Chapter 19
Silas
I watched Darren fidget a few feet from the arbor where he and Linc would tie the knot in three days. Their schedules wouldn’t line up any closer to the wedding, and the ceremony was pretty simple, so we’d opted for a quick unofficial run-through.
“Is this a good spot?”
I nodded. “Yep. Linc, you’ll enter from the right.”
Linc jogged over to the right, taking his place on the opposite side of the arbor. They were a few dozen feet apart.
Darren tugged at his shirt and shifted his weight.
I hoped this man wasn’t getting cold feet.
For one thing, I’d have to kick his ass, and he was bigger than me.
I wouldn’t come out of that unscathed. For another, he and Linc adored each other, and it might shred the last bit of faith I had in love.
That thought took me by surprise. I’d already given up on love, hadn’t I? Although, I couldn’t deny I’d seen it around me. Linc and Darren’s devotion was longer lived, but I’d never seen Maverick or Jamie happier. They’d found their perfect matches.
It was me I didn’t believe in. Love for others was well and good. Sometimes it lasted and sometimes it didn’t. I knew it could genuinely be the real deal when the right people came together.
But I wouldn’t ever be one of those people, even if I envied them.
“Are you guys sure you don’t want anyone to stand up with you?” I checked.
The guys had a big friend group. Plenty of willing volunteers would serve as groomsmen.
“We want to keep it small,” Linc said.
“If we were to leave anyone out, they’d kill us, so it’s safer this way,” Darren added with a grin. “I want to live to enjoy the honeymoon.”
I laughed. “I’m sure they’d understand.”
Linc shook his head, making a throat-cutting gesture. “You weren’t there for Evan’s wedding. There was nearly a brawl over Calista and Truman getting the places of honor.”
“Damn right,” Darren said indignantly. “I’m Evan’s closest friend.”
“You’re really not, babe.”
“Hush, Princess. What do you know? You’re an interloper.”
“An interloper? I’m your fiancé!”
“In fact, it’s probably your fault I got left out of the wedding. You hit on Evan in front of Dawson.”
“Before they were together!” Linc protested.
“Okay!” I clapped my hands. “Let’s get started before you two call off your own wedding.”
“Over my dead body,” Darren said.
Well, then. I guess he wasn’t getting cold feet.
Linc laughed. “Yeah, wild horses aren’t dragging me away.”
They looked like they might go the other direction and start fucking in the middle of the park. I hit the button on my phone for the wedding music to start.
They snapped to attention, gazes locked, as they moved in unison toward the center of the arbor.
When they met and linked hands, their smiles turned almost shy. Damn. They were so sweet.
“Perfect.” I cut the music. “Now just imagine that arbor covered in gorgeous flowers and your partner dressed in his best outfit.”
“So his birthday suit?” Darren said. “I mean, I don’t mind, but the guests might be scandalized.”
Linc laughed and whacked his arm. “Stop it!”
“Never.” Darren reeled him into a kiss, and I had to avert my gaze because it made my chest hurt.
It also brought to mind the last kiss I’d had, just after Bryson got me to cough up my humiliating rejection and promised he didn’t need more than I could give. I wasn’t sure I believed him, but I was too weak to end things.
Especially when I saw him every week while planning his brother’s wedding.
He was too gorgeous and charming and…freaking irresistible.
I’d never had such trouble moving on from a man, not since Michael.
Not that I was a jerk or the guys I hooked up with weren’t worth knowing.
We were just usually meeting up to have some fun and go our separate ways.
There were no feelings involved.
My phone rang. Bryson’s name on the Caller ID. My stomach tightened with nerves. I probably shouldn’t answer. If I gave us some space and time, Bryson would come to his senses and realize he could do better.
A man like him needed to wait for no one.
My stomach flipped.
“Give me a sec, guys. I’ve got to take this call.” I turned away and hit Connect. “Bryson?”
“Hey, Sy. I hope it’s okay that I’m calling.”
“Of course, but I’m at a wedding rehearsal. I can’t really get away right now. Maybe after work—”
“That would be perfect,” he cut in. “I need some of your expert advice. Meet for drinks at Taco Loco?”
