the Great Hall, I couldn’t restrain a giddy smile. The ceiling lights had been dimmed and replaced by hundreds of candles that were scattered across the tables, their soft golden glow flickering across the faces of the guests.

However, I couldn’t fully take everything in before my eyes landed on a pair in the back of the room. With a quiet gasp, I grabbed onto Elle’s hand and tugged her with me as I hurried towards them.

“Mom! Dad!”

They didn’t have the chance to say anything before I crashed into them.

“There, there,” Dad said, his rumbling laughter vibrating against me when he tightly wrapped his arms around me. I took a deep breath and buried my face against his shoulder, inhaling the familiar smell of home.

“Oh, it’s so good to see you,” Mom murmured when I moved on to hug her. “And how pretty you look in that dress! All grown up.”

I stepped back and intertwined my hand with Elle’s again, who was standing rooted in place, an endearingly nervous look on her face. “Mom, Dad,” I said, my voice giddy with excitement. “This is Elle.”

“The girlfriend, hm?” Mom asked. In the dim light, her eyes were shining with warmth.

“The girlfriend that almost got kidnapped,” Dad grumbled, shaking her hand. “I couldn’t believe it when Evelyn told me.

Damn stupid of her and the boys to get themselves into danger like that.”

Elle looked like she tried to bite her tongue, but eventually still blurted, “Dumb, but also really brave. If it weren’t for them, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”

Dad leveled her with a gruff stare. “Careful with the things you say and the people you disagree with, Ashley. I still haven’t decided whether I think you’re good enough for my daughter or not.”

Elle’s eyes widened a little. “I’m sorry, Mr. Greene, I didn’t mean to disrespect y—”

She broke off when he suddenly cracked up laughing. “Don’t look so shocked, I was just joking! After everything Lynnie told us about you, I couldn’t get myself to dislike you even if I tried.”

“Dad!” I said. “Not funny.”

Elle shrugged, scratching at her neck. “A little funny.”

A high-pitched beeping sounded through the room before the interaction could get any more awkward. The source of the noise was the microphone that Mrs. Whitworth, who had changed into an elegant pantsuit, was holding as she stepped onto a little makeshift podium.

The room came into motion as everyone scurried to sit down at the long tables. Elle spotted Jasper and Seth, who were saving seats for us, sitting with two girls who had to be Jasper’s older sisters.