"Tell me again, El, why you invited me to your family reunion? There are thousands of you here!" Penelope hissed, hugging herself tighter around Eloise's arm as swarms of Bridgertons, Rokesbys, and Bassets surrounded them.
Eloise snorted with laughter. "Exactly. I need you here with me to keep me sane amongst my enormous, absolutely bonkers family."
Penelope relaxed a little against her friend, searching for a spot in the room where they could hide. Just then, a deep male voice chuckled behind them, sending shivers down Penelope's spine.
"I hope you don't mean me, Ellie," the voice said.
Penelope tensed as Eloise dropped her hand and turned to him. If she knew her friend at all, which she liked to think she did, Eloise was about to deck this gentleman for calling her Ellie, even if he was one of her distant relatives. To her surprise, she turned to see Eloise scream and throw her arms around the man. The very good looking man, she thought, giving him a once over. He was tall, broad, and possessed classic good looks, just as it seemed everyone in that room did.
"James, why didn't you tell me you were coming?!" Eloise demanded, finally letting him go and swatting him hard on the arm.
The handsome stranger, James, rubbed at his arm and grinned. "I couldn't miss such a grant event. It's not everyday Violet hosts an all out family reunion like this."
"No, just weddings, engagements, birthdays, holidays, etcetera," Eloise grumbled, clearly still wanting to be anywhere else. "Still, you haven't been to a reunion in years," she exclaimed. "I thought you were still away in Kenya saving baby gorillas or something."
"It was endangered elephants in Ghana actually."
"And how many did you save?" She heard Colin ask, saddling between her and Eloise. Penelope swallowed hard, willing herself not to look at him.
This would be the first time they saw each other since the night they kissed. It was desperate and passionate and absolutely earth shattering---and Penelope was fairly certain Colin was too drunk to remember it. Why else was he acting like nothing was wrong? So she focused on the gorgeous man in front of her and waited to be introduced.
"Well, they told me I could go home early if I saved all of them so..." James smirked and shot Penelope a wink which made her blush furiously. Then he turned his attentions to her and she froze. "Have we met? My family may be hard to keep track of, but I'm sure I would have met someone like you before," he said suggestively.
Penelope's lips parted in shock as she watched James stare openly at her chest. This perfect specimen of a man was checking her out. She couldn't believe it!
"P-Penelope," she squeaked out. "I'm El's friend," she rushed to explain, holding up a weak hand for him to shake.
James grinned wider, seeming to like the affect he had on her. "Well, Penelope, I'm James Bridgerton, Ellie's cousin. It is a pleasure to meet you, darling," he drawled, holding her hand in his for several moments too long as he stared in her eyes. Penelope giggled nervously and pulled away, stumbling a bit into Colin, but she didn't dare look at him. If she had, she would have seen Colin shooting death glares at his own cousin.
"Ew, James, stop hitting on Penelope! She's clearly not interested," Eloise shouted, poking James in the chest.
"Are you sure about that?" He asked with a raise of his brow, smiling cockily. Penelope turned bright red and stared at the floor.
"Are you?!" Eloise and Colin at Penelope yelled in unison, equally disgusted.
Eloise seemed to be grappling with her emotions for a second before making a decision. "Eh, he's not the worst of my relatives," she reasoned. "I say go for it, you crazy kids. James, go buy her a drink," she ordered, shoving the two of them towards the bar.
