"To George and Karen!"

There was some applause, several cheers, and some laughter to go with it. The first toast of the evening and Ben had nailed it. So far, the engagement party had gone off without a hitch, smooth sailing. The party wasn't large, mainly family and close friends, and the house had been done up prettily for the occasion.

Echo leaned against a wall, her gaze straying back and forth between Lena and Maru, and the entrance to the large room. She'd been waiting, hoping that he would come. She'd been clear with Marco about, or at least she thought she had been. She'd told him that she would be waiting for Luke, so why was it an hour into the party and he was nowhere to be found? Maybe he wasn't coming... maybe he got caught up at work, whatever that implied. 

"You look great, Echo." Maru said, noticing she was distracted. She'd felt so damned uncomfortable over the last hour, having to deal with these two sour pusses. She could understand why Echo was disappointed, but dealing with Lena had been a pain all day. She still couldn't figure out what had been bugging her. 

"Don't you think, Lena?" Maru asked when Echo didn't reply. Lena turned, looking Echo over with a faint smile. 

"You really do. I love the dress." Lena said, trying to be in a good mood. 

"Thank you, it was Romy's choice." Echo said, looking down at it and smoothing it out. It was actually a really lovely dress, dark pink to her knees, simple but elegant. If Echo wasn't so distracted by her own thoughts, she'd almost be pleased with herself. 

"I do have great taste." Romy said, approaching her sisters with Vera in tow. 

"Lord, here we go." Lena said, rolling her eyes. "Another thing for Romy to be the best at."

"I can't help it if I'm good at so many things." Romy said, purposely trying to provoke Lena. For some reason, those two were always fighting. 

"I hate to break it to you, but Echo's the one that makes that dress look so good." Lena said with a huff. 

"It's true, dear. You look so lovely." Vera said, gazing around the room. 

"Looking for someone?" Romy asked, noticing. Vera gazed back at her sisters, noticing that their eyes were all on her. She shook her head. 

"No, not really. I was just wondering who got here." Vera said quietly. 

Echo raised her brow- maybe that was him? 

"I can't tell." Romy said, peeking towards the entrance where their parents were now greeting someone. "George is in the way."

"At his own party?" Lena replied. 

"You know what I mean." Romy replied coolly, but all five sisters now stared towards the entrance, trying to catch a peek at the new comer.

"What are we looking at?" Luke whispered from behind Maru. 

"Oh, Hi Mr. Farina, we're just trying to figure out who mom and dad are talking to." Maru replied. 

 It was a few more seconds before the sisters turned back, all equally dumbfounded.

"Something wrong?" he asked, noting that they stared. 

"No." Vera finally said after a moment, chuckling. "You just surprised us."

"I'm assuming it must have been you they were just fussing over." Romy said, immediately returning to her usually bored stance. 

"Guilty. It's great to see you all." He said, reaching out and shaking their hands. 

"Likewise." Maru said with a big bright smile, "We didn't think you would make it."

"I'm sorry I'm late but..." He said, finally turning to Echo who was still staring at him in surprise. "It couldn't be helped. Luke, Maru- you should call me Luke. All of you should."

He dazzled. That was the only way for Echo to explain what she felt when she looked at him. Black on black, effortless... overwhelming. He stood out in the room, so casual in his beauty, imposing with his sharp and dangerous good looks, it was almost hard to look at him. She kept forgetting to breathe. 

"You all look great." he  said, his eyes locked now with Echo's. 

There was a stir then, causing the girls to look forward as some music came on and Karen and George took to dancing. There was some clapping and cheering- her parents had the room cleared for it, they all loved to dance and moments later, even her parents were dancing. 

"Oh lord, they're so cheesy." Maru said with a chuckle. 

"I think it's sweet." Vera volunteered. 

"Too sweet." Romy said, taking a sip of champagne while Lena watched on silently. Still, as other couples followed suit, and the girls all continued to watch, Echo and Luke did not take their eyes off each other. 

"Come on." He said, taking her hand and pulling her away. The sisters all turned, watching as Echo allowed him to do so.

"Oh wow." Lena said as she watched them. "Him?"

Maru opened her mouth but it was Romy who spoke.

"Duh." Romy said, making them look at her. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Yeah I guess it is." Lena said, turning back to where Luke was now holding Echo closely.

"I'm sorry- did I miss something?" Vera asked, watching in confusion.

"Here, have another drink." Romy said, handing her the champagne.

----

"They fit you perfectly." Luke said as he danced with Echo again. "I knew they would."

"Thank you." She replied. "They're wonderful."

