2. Chapter 2 #2
Her fingers curl tighter around his, her voice barely there.
“Hi,” she whispers. “I can’t believe we made it here.”
“I can. I was never going to give up on you, Tiff.”
I step back to take my place next to the best man, Thatcher “Asher” Hastings. The rich idiot a year below us at South Point Prep. Also, the guy who never shuts the fuck up.
“Touching,” Asher mutters under his breath as the officiant starts talking. “That was very alpha male of you. Really set the tone for the wedding.”
I ignore him, my eyes finding Honey across the aisle without meaning to. Who am I kidding? I always mean to find her.
She’s watching Tiff and Jamie, standing perfectly still with a smile on her face. Anyone watching would think she’s fine, but I can see the tension in her shoulders and how tightly she’s clutching onto that bouquet. She’s just as nervous as me but has too much pride to admit it.
Honeycomb, can’t you see? I never stopped waiting for you to come home.
“So,” Asher whispers. “Honey looks good. Real good. Makes sense you couldn’t hold on to her... and that she’s got a couple guys keeping her busy now.”
A couple?
My face must say it all because he lets out a quiet laugh. “Didn't you hear? She’s dating those hockey brothers. Yeah, she’s keeping herself busy these days.”
Do not engage. Do not engage.
Tiff and Jamie are holding hands, looking at each other with complete and utter adoration. That’s who I need to focus on, even if it sucks considering my current situation. It’s still better than giving Asher my full attention.
“I'm just saying, this must be peak torture for you. You standing up here, her standing over there. You pretending you haven't turned into a monk since she left. Her trying to not break your heart all over again.”
Fuck this. I can't listen to that idiot any longer.
I shoot him a look that could freeze hell over. “Talk about her one more time, and you won't be able to walk out of here without help,” I mumble through gritted teeth.
He sucks in a sharp breath. “Those are strong words considering we’re in church.”
I answer with a sharp look. That’s all he deserves.
He grins. “All right, but I'm sorry you fumbled the ball.”
“We're gathered here today to join Tiffany Marie Bright and James Jonathan Nicks in holy matrimony,” the officiant starts, and I do my best to focus on him.
It’s fucking hard work.
He’s talking about love and commitment and how these two were destined for each other. It hurts, and it feels wrong. So fucking wrong.
How can she stand across from me, smiling like we’re complete strangers?
We almost had this... but she said no.
My hands clench at my sides, and I force myself to focus on Tiff.
Today isn’t about me and my fucked-up, broken heart. Today is about her. I'll stand here and smile and be the best damn cousin she could ask for, even if it kills me. Even if this entire wedding feels like the universe's cruel joke on me, because that's what family does.
And Honey?
Honey's just going to have to remain the girl I love and who’s lost.
At least for today.
I’ve survived full-speed tackles, a rogue marching band, and one psychopath mascot named George, but hand me a microphone at my cousin’s wedding and suddenly I’m praying George tackles me again, so I don’t have to speak.
“Hi, everyone.” I clear my throat. “First off, I want to say a huge thank you to Asher for that speech. I’m not sure how to follow that... mostly because I’m not sure what I just listened to, but I’m going to try.”
Asher hollers from Jamie’s side of the long table, loud enough to rattle the glasses. The entire wedding party is crammed onto one table set for forty—that’s how small and intimate this whole thing is.
When I glance over at Asher, he winks and stretches, taking his time to rest his arm on the back of Honey’s chair.
Fucking show off.
I should be sitting next to her, but I get it. No one wanted me to start something. Especially since her himbo hockey brothers are sitting on the other side.
I clear my throat. “I’m only really a speech guy when it comes to talking to my team on the field, but when Tiff asked me to say a few words, I didn’t think twice, because this—” I gesture toward her and Jamie, who are sitting in the middle of the long table, with Ella on Jamie’s lap. “—is worth talking about.”
I find Tiff's eyes; she gives me a tiny smile. That's when I know I’m screwed. I'm so fucking happy for her, it's unreal.
“When Tiff was seventeen,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel, “she showed up on my parents' doorstep with nothing but a duffel bag and a positive pregnancy test. Her family slammed the door in her face.” I shrug lightly.
“So, my parents opened their home to her.” I glance back at them, lifting my glass slightly. The rest of the guests follow suit, raising a glass to the only parents actually invited to celebrate. “And they didn’t just give her a place to stay. They gave her a family.”
The room quiets. The lump in my throat hits, but I keep going.
“From that day on, she wasn’t just my cousin.