“Oh. So you’re not calling about…”
“Well, yes, you’re pretty expert level at that too,” he said impishly. “But this is a wedding issue involving Percy Helix.”
“Oh, god. So it’s an emergency.”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t say that.”
“I would,” I said fervently.
Percy had to have the worst judgment of any guy I’d met.
He meant well, but he was just an odd duck.
He’d once shown up to take Clark on a date in a hearse.
He’d given him flowers from a funeral service.
Not okay. The story had gotten around town and made him a laughingstock, but did he learn from his mistakes?
No. He then went on to ask out a guy during a funeral service for his grandma.
I didn’t want that guy anywhere near Caitlyn’s perfect wedding. I’d worked too hard—and I liked Caitlyn too much—to let Percy unleash whatever awkward hell he had in mind.
“I’ll see you at six then? We might as well get dinner. My treat.”
“Bryson…”
“It’s just business, Silas. I know you must be familiar with the concept?”
I smiled reluctantly. “Okay, fine. As long as it’s just business. But I’ll still expect dessert at your place.”
“Well, that’s a given,” he said. “See you tonight.”
I disconnected the call and turned to see Darren and Linc wearing matching smirks.
“Sorry,” I asked. “That was just a call about a business dinner.”
“Uh-huh. With dessert at his place,” Darren said. “We heard.”
“Yeah, who is this guy?” Linc asked. “He must be special to catch your attention. I’ve never seen you date anyone local.”
“I don’t date,” I said. “He’s the best man in another wedding I’m planning.”
“The best man,” Linc teased.
“Hey, I’m the best man,” Darren protested. “You’re contractually obligated to love me the most.”
“Not yet,” Linc teased. “Two more days.”
I left them playfully bantering and went back to my car. I had a few things to wrap up at the office before I met Bryson.
The man better have a legitimate wedding problem to solve. Otherwise, I’d just agreed to a date.
Taco Loco was slammed with the dinner rush when I arrived.
I’d gone home and changed into jeans and a cashmere sweater.
Not to look nice for Bryson, but because I didn’t want to risk staining another suit with salsa.
Besides, my suit would just end up wrinkled on his floor later. Might as well dress for the occasion.
Bryson waved to me from a table on the bar side of the restaurant. He’d cleaned up nice in jeans, a snug black T-shirt, and a bomber jacket. He stood to give me a one-armed hug, smelling of spicy cologne.
“Hey, Silas. Thanks for taking time to meet up.”
“Sure.” I withdrew before I could drool on his neck and pulled out my chair to take a seat. “So, what’s this wedding crisis?”
He gestured to the menu. “Figure out what you want first. They’re busy, and there will probably be a wait.”
A server approached to take our drink orders.
“Dos Equis for me,” Bryson said.
At my eyebrow raise, he said, “While in Rome, right?”
“More like, while in Cancun,” I teased, before shifting my gaze to our server, Lacy. “I’ll take the usual cosmo.”
“Got it. I’ll be right back to take your dinner orders.”
She flitted to the next table to check on them before heading for the bar to put in our drink orders. I tapped my menu. “I come here a lot. I’ve got this thing memorized. Tell me what’s up.” I gave him a stern look. “There better be a real problem.”
Bryson chuckled. “It’s not a huge problem, but I wasn’t sure how to handle it. Percy is Caitlyn’s cousin.”
“Huh. I didn’t realize.” Caitlyn was so intelligent and graceful, while Percy bumbled along putting his foot in his mouth at every opportunity.
“Yeah, and he’s a little unhappy to be left out of the wedding party. He wants to contribute.”
I tilted my head, considering. “There’s not much left to be done.”
“I made the mistake of mentioning I have to plan the bachelor party, and I’m not sure of the best venue…”
“Oh no.”
“Oh, yes. Percy wants to take the lead.”
“No, no, no. If you leave it to him, he’s likely to turn the hearse into a party bus.”
Bryson laughed. “He can’t be that bad.”
Oh, he was. But Lacy returned with our drinks before I could enumerate all the ways that Percy could turn Branson’s bachelor’s party into a disaster.
“Thanks, darlin’,” Bryson said when she handed over his beer.
