Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
boston
Of course my hotel room is right across from hers. This feels like a test.
She has stopped using my name and now calls me Wedding Date, as if that is my legal first and last name. It’s become so frequent that even Arden has started calling me that. Forker hates every second of it.
We stroll up the steps to the Lowes household and Carter knocks on the door.
Declan and Penny came straight here after they dropped their dogs off at her parents’ house.
You can’t put the whole crew in the same city and expect them to stay apart for long.
We’re having dinner here and then we’re heading to some bar called The Swan Dive for drinks.
The door opens and an older, graying version of the groom greets us with a smile.
“Lowesy Senior,” Forker chides, adding about eighteen more y’s to the end of that name. He reaches forward and smacks his hand into Declan’s father’s awaiting palm, tugging him forward for a quick hug. “This is Arden and my sister Ariana, and you know Boston.”
Declan’s dad greets both girls, then turns to me. He opens his arms. “Boss Man!”
“Hey, Mr. Lowes.” I grin.
Declan’s parents? The best. Genuinely. Good, caring people. People who were supposed to have kids.
Mr. Lowes guides us inside his house, and it’s immediately evident that this is a home that is overflowing with love.
Pictures of Declan from every stage of life litter the walls.
Pictures of the crew, too, as if they were also raised by his parents.
It’s all big rooms with big touches that scream ‘family.’ It might be smaller than the house I grew up in, but there is a clear difference in value.
Lowesy’s childhood home is priceless—his house had a family. The Blacks just had the remnants of one.
We walk into a large, open kitchen and receive a welcome that we surely don’t deserve. The loud chatter, which would typically put me on edge, isn’t so bad in this particular environment. I like every single person in this room. That’s a rarity.
Mrs. Lowes and Mrs. Sweeten rush forward to say hello. I let Fork take the lead, let him charm both mothers when we finally manage to walk through the threshold and into the room. He’s better at schmoozing.
The house is flooded with people.
Declan’s head shoots up from the crowd, his eyes peeking over the edge of the island separating the kitchen from the dining room.
He doesn’t smile as the crowd calls us over, the drinks already flowing.
No, he immediately darts up from the table and practically pushes his friends' chairs out of the way to get to us, his eyes locked on Forker.
I open my mouth to say hello, but I don’t get the chance. He smacks his hands onto Forker’s shoulders and hauls him out of the room as if he weighs nothing—both of them vanishing down the hall.
The three of us watch them go. I shoot Arden and Ari a look of concern, but they both just innocently smile up at me. I might have a lot of issues, but I’m not stupid. I’m missing something. I’m not sure what, but something.
I glance back toward the oversized dining table and the people crowded around it.
With one look at Penny, it’s evident that she’s stressed. The poor girl has dark circles under her eyes and blotchy patches on her neck. She looks so tired that she’s barely recognizable.
I smile at her as the three of us round the island, trying to reassure her with one look that everything is going to be just fine, but she’s hardly even realized we’re in the room.
We’re the last to arrive, so she can relax knowing the whole wedding party, apart from her sister, is exactly where they should be.
Thankfully, Avery is right next to her. That’s all she really needs. She’ll be fine within the hour, once her body recognizes she’s home and with her people.
“P!”
Her blue eyes snap upward, softening when EJ reaches over Wyatt and Seth’s heads to hand her a freshly made Long Island, garnished with a lime wedge and everything. She mouths a grateful ‘thank you’ as she takes it.
Avery’s brow furrows. She opens her mouth to reprimand him, but EJ grins wickedly before she can speak, pulling out a second drink from behind his back. Avery beams, thanking him with a smile. He gives her a little knowing wink.
“Where’s my Vodka Cran, Ernie?” Lauren calls from down the table. “It’s the easiest thing to make!”
“Don’t take orders if you can’t keep up!” Tiffany barks.
“Settle down.” Seth laughs under his breath, shaking his head. “He’s going to make them quadruples if you keep nagging.”
I chuckle, and both girls glance our way. Tiff smiles wide, pretty and welcoming. Lauren instantly starts pulling out chairs, motioning for us to join them at the other, emptier end of the table.
I do a quick scan, noting that Saltzy is beside Wyatt down at that end, looking like he would rather die than be here right now.
Yeah, that’s my spot.
The girls stop to say hello to Penny. Figuring she’d rather be with her bridesmaids, I pat her shoulder as I pass, locking eyes with my Captain. His face floods with relief when he realizes that I’m coming to save him.
I drop into the empty seat beside him. “How’s it going?”
Saltzy lets out a breath, reaching for his beer. He keeps his voice low. “This is a lot.”
I smile, nudging his arm gently. “You’re doing just fine, Cap. It’s intimidating, but that’s only because they’re all so fucking close. It’s easy to melt in with them after an hour.”
“I usually see them on home ice, where I can sneak out and go home when I need to.”
I snort a laugh and smack his shoulder. Saltzy’s social battery is winning out—nearly empty already—and we still have a whole week of this to enjoy.
A hand appears between our heads, holding a whiskey and Coke that’s garnished with a lime wedge. I glance behind me, over the edge of the island. EJ nods for me to take it.
“Hey!” Lauren barks, throwing out a hand.
EJ’s eyes snap upward, a mischievous frown on his face. “Guests first! You live here!”
“I’m going to die of dehydration soon!” she bellows.
“You have a bottle of water right in front of you!”
“We don’t serve water in this bar!” Avery calls out, and everyone lets out a cheer of agreement.