"You're wonderful." He said, admiring how pretty the studs sat on her ears, the way that her hair seemed to bounce around and her eyes... did they always shine so bright? He watched her carefully, his hand coming up automatically when he noticed a bruise. "What happened here?"

He figured clumsy little Echo must have fallen down in those heels she was wearing.

"It's a long story." She said simply. She had so much to say but she decided to wait. She might have let him know she wanted him there in more ways than one but she was still owed an apology and he had to know it.

"If we keep dancing like this, people will talk." He said, making her shrug. "I know you don't want your family thinking things."

"My sisters are already assuming the truth so what does it matter?" Echo said, "Unless I embarrass you."

"You don't embarrass me ever." He said, "But while we're on the subject, what is the truth?"

"The truth about us." She said.

"Which is?" He egged her on. Echo frowned, knowing what he wanted her to say but she was unable to do so.

"How about the truth about why you haven't bothered reaching out in almost two weeks?" She said.

"Ah. there's that." Luke said with a sigh. "We have a lot to talk about."

"I suppose." She said with a nod.

"So let's go." He said, pulling away and taking her hand. Echo was so surprised that she just blindly followed him through a group of people, the music growing faint as they moved out of the room and onto the terrace.

"Have you guys seen Echo?" Michael asked, appearing behind his daughters who were at this moment trying to avoid Vera's many questions.

"Why do you ask?" Maru asked, eyes wide.

"I just haven't seen her in a while. I swear, it's stressful to try to keep track of so many girls." Michael said, shaking his head.

"You know, dear, she's probably off getting some space." Alice replied. "We knew this would be a little overwhelming."

"That sounds about right." Romy said.

"It is. She told me she was just going off to get some air." Lena lied.

Vera stared at her sisters. Her eyes scanned he room- Echo and Luke were gone.

"Maybe I should go look for her." Alice said but Vera jumped in.

"Oh don't worry. She's fine. We'll give her a few more minutes and then I'll go get her." Vera said.

"Alright. keep an eye on each other." Michael replied, turning back to the party.

"Yes, Daddy." Vera said sweetly.

The four waited for a minute, making sure their father was out of ear shot.

"So, how long has that been a thing?" Vera asked, finally catching on.

"Not sure." Romy said with a shrug.

"And are we sure it actually is a thing?" Vera replied.

"Oh yeah." Maru replied with a nod.

"I just don't know what to say. Our Echo and Luke Farina?" Vera whispered. "I mean, she's not the type I would have pegged for him."

"Yeah me either." Lena said. "He's so... swarthy."

Maru laughed.

"I know. He's gorgeous if a little scary." Maru replied.

"Well done, Echo. Well done." Romy said with a smile.

"How the hell is she going to be able to handle him?" Vera asked with a frown.

"Vera, honey, calm down. You're overthinking it. You worry too much- she's obviously figured something out." Romy said.

"But that man reeks of experience... Echo is so... innocent. Naïve?" Vera began, "What if he's just playing with her?"

"Echo is a big girl. If that's the case she'll have to learn her lesson the hard way." Romy said, "And we'll be here for her when she does."

"I don't think that's what he's doing." Maru suddenly blurted out.

"Oh? Why not?" Vera asked.

"Well, did you see how he looked at her? Luke doesn't even know what he's doing himself." Maru said.

"I hope you all are right." Vera replied, still frowning in disapproval as she gazed about the room. "It's just that I...."

"What now? Seriously, Vera. You have to lighten up a bit." Romy said, not noticing that Vera was no longer listening. 

---

The moment they were out of sight and secluded, Luke's grip on Echo's hand relaxed and she slipped away.  They'd made it out past the kitchen, where staff were running around arranging food and preparing trays to go to the guest. She guided him out of there silently, eventually out onto the south terrace, where she knew no one would come looking. 

He watched as she moved towards the stone steps that went towards the seemingly endless lawn, following as he slowly recognized the landscape. 

"I know this place." He said after a few moments. 

"Yep." Echo said, pointing to the pool house in the distance. "That's where I found you, although, I almost didn't expect you to recognize it. You were very ill last time you were here."

"I wasn't that  bad." He said with a chuckle, moving closer to her. 

"Of course you were." She said, noting as he stood at her side, their arms grazing. They stared out towards the pool, quiet and reflective, neither making a move for several minutes. Then, because she was nervous, she began to walk slowly across the lawn, pretending to be admiring the view. He, on the other hand, moved towards a stone bench that sat by a trellis and took a seat.

"You look amazing." He said as she strolled, admiring the grace with which she moved.

"Thank you." She said, still not looking towards him.

"You're still mad, aren't you?" He asked, tucking his hands into his pockets.

"Why would I be mad?" She replied coyly.

"I'm going to take that as a yes." He said with a sigh.