She shot him a bright smile that edged into flirty territory, but who could blame her? Bryson was hot as hell.
“What else can I get you?” she asked, eyes locked on my man. Well, not my man. I had no claim to him. I didn’t want one. It was harder to remember that, though, while Lacy drooled.
“I’ll take the taco salad,” I butted in, drawing her attention from him. “Extra fajita veggies on top.”
“Sure thing.” She jotted down the order.
“I’ll take the taco sampler again,” Bryson said with a smile. “That’s delicious.”
She smiled at him. “It sure is. Okay, I’ll get those orders in. Have a great night, you two.”
Bryson turned his attention back to me. “So…”
I cleared my throat. “So, I can help you with the bachelor’s party. Tell Percy you’ve got it covered.”
“Okay. You’re sure you have time? I know you’re juggling two weddings.”
“Well, one will be done soon. You’re cutting it kind of close on the bachelor’s party plans.”
He took a swig of his beer. “Yeah, Branson was on the fence about having one at all. It’s not like we have a lot of friends here. But Percy was pretty insistent about it, and Caitlyn wants him to have the full experience.”
“Well, there’s a few places that would work on short notice. You can go the traditional route of a club.”
“Sure, but no strippers or anything. Branson would hate that.”
“Okay, so drinking and dancing is one option. Or something more casual, like a pool hall or sports bar. Some guys like to do paintball or camping—”
“Actually, a pool hall would be perfect.”
“Really? I figured you’d go for something more outdoorsy.”
He chuckled. “That would be fun, too. We’ve done our share of that. But we used to go to this pool hall back home a lot. He met Caitlyn there. I think it would be the perfect place.” He hesitated. “Unless you think that’s too mundane?”
“It was my suggestion. There’s a place in Riverton, a little rough around the edges, or we could go all the way to Omaha for something a bit more polished.”
“Darlin, we can handle rough,” he said with a wink that made my pulse jump.
I hadn’t really had rough Bryson, but I wouldn’t mind finding out what that was like. I willed my libido to take a back seat. I needed to keep this work dinner all work. We were already blurring the lines too much.
“Okay, I’ll make some calls. See if we can reserve some tables. If you’re up for a party limo, you could drink on the way there and back.”
“That sounds fun.”
“Oh!” I grinned. “There’s also a sex store next door if you want to have a little fun at Branson’s expense.”
Bryson laughed. “Oh, you’re a genius.”
“I have my moments.”
“More than just moments,” he said, holding my gaze. “I really appreciate you. You’ve made this wedding so much easier for Caitlyn and Branson.”
“So have you,” I said. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed all the times you stepped in for your brother.”
“Oh, well, that was mostly to get close to you,” he said with a sheepish smile.
“Maybe some of the time. But you don’t fool me. You’d do anything for him.”
“I guess I would,” he said simply. “Caitlyn too. When I love, I love hard. It’s just who I am.”
“They’re lucky to have you,” I said softly.
“You know, a lot of people would count themselves lucky to have you too, Sy. You don’t give yourself enough credit.”
This was edging into dangerous territory.
“So, I’ll get back to you after I’ve made some calls, then,” I said to redirect us back to safe waters. “As for Percy, we better give him something else to do or he’ll never let it go.”
“Like what?” Bryson asked.
“Good question.”
Lacy returned with our food, and we brainstormed while we ate. For the rest of the meal, I kept us relentlessly focused on the topic of wedding planning. When the check came, Bryson sat back with a sigh.
“I’m too stuffed to move.”
“Does that mean I shouldn’t come over?”
“Oh, you’re coming over,” he said, a spark of challenge in his eyes. “We’ve both earned it after all that talk about Percy.”
I laughed. “We really have.”
“Good idea about putting him on flowers, though.”
“Sure, but Maverick is going to kill me.”
He winced. “You’re gonna owe him one.”
“Nope.” I stood and slipped on my coat. “You are gonna owe him one. But I’m sure you’ll think of something to thank him properly.”
“When do I get to thank you properly?” he murmured in what I’d come to recognize as his seductive tone.
“You’ll think of something,” I said playfully.
“I’m already thinking of lots of things,” he said, eyes hot. “Meet you back at my place?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”