Chapter 18 #2
I stared at him for a long moment, then did a slow pan to where my fingers were mid-braid. As far as I was concerned, it was pretty damn obvious what I was doing. Isley didn’t blink, just kept staring at me, gaze knowing. I blamed my tiredness for the fact that it took me a minute to catch on.
I let out an explosive sigh that caused Jolene’s skin to twitch and went back to my task. “There’s a lot to get done. I’m doing it. Demi needs to rest.”
Isley nodded along as though he agreed but what came out of his mouth showed anything but. “But why does it have to be you?”
I scowled. “I’m the man of honor.”
“And?”
“And it’s my job.”
“Why?”
My left eyelid twitched. “Because I’m the man of honor.”
“Uh-huh.”
I kicked him. Not hard, more of a toe nudge that he basically side stepped. “What’s your point?”
“You could delegate,” Isley said, like it was perfectly logical.
“Everyone has plenty to do,” I responded with a scoff. “The wedding is in T-minus nineteen hours. Now stop distracting me, because if I mess this up I’ll have to start over. It needs to be perfect.”
“You know,” Isley said conversationally, as he reached for the hook and handed it over. I started pulling the yarn through the braids so I could tie each one of them up. “Demi doesn’t care about perfect.”
My bark of laughter startled Jolene, who took a quick sidestep, but then settled immediately. I shook my head. “Have you met her?”
“Emery—”
“About this she does.” I talked right over him. “She wants what she wants. She’s very particular about it and I don’t blame her. She’s marrying the love of her life! And they already had to postpone once—”
“Which was their choice,” Isley interjected.
“—and they’re meant to be together and nothing, nothing, will get in the way of them having their perfect day. This is the first day of the rest of their lives and they’ve spent enough time apart.”
I got a little loud by the end so I was surprised when Isley didn’t comment on it. I pulled the last braid through, then turned to toss the hook onto the cart. When I turned back Isley was looking up at me, brows beetled together and mouth drawn tight.
“What?” I snapped.
“Nothing.” He shrugged but didn’t look away. “Just, it’s clear that this isn’t about Demi and Luke.”
I started tying the knots to keep the braids in place. I was good at it. Always had been. I joked that it was the reason I was good at sutures too, even though they were nothing alike. “You’re not making any sense.”
“Yes, I am.” And even though he was in vet school, in that moment, he wasn’t a professional by any means.
He was my pain in the ass little brother, who just had to needle me.
Part of me, a very small part, loved it.
But the rest of me was in too big of a time crunch and too stressed to enjoy some brotherly teasing.
“Go away. I’m busy.”
With that, I focused solely on my task, going as fast as I could without messing it up.
Jolene’s mane had to look perfect. After a few minutes, I was aware of him walking away.
I kept the sigh of relief subtle, not wanting him to pick up on it.
But instead of hearing his footsteps fade as he left the barn, they got muffled somewhat as he walked further in.
“IH to Base.”
I groaned.
“Go for Base.”
“I found him. Over.”
I let out a frustrated noise. “I wasn’t lost!”
“Good job. Dinner’s at six. Base out.”
When Isley returned I tried my best to ignore him, but as usual, my astute brother would not be so easily ignored. He poked me several times in the thigh until I finally huffed out a breath and looked down at him.
Isley’s smile was all fake innocence. “Dinner tonight is just the family. And the partners. Tommy is having a pizza party with Pay and Aria at Crew’s, and he’s watching the babies too.
Mom says it’s this week’s brunch since Demi and Luke are going to Denver for a few days.
” His smile turned real. “Except also Nick because Mom has relinquished cooking duties to him for the night so she can, and I quote, ‘just visit’.”
I blinked. “Will wonders never cease. I think she’s adopted him. Whether he wants to be or not.”
Isley chuckled at that. “It’s what she does. Pay attention to the time, all right?”
I nodded my agreement, which was enough to finally get him to leave.
I put everything out of my mind and focused on Jolene.
When she was done, I led her to her stall and got her dinner, even though it was a little early.
Her hay net was full and she had plenty of water, so with a plea to stay clean, that she was most likely going to ignore, I mentally checked that item off my list and moved to the next.
The only thing that mattered right now was the list.
Demi looked absolutely stunning. The dress fit perfectly, though she’d been worried since she’d started to show.
But given the high waist, her currently tiny bump didn’t even show.
Gigi Fern’s hairpiece shone among her dark curls, and when she slid her arm through Dad’s, they both had tears in their eyes.
I ignored the way my own welled up and put on a huge smile, “Ready?”
She nodded and I turned, signaling to the DJ. A second later the song began, and I kissed Demi’s cheek before walking through the doors and up the aisle. The seats were filled with all our nearest and dearest, and it wasn’t even a fraction of the folks who’d be here for the party after.
Nerves fluttered in my gut, which was weird because all I had to do was stand beside Demi, hold her bouquet while she and Luke said their vows, and sign the certificate afterward.
But I chalked it up to the fact that this was my twin and that I’d be standing in front of all these people.
I focused on not tripping and breathing.
Dinner had gone late last night, all of us sharing stories and laughing.
Mom cried more than once, and I liked that when we moved to the living room, she sat on Dad’s lap.
Ville stayed close to me, but we didn’t really have much of a chance to talk.
And when Demi wanted me to hang with her in her room afterward, Ville gave me a kiss and sent me on my way.
Demi and I ended up falling asleep, cuddled together, just like when we were little.
I thought we both needed it. Even though she’d been with Luke for years, it still felt like a final step.
The ceremony was short and sweet. The couple had written their own vows, but it was hardly more than a promise to love each other until the end of time. It suited them both. I particularly liked the part where Luke leaned away from the microphone that his uncle was holding to whisper in her ear.
“And most of all, I promise to never get you pregnant, ever again,” he murmured, making them both laugh and which I only heard because I was right there.
Judging by the way his uncle’s eyes widened, he heard it too.
But considering that Demi hadn’t announced her latest pregnancy yet, he wouldn’t know the context.
The kiss was epic, with Luke dipping Demi and her laughing wildly. Her happiness spilled over and so did my tears. They turned to the crowd and a cheer went up. I clapped harder than anyone and joined Luke’s brother to walk back down the aisle.
Official pictures were happening closer to the pond, which was a bit of a trek.
Dad drove Bluey with Mom, Demi, Luke, and the photographer.
The rest of us piled into trucks and SUVs to head over.
It was an arduous process, with lots of maneuvering and plenty of shuffling.
Aria got bored quickly, but fortunately Carter had come along.
After her parents, and maybe her mimi, Carter was the three-year-old's favorite person. And no, I wasn’t jealous at all that my niece liked someone better than me. Not at all.
Three-year-olds were fickle little gremlins.
When Wy arrived with Jolene, Demi started crying hard, her hands pressed to her mouth.
It had been awhile since she’d seen her mare all kitted out in her show gear, and honestly, the horse was stunning.
I futzed with Jolene’s tail until it was just so, then stepped out of the way so Demi could get her pictures.
Ville came out of nowhere and he had to grab my shoulders to keep me from falling when I overbalanced. I wasn’t even aware he’d come, thinking he’d stayed back with the rest of the guests to enjoy cocktails waiting for the party to start.
“Hey there,” I said with a smile, taking him in. He looked so damn fine in his suit, which had obviously been tailored to his frame. No way he’d bought that off the rack.
He smiled back, but it looked a little pinched. He cupped my cheek, and used his thumb to tip my head up.
“You done avoiding me now?”