I felt like royalty walking into the Anniversary party with Nate. I was wearing some fancy designer dress and his now favorite lingerie, but most of all, I had Nate on my arm. The sexiest accessory ever .

"Nathanial," an elderly woman called out and the sea of guests parted in front of her as she hobbled over to Nate .

"Gamma," he called out before bending over to envelope her in a warm embrace. "Happy Anniversary !"

"Oh my boy," his Gamma gushed, "so good you could make it ."

Before Nate had a chance to introduce us, she turned and sized me up. "So," she eyed me critically, "you must be this Olivia I've been hearing about ."

"Yes, Mrs. Dalton," I stammered, as she gave me the once-over. I was not expecting such a frank appraisal .

"Ok," she announced, "You'll do ."

Nate covered his mouth to keep from laughing while I just stood there in shock. "Well, thank you," I murmured, unsure what to say in response .

"Gamma," Nate threatened, "let's not scare her away before you get to know her ."

"Oh," she shushed him away with a wave of her hand, "you like her, that's all that really matters ."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Nate laughed .

"You'll bring her to lunch next week and I'll really get the measure of her." She waved her finger between the two of us as she spoke, "Tuesday, that's a good day ."

"Gamma," Nate interrupted, "I'm not sure if Tuesd -"

"Oh, I'll just text you," she decided and then picked up the smart phone that was hanging around her neck on a gold chain. "Siri," she called out, "text Nathanial." A moment later she relayed all the information for their lunch date and ordered the message sent. A second later, Nate's phone dinged .

"There," she said with some finality, "now you have the info ."

"Thanks, Gamma," Nate laughed with resignation and leaned over to give her a hug .

She finished with him and reached over to give me a hug as well. When I bent over for our embrace, she whispered in my ear, "don't let these primped up trophy wife wannabe's get in your head," she advised, "they aren't worth nothing to you and my boy here ."

"Now, I have other guests that want to wish me will ."

I stared in shock as she hobbled away toward a group of men in tuxes. One by one they saw her coming and fear crept into their eyes .

"Wow," I turned to Nathan, "Your grandmother is scary, Nathanial ."

"You're telling me," he laughed and then grabbed my arm and headed towards the bar .

When we got to the bar, I took a moment to look around at the crowd. Nate's Gamma wasn't wrong about the women at the party. Dozens of wannabe trophy wives were eyeing Nate appraisingly and throwing daggers at me .

I was ready to step out of their line of sight when Nate reached out and put his arm around me. He was busy ordering us drinks and instinctively reached out to pull me close. A few of the women narrowed their eyes at that - but others shrugged and moved on to more available prospects .

"Wow, tough crowd," I murmured to nobody in particular .

As the party continued, I got some insight into Nate that I hadn't already learned from our time together. He played basketball in college, his nickname in High School was dunk because he was the only one tall enough to dunk the basketball in gym class, and he had a wife .

That last one was a deal-breaker .

I had just come out of the powder room when I spied a tall leggy blonde with her arms around Nate. They were on the verandah having what looked like a private conversation. She wasn't the first wannabe who made the moves on Nate, so of course, I went out to help him thwart her plans. By the time I got close enough I realized they were deep in conversation about me .

"Be serious Nate," the leggy blonde scoffed, "she doesn't belong here ."

"That's not for you to say, Angela," Nate defended me, "and it's really none of your business ."

"What are you talking about none of my business?" Angela's shrill voice carried farther than she intended and continued in a hushed tone, "these are my people Nate. My friends and family are here and you bring her ?"

"It's my grandparents anniversary," Nate spat out through gritted teeth, "and I'll bring whoever the hell I want ."

The conversation sounded a lot more private than I was comfortable with, so I slunk back into the party and hoped I wouldn't get caught spying on them. A moment later, I saw his Uncle Theodore heading to the bar and I pulled him aside, "Excuse me, Theodore -"

"Theo, please," he interrupted, "who are you again ?"

"I'm Olivia," I pointed out Nate and the woman he was with to Theo, "Do you happen to know the woman with Nate ?"

"Oh, yeah," he said after a brief hesitation, "that's Angela. A beauty that one," he confided before going on, "they've been married going on .."

He turned to one of the other men at the bar, "Hey Frank, how long have Angela and Nate been married ?"

"Geeze, I wanna say somewhere around 10 years ?"

"Yeah," he agreed, "beauty of a wedding that was - never a more beautiful bride have I ever seen ."

"Oh," I asked so there wasn't any confusion, "So, they're still married ?"

"Are you kidding me?" Nate laughed, "why if I had that one on my arm, I would never let her go. A beautiful woman that one there. Blissfully happy the two of them. The cutest couple around ."

I thanked him for his assistance and went to the coat check and left without a backward glance at Nate and his wife .