Page 138 of When Hearts Ignite

“Anyway, His Majesty did say to eat and drink to your heart’s content tonight. There are suites here with your names on them, so you don’t need to worry about getting home afterward,” Ethan supplies, changing the subject and turning back to us.

Charles comes back with a tray of champagne and starts handing them out to each of us. “Some refreshments for everyone to toast this wonderful human being for finally, thank fuck, taking my friend off the market so the ladies can focus on me for once. You guys always say I look like Scandinavian royalty. Maybe it’s high time the ladies go for blond hair and blue eyes instead of tall, dark, and handsome.”

He unleashes a flirtatious smile, his blond hair gleaming under the pendant lights. Steven told me he’s playfully bitter about how Jess, Liz, and Sarah didn’t choose him but fell head over heels for the men in their lives.

Taylor snorts and rolls her eyes. “If people aren’t going for you, maybe you need to look into yourself to see why.”

Charles freezes and turns his attention to her, his light blue eyes narrowing, but Taylor shrugs as she takes a sip of her champagne and continues, “I mean, maybe it’s your whole charming golden prince aura—life is not all sunshine and fucking sunflowers. Maybe women like substance, men who have seen darkness.”

I nudge Taylor in the ribs and she winces. “What? Just telling the truth.” Sometimes, her doom and gloom may be a party killer.

“I’m so sorry—” I begin, but Charles cut me off.

“Oh, you have no fucking clue what you’re talking about, you brat.”

My eyes bug out at the uncharacteristic growl from Charles’s voice as he engages in a brief staring contest with Taylor, with neither backing down. Charles is normally the charming, charismatic one out of Steven’s friend group, but it seems ever since the two of them met a few months ago, this hidden, angry side of him would make an appearance in her presence.

“And on that note, let us raise our glasses to toast the first Anderson female entrepreneur. May she take New York City by storm.” Charles smiles again, as if the last few seconds didn’t occur.

Steven curls his arm around me and clinks our glasses together before we do the same with the others in the group.

Ryland steps forward and clears his throat, his champagne flute still raised in the air. “We don’t tell you enough, but we are thrilled to have you and Taylor be part of our family. Father seems so much happier since he reunited with you both and I know Maxwell, if he were here, would say the same. We’re proud to have you two as our sisters.”

I beam at him and his normally cool slate eyes soften, a muscle feathering his jaw. From what I’ve seen so far, Maxwell and Ryland are the least emotional of the Andersons and this is a rare display of affection from him.

“Thank you, Ryland.”

He nods and brings the flute to his lips, but pauses midway, a chill befalling his features. His nostrils flare and jaw clenches as he straightens up, his eyes staring at something behind me. His eyes flash with something fierce—an angry spark burning within coal.

Frowning, I turn around, seeing Millie and an unassuming guy her age—the clean-cut boy next door type with blond hair and a friendly smile—standing there, with Millie’s lips trembling for a second before curving in the fakest smile I’ve seen from her.

“Professor Anderson, nice to see you here,” the boy next to her says before gulping visibly, fear flashing in his eyes.

Ryland doesn’t answer him and the boy’s complexion pales and I can almost see the sweat beading on his forehead.

Millie strides forward, tugging her companion behind her, and wraps me in a hug. “Sorry, I’m late. Fred and I had a study session because our asshole professor gave us a ridiculous project,” she spits out, her eyes flashing to Ryland again, the venom in her voice absolutely unheard of.

She then links her hand with her date and leans on his shoulder, batting her eyelashes at the poor guy, who looks like he wants to kiss her and also flee Ryland’s thunderclouds at the same time.

Ryland emits something sounding suspiciously like a growl, the vein in his forehead throbbing. His hand curls into a fist as he steps forward, his tall frame practically vibrating with rage. “Millie Callahan, if you don’t detach yourself from him at this moment, I’ll—”

“You’ll what? Flunk me in class? Run away and pretend I don’t exist like you did before?”

My mouth drops open as I take in this intense quarrel between a professor and his student—no, something definitely more than that. Millie’s jealousy warfare may be working after all.

Charles clears his throat and nudges forward, handing Millie and her date two flutes of champagne. Ryland seethes in the background, his face flushed, and Millie turns away and smooths her expression into another fake smile.

Steven cocks a questioning brow at me, and I shrug. I won’t be the one to disclose Millie’s secrets, girl code and all.

He steps up to Millie and wraps her in a brotherly hug. “So, does Adrian know about this friend of yours?” He nods toward her date.

Millie laughs and shoves him playfully. “I already have one brother. I don’t need another one, but I love you all the same for being a bonus brother.” She gives a quick peck on his cheek and I swear I can hear another growl from Ryland.

Steven cocks a brow at his friend and the two of them seem to have this strange stare down, silent communication. Steven chuckles and steps back from Millie.

He pulls me against him and lifts his glass up once more. “Thank you all of you for being in our lives.”

He turns to me, his eyes intent on mine, and adds, “I’m so proud of you, Grace. For everything you’ve accomplished. Thank you for making my wish under a star come true every single day.”

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