I slowly bring my drink to the table and meet Saltzy’s wide eyes. His throat bobs, terror and discomfort written all over that typically expressionless face.
This is going to be one hell of a long week for him.
“Drink up, Cap.” I tap the edge of my glass against his beer.
Forker and Declan finally reemerge from the hallway, the groom's face sporting a bit more colour. His entire aura seems more relaxed. Forker holds out his arms, as if he’s the guest of honour, and unfortunately, the room eggs him on, whistling and applauding for his grand arrival.
He’s insufferable.
I glance across the table. Arden rolls her eyes, but she can’t suppress her smile. She loves that idiot as much as the rest of us. Probably more.
“Where’s my Sweets?” he calls out.
Penny smiles as he rounds the table. He leans down when he reaches her, sliding his arms around her from behind.
Her eyes flutter closed, her lip wobbling enough that Avery reaches over to place a reassuring hand on her arm.
Carter gives her a gentle squeeze and Penny nods at something he says, trying her best to hold back whatever is eating at her.
What the fuck did I miss?
She glances up at him, and he smiles down at her. “Thank you. It’s been a long couple of days. I’m barely hanging on.”
He winks. “It appears my job as Cupid will never end. I’ll send you an invoice in the mail.”
She laughs, wiping at the corner of her eyes.
EJ forces another drink into Declan’s hands while he squeezes through bodies to get back to his seat. Penny’s eyes flicker to her soon-to-be husband, and as if attached by an invisible string, he meets her eyes—a soft, sympathetic smile sprouting at the stress clearly written all over her.
When he finally slides into the chair across from hers, Penny’s throat bobs. Avery stays completely wrapped around her arm, talking to Arden and Ari around Penny’s body, but Penny might as well not be in the room. She’s teetering on losing it and she needs a real second to breathe.
She reaches across the table, and although he’s in a conversation with his boys, Declan reaches back without having to look.
He lays his palm upward across the tablecloth and she takes it.
She traces that clover tattoo over and over with her finger, her breathing evening out with each pass, until Lowesy eventually curls his hand in hers and gives her fingers a squeeze, and then another, and then one more.
By the time they pull away from each other, her eyes are brighter and her smile is genuine.
That, right there, is what the real kind of love looks like, I think.
When Forker finally makes it to our end of the table, Saltzy relaxes even deeper in his seat.
He’s managed to collect two familiar faces to sit by.
He and Wyatt are right next to each other, literally side by side, but when you’re surrounded by history, and all of that history is finally back in the same room together, it’s hard to feel like you’re one of them.
Saltzy glances at Fork, who smiles with ease, lifting his chin in greeting as he drops into the seat beside mine.
“How the fuck do you do it?”
Forker pauses, brow furrowing. “Do what?”
“Belong everywhere?” Saltzy asks.
Forker opens his mouth, probably to say something stupid, but Caulfield overheard that comment.
He turns in his seat, glancing over his shoulder at Cap, who is completely unaware of his attention.
Without a word, Wy reaches around and captures Saltzy’s chin in his hand, forcing his face back toward him.
I watch Tiffany’s eyes soften.
I watch Lauren’s throat bob.
I have a feeling I still don’t know a lot of the story when it comes to this group.
Wyatt studies Saltzy’s face carefully. Every line. Every slope and angle. He reaches over with his free hand and removes the Pittsburgh hat sitting on Cap’s head, turns it around, and puts it on his head backward instead.
“You belong here just fine,” Wy grumbles, leaning forward to gently press his mouth to Callum’s. He pulls back, but keeps his face close and Cap’s chin in his hand. Wy’s dark eyes scan his. “Understood?”
Cal sucks in a flustered breath, blinking. He nods.
I hide my smile behind my glass. That was probably the most open these two have ever been in front of us. It’s not every day that I see Saltzy all hot and bothered.
Forker is grinning from ear to ear when Saltzy turns back to us, neck pink, clearing his throat.
Caulfield returns to his conversation, but leans back a bit so that Saltzy can be included if he chooses to be. He drapes his hand casually over Cap’s thigh, too, because again—he belongs in any room that Caulfield’s in.
“What?” Saltzy barks out, giving Forker a lethal look.
Fork grins, leaning back on the legs of his chair, shrugging. “You’re cute as a button when you’re in love, Cap.”
“Oh, shut the fuck up,” Saltzy grumbles, bringing his beer to his mouth and chugging the rest of it.
EJ reaches across the island, a J?ger and Coke in his hand now. Forker’s eyes light up, happily surprised by the gesture. He takes it with a loud thank you, and only realizes his mistake when Lauren and Tiffany’s heads whirl in EJ’s direction.
“Ernie!” Lauren shouts.
“We’re going to vote you in as designated driver in ten seconds,” Tiffany threatens.
I smile, my eyes darting to the blonde who is seated next to them.
She’s not partaking in the conversation, she’s just observing.
It’s odd seeing her in any space where she isn’t the loudest person in the room.
Chin resting on the heel of her hand, a pink, glossy smile pulls on her mouth as she drinks in the absolute chaos that comes with this particular group of people.
Her blue eyes flicker to mine, feeling my stare. For some reason, I don’t look away as I bring my drink to my lips. Not this time.
And the little troublemaker winks at me.
I almost laugh, but then a Vodka Cran is being passed over my head. To her.
Not to Tiffany or Lauren.
I wince instead.
“ERNIE!”