52. What Is He Doing? #2
“You literally can’t. Ever. Never in my life have you ever admitted such a thing.”
“Ah, shut up.”
The music changes and I smile at that familiar tune, the one Carter’s been singing to me since we met, as he ambles across the dance floor, smiling sheepishly at me.
“Did you request this song?” I ask him for the second time in my life.
“Uh-huh.” He holds his hand out. “Dance with me?”
I shove my wineglass into Jeremy’s chest and slip my hand into Carter’s warm one, watching it swallow mine up as he spins me into him. He’s the same as always, his smell, his touch, the way he holds me close, his lips on the outer shell of my ear as he sings along to his favorite song.
My body quivers as his breath rolls down my neck, and butterflies erupt in my stomach when he dots my skin with millions of tiny, tender kisses in between lyrics.
“Carter.” I squeeze my eyes shut. “I—”
“I love you,” he tells me, bringing his face in front of mine. “I love you, Olivia.”
His lips, soft and gentle, touch mine as the music drifts to an end, fingertips on my lower back pressing me closer. When Carter’s name is called, he pulls back, leaning his forehead on mine, and smiles.
“Gotta go make my speech, Ollie girl.” He kisses me once more before heading to the podium. The simple act of clearing his throat and tapping the microphone earns him a holler from the entire hockey team, and his electric smile lights the room. “How’s everyone doing tonight?”
I swear he could tell us all the room was on fire and the response would be the same: the deafening roar of applause and cheer. And he couldn’t look smugger.
“I’m so happy to have control of the only five minutes Cara couldn’t plan tonight. She tried, obviously. I was given a very specific set of rules that detailed what I was and wasn’t allowed to say. But I accidentally lost that list.”
Cara pins her arms across her chest in a way that lets everyone know that list was 100 percent real.
“For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Emmett’s best friend and teammate, Carter.
I’m honored to stand beside him today as his best man, but it’s also very honorable of him, as he’s finally admitting to himself and everyone else that I truly am the best.” He pauses for the laughter that rolls through the room.
“Cara, you’re absolutely fucking stunning tonight, a picture of perfection as you always are. Emmett is one lucky fucking man.”
“ Carter !” Cara screams, slamming her fists down on the table.
“Oh, right. Oops.” He chuckles, looking mildly sheepish. “I’m supposed to limit myself to only five curses. Guess I’m down one already.”
Cara holds up her pointer and middle fingers. “ Two !”
Carter’s eyes bulge as he runs his fingers through his hair, messing up that perfectly coifed mop.
“ Two ? Fuck me. I mean, shit. No. Fuck. Ah, fuck it. Cara, you know I can’t!
” He flashes everyone his perfect grin, all charming, self-assured, and dimply, and Cara groans, dropping her face to her hands.
“I can’t be perfect at everything. But anyway, enough about that.
I was talking about how lucky Emmett is.
He’ll leave here tonight with a beautiful wife who’s feisty, hilarious, and has one hell of a huge heart.
And Cara, well…you’ll leave here tonight with a lovely new dress. ”
Cara stands, holding the skirt of her dress as she does a little spin.
“It’s been an emotional day for all of us.” Carter points at the four-tiered cake. “Even the cake is in tiers.”
I drop my forehead to my hand as the room explodes with laughter. “Oh sweet Lord.”
“I met Emmett when I was eighteen when we were drafted to Vancouver. If you can believe it, we didn’t click right away.
There was a sense of competition between us, like we both wanted to be the best. Emmett was serious and focused, and I was goofy and easygoing.
He was quiet and driven, and I was and still am exceptionally good-looking.
“Emmett, I wormed my way into your heart, breaking your shell one inappropriate joke at a time until you let me see the big teddy bear you really are. You’ve always inspired and pushed me to do better when you knew I could, and I’m proud to say I am the man I am today because I had a friend like you.
“And Cara. I knew. I knew the second I met you that you were going to steal my best bud. You walked into that room and his jaw hit the floor. All he wanted to do was spend all his free time with you, hide in the hotel room and talk to you on the phone all night instead of going out to the bar with us. I didn’t understand how he felt until I met…
” His eyes move, finding me, and he smiles.
“Until I met her. And then it all made sense.”
Carter pauses, running a hand over his chest. “Watching you two create a life together has been incredible, and I know it’s only going to get better.
How lucky you are to be sharing it with your very best friend.
To the bride and groom.” He raises his glass, but holds up one finger.
“Oh, and one more thing. Cara, this is from the guys on the team. Best of luck with Emmett. We found him to be useless in most positions, but we’re confident your experience with him later tonight will be satisfactory. ”
I don’t have time to tell Carter how beautiful his speech was, even the tiers bit, because the DJ announces it’s time for the bouquet toss, and Jennie starts dragging me to the center of the dance floor with her and the rest of the women.
“I don’t want to,” I whine. “I’m gonna sit this one out.”
“Like fuck you are.” Jennie starts stretching out. “If I have to do it, so do you. But fair warning: Watch your back. We Becketts are competitive as fuck.”
“You can have it. This tradition is ridiculous.”
Cara gasps, spinning back to me. “I know you didn’t just call anything at my wedding ridiculous, Parker.”
I slam my lips together, shaking my head. “No. Nope.”
“You’re damn right. Now get into goddamn position.”
With a sigh, I stand next to Jennie, Alannah bouncing up and down in front of me, and I seriously hope one doesn’t pummel the other to the ground in a bid to get this fucking bouquet. I roll my neck over my shoulders, closing my eyes and waiting for this to be over as the crowd counts down.
“ Five! Four! Three! Two! One! ”
I expect applause, hollers, and shrieks. What I don’t expect is the silence.
Cranking my eyes open, my heart stutters at Cara standing in front of me, tears in her eyes as she smiles so brightly at me, holding out her bouquet.
To me.
“Cara…”
She wraps my fingers around the ribbons of silk and velvet that keep the stems together, then spins me around to where Carter stands before me, waiting, smiling.
“Rest assured the beautiful bride gave me her full support to do this here tonight.”
Cara’s chin lands on my shoulder. “We’ll reflect on my selflessness later.”
Full support to do this? Do what? Selflessness? Why am I so hot, and more importantly, why is Emmett pointing his phone at me?
“Have I told you today why I love you?” Carter takes a step toward me, then another, his smile growing with each inch he eliminates.
“I love you because you’re funny and snarky, sarcastic as all hell, and the night we met, you told me to go fuck myself.
” He ignores the way Cara shrieks his name.
“You’re also kind and soft, sensitive and sweet, the best auntie, and a teacher I would’ve died to have in high school.
You’re not just my girlfriend; you’re my biggest cheerleader and my best friend. ”
He takes my face in his hands, thumbs wiping at the overflowing tears dripping down my cheeks. I don’t even know where they came from.
“Why are you crying, Ollie girl? I haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet.”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but you called me your best friend and your girlfriend,” I sob, folding toward his chest as I grip the loosened collar of his shirt.
His soft chuckle is warm against my lips as he tips my chin up to kiss me. He takes a step backward, dipping his hand in his pocket, pulling out a small velvet box, and he sinks to one knee.
“I’m hoping to call you something else when I’m done doing what I need to do here.”