She was my sister. My responsibility.” I shake my head, a small smile tugging at my mouth.
“Except she didn't need me as much as I thought. This girl—” I nod at her. “—Busted her ass through school, worked nights, took care of Ella like she was born to do it and created a life for herself that most people would envy. All I did was pick up the slack and help her move halfway across the country to Indiana, because I wasn’t ever going to leave her behind.”
I glance around the room, then back to her, because none of it matters unless she hears it.
“She’s been my teammate since before I had a team. The strongest person I know. She took what could’ve broken her and turned it into something good. Something bright. You only have to look at Ella to see it.”
Ella tugs on Jamie’s sleeve and whispers something. Jamie smiles, playing along.
“Ella. Mini MVP. Eyes on me,” I say, pointing at her. “You are officially the best thing that ever happened to this family. I’ve reviewed the tapes enough times to know.”
She giggles, mission accomplished.
“Anyway, back to your mom, who’s managed to build a whole life from scratch. Raised the coolest kid on the planet, passed her GED, and hell, she even managed to find love.”
I pause to drag it out and give Jamie a slow, teasing once-over.
“With him.”
The room laughs harder this time.
“Yeah, yeah,” I say, waving a hand. “Trust me, nobody was more shocked than me. In fact, if you’d told seventeen-year-old me that Tiffany Bright would end up marrying the same guy I spent an entire football season trying to take down—the same guy I once bet I could steal a girl from...”
I flick my eyes toward Honey for half a beat. She doesn’t move at first. Then her shoulders jerk. It’s the tiniest flinch that even that idiot boyfriend next to her doesn’t notice. I do, though. She drops her gaze to her dinner, and stares at it as though it’s more interesting than me.
It’s not. It’s a piece of chicken in gravy. I’m in a suit.
“—yeah, I would’ve laughed in your face and asked what you were smoking.”
Jamie shakes his head, grinning but fully owning it now.
“But hey,” I lift my glass slightly, “miracles happen. Sometimes your sister falls in love with a guy you used to want to punch in the throat. And sometimes—” I shrug, meaning every word now, “—that guy earns his way in. Step by step. Day by day, and he proves he’s exactly who she deserves.”
The guests cheer, taking a drink before I continue.
“Jamie showed up. Every damn time it mattered. For Tiff. For Ella.” I nod toward the flower girl currently dropping strawberries into her water glass. “The way he loves them. Well, that’s all I needed to see to know he was meant to be with them.”
Jamie presses a kiss on the top of Ella’s head just as Tiff brushes her hand over his shoulder, and it reminds me how much they’ve survived together.
Disowned by their families. Starting from the ground up. Building a new relationship while taking care of Ella. It’s admirable. It's also why I was more than happy to let them live in the house I bought they want it. Frankly, they deserve a fucking break.
“So,” I say, shifting back to the couple, “here’s to the long road. To the second chances you don’t waste, and to choosing each other, even when it’s hard.”
My gaze drifts back to Honey as I say the words, then to the dick sitting next to her. Not Asher. Chris. The dick on her other side. His shoulder keeps brushing hers, and my brain immediately betrays me, filling in the rest.
I start picturing them secretly holding hands under the table as though he’s earned the spot by her side.
I drag my gaze away before I do something stupid like ask her to marry me again in front of all these people.
Focus.
Clearing my throat, my grip tightens on the glass.
“To the life you built, and the one you’re still building.”
I lift my glass fully now.
“To Tiff and Jamie.”
“To Tiff and Jamie,” the rest of the guests echo back to me.
Ella squeals as Jamie and Tiff kiss over her head.
As the room toasts, I take a long swig of my drink before handing off the mic to the wedding coordinator as I make my way back to my seat.
My mom catches my eye as I sit, her hand coming up to squeeze my shoulder as she leans in. “You did fantastic, Zach,” she says.
“Yeah?” I huff, glancing at my glass. “Felt like I blacked out halfway through.”
She smiles. “No. It was perfect.”
“Thanks.”
My dad gives me a smile from across the table before nodding at my mom. “Well, I think it’s time for us to head out before things get too loud,” she says as she stands.
I push to my feet, leaning down to hug her.
“Don’t leave it unfinished,” she whispers against my shoulder.
I pull back, frowning. “Leave what—”
Her answer is a small smile, and my gaze immediately drifts to Honey.
“I’ll try,” I say, feeling utterly useless. What am I supposed to do? Honey is with someone else. She doesn’t want me anymore.
With one final kiss, I’m left at the table, waiting for the first dance so I can leave the room with no one noticing.
Still, as I wait, I find myself looking over at Honey every few minutes, annoyed that she's smiling and laughing with her new crew of men.
A hand clamps around my shoulder and Madison, Tiff's other cousin, leans in, taking the seat my mother occupied. “You’re hopeless,” she says, shaking her head with a grin. “Do you know how many times you've looked at her over dinner? Hell, even the speech felt like a declaration of love, Cuz.”
“We aren't cousins,” I grumble, only half-annoyed. I did invite this after all. Getting drunk and spilling my guts at the rehearsal dinner because Honey didn't show up wasn't my finest hour.
“Well, Tiff’s my cousin, you’re hers... so we’re cousin-adjacent, if you will.”
I roll my shoulder to shrug her off. She just hooks her heels around the leg of my chair and slides closer.
I glance at her fiancé across the table, who’s seemingly too busy smirking into his whiskey to care about what she’s doing. “Aren't you upset by this?”
He tips his chin my way. “I'm not getting dragged into this mess,” he says flatly.
“Thanks for the support, Speedy,” I mutter.
The guy freezes, his glass mid-air. “Speedy?”
“That's your name, isn't it?”
“No. His name is Dash,” Madison adds.
“Oh, yeah. Well, Speedy is close.” I shrug. “Figured you called him that because, you know... he's quick in bed or something.”
Cade nearly spits beer across the table. Savannah, his wife, covers her mouth to hide her laughter.
“That's my sister, Zach.” Cade's eyes are narrowed, but he's not going to do anything about it. I know him too well.
“Who’s engaged to your best friend. You don’t seriously think they’re just sitting around painting each other’s nails, do you?”
Cade physically shivers, only placated by Savannah stroking his leg.
Madison gasps, her hands clutching her chest. “Ohhh, you’re feeling spicy tonight, aren't you, Zachy? I like it.”
I lean back in my chair, ignoring the fact that Madison’s practically breathing down my neck as I quickly glance at Honey again. She’s still talking to Chris, smiling away at him and his brother.
Fuck, what if Asher’s right?
What if she’s dating them both?
“She’s hot,” Madison declares, so close our cheeks are practically brushing against each other. “No wonder you drunkenly sobbed to me about her like a man in a country song whose truck, dog, and girlfriend all left on the same day last night.”
“That's not helping,” Dash says, exasperated.
Madison waves him off. “Oh, please. It’s not like he doesn’t already know she’s hot. Look at him. He’s obsessed. You’re obsessed, right, Zach? Tell me I’m wrong.”
“Yeah,” Cade says, leaning his elbows on the table. “We’ve already established Zach’s obsessed with his ex. Are you really trying to make it worse?”
My ex. My fucking ex. As if slapping that label on her could make her any less mine.
Madison sips her champagne. “How much worse can I make it? She’s literally making googly eyes at the guy she’s sitting next to.”
I swallow down the annoyance and take a swig of my beer.
“Chris Harper,” Cade supplies casually. “And the guy next to him is Chase Harper.”
We all turn to him with confusion.
“What? They attended a training camp with the Anglers last year.”
“And you remember them?” I ask, my brow raised.
Cade shrugs. “Hard to forget two ridiculously good-looking twin brothers who come at you from both sides.”
Madison stares at the brothers. “You were the cheese in their why choose sandwich. My dream,” she says wistfully.
“Why? Why do you always have to take it too far, sis?” Cade's cringing as he looks at his sister. Meanwhile, Dash is wrapping his arm around her chair, dragging her closer.
Good. That means I can ignore them and focus on the only interesting thing in the room. Still talking to Chris, her head tips back, and that laugh—her laugh—rings out over the wedding small talk. My pulse spikes, my blood boils.
No one makes Honeycomb laugh but me.
Not anymore.
That’s when my mind stops working and my body takes over.
Every muscle in me tightens, and I instinctively push my chair back, the legs scraping against the hardwood in a way that makes half the table glance up.
“Where are you going?” Madison asks, feigning innocence even though she’s been baiting me all night.
I smirk, finally dragging my gaze away long enough to answer. “Where do you think I’m going?”
Madison squeals. Dash mutters something under his breath. Cade just shakes his head.
I’m already moving down the other side of the table; my gaze locked on Honey because she’s mine. She just forgotten for a quick second.
Chris leans in again, the idiot is really trying hard tonight. She hasn’t noticed me yet, she’s too busy smiling at him.
My fists clench. My jaw tightens.
Smile all you want, Honeycomb.
You’ll forget he’s even sitting there soon.