Chapter 15 – Remington
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
A wedding, a pact, and a prediction
Remington
ALMOST THREE YEARS LATER
I watch Phoenix and his bride on the dance floor. It’s been almost seven years since his first wedding—the one that never happened—and this time I think he’s truly found the one.
Jordie McNamara.
I absolutely adore this woman. Not only is she a superstar tight end in the new women’s football league, but she’s also bright, funny, and a little bit snarky… exactly what my brother needs. And she treats my now six-year-old niece like she’s her very own child. That’s the most important thing.
Phoenix has barely dated since Reece came along, too busy raising his daughter, so I was elated when I learned he’d finally found someone to love who loved him back just as much. And the way these two are staring at each other right now? Jesus, it gives me an ache deep in my bones.
“Sir, here are your drinks.”
Turning, I find the bartender smiling at me as he pushes the glasses across the bar. “Thanks, man,” I tell him. “Have a good one.”
I pick them up, scotch for me and champagne for Serena, who’s my plus-one for the wedding. She accompanied me to my other brother’s wedding a few months ago as well.
Like Phoenix, Helix also found the love of his life as well. Dr. Nicolette Bell—now Hale—is a brilliant, world-renowned biochemist who was hired to work in the Hale Cosmetics lab Helix runs. We were lucky to snag her for the company and even more lucky she fell for my brainiac brother.
They’re on the dance floor now, gazing at each other with so much love I’m surprised they don’t have little hearts floating above their heads. Her hands toy with the back of his suspenders, and I wonder if he’d ever fulfilled his fantasy of tying someone up with them.
“What are you smiling at?” Serena says as I sit on one of the stools around a round table.
“My brothers. They both have these stupid looks on their faces.”
She swats my arm. “They’re in love, you cynic.
I think it’s cute. Helix and Nicolette are so perfect for each other with their nerdy selves.
” We look over at Phoenix and Jordie, who are now doing a damn good salsa.
“And Jordie looks absolutely fantastic. She’s probably the only bride I know who could wear a white wedding jumpsuit instead of a dress and still look elegant. ”
“You know she’s a tomboy,” I say with a laugh. “And she did wear that…” I gesture toward my legs, and Serena fills in the word I was looking for.
“It’s called an overskirt.”
“Yeah, that. She wore it for the ceremony but said she wanted to be comfortable for the reception so she removed it. I didn’t expect her to be wearing pants underneath though.”
I lift my scotch in a toast when Phoenix catches my eye over his wife’s shoulder. He winks and then executes a complicated twirl. Fucking showoff.
“It works for her with those long legs,” Serena says with a sigh. “Who’s the designer?”
“Bouvier,” I say.
She presses a hand to her chest and swoons. “Oh my god, their handbags are to die for this season. You should totally buy me one for my birthday.” Serena bats her eyelashes at me, and I laugh.
“You already had your birthday this year, and I bought you…” I pause, trying to remember since I never actually purchase Serena’s gifts myself. I give her my card and let her picky ass choose whatever she wants. My eyes catch the sparkle at her earlobes. “Those diamond earrings.”
“Yes, but Bouvier has this pearl-white clutch that would pair perfectly with these studs,” she argues.
“You’re such a brat.”
She crosses her arms over her sky-blue dress. “Well, you’re a horrible date. You haven’t even danced with me tonight.”
“Fine,” I sigh. “One dance, but you’re not allowed to bitch if I step on your toes.”
“I’m always allowed to bitch. It’s best friend privilege.”
We take to the dance floor, and I do a pretty good job of protecting Serena’s small feet.
“So,” she starts, “when is the elusive Remington Hale going to tie the knot?”
This right here. This is why so many single men hate going to weddings. It puts ideas in people’s heads and they think they need to marry off anyone without a ring on their finger.
“Hmmm, let’s see.” I pretend to think about it. “I think I have it on my calendar for a week from… never.”
She laughs. “Have you forgotten we have a marriage pact?”
My forehead creases in confusion. “A what?”
Serena looks exasperated. “Good lord, you are hopeless. Remember when we promised to get married if neither of us were married by the time you turned thirty?”
That triggers a memory I’d forgotten about. “Oh yeah.” A chuckle escapes me. “I think I was ten and you were eight. Thirty sounded so damn old back then.”
She sighs dramatically. “And here you are at thirty-six, and I’m still waiting on my proposal.” In a musing tone, she says, “I think I’d like a spring wedding and a princess cut engagement ring.”
I snort. “Of course you’d want a princess cut.” Then I shake my head with a laugh at the ridiculousness of marrying Serena. “Can you even imagine us as a married couple? I think one of us would murder the other. Best case scenario, I’d be broke within a year.”
Her blue eyes roll to the top of her head. “Whatever. You’re a freaking billionaire.”
Popping an eyebrow, I retort, “Yeah, and I’d like to stay that way. Besides, I’ve never believed in marriages of convenience. I think they’re degrading to both parties. If I ever did get married, it would be because I was in love.”
“So you don’t love me?” she asks, pouting her perfectly painted lips.
“Of course I do. You’ve been my best friend forever. But we’re not romantically attracted to each other, and that’s something I would need in a marriage.”
“So you’re saying I’m not attractive. Great. My best friend thinks I’m ugly.”
“Dear god, you’re dramatic,” I groan. “I want to strangle you already, and we’re not even engaged.”
When I twirl her beneath my arm, she mutters something that sounds like “Yet,” but I ignore it. I know she’s only pushing my buttons. It’s never once been like that between Serena and me. We’re friends. That’s it. Absolutely no sexual or romantic thoughts whatsoever.
After Serena heads to the powder room, I dance with my mother and then with Reece, who looks precious in a poofy white dress.
“You did such a good job as the flower girl today,” I tell my niece, holding her on my hip as we sway.
She smiles proudly. “I practiced all week.” Lying her head on my shoulder, she sighs. “I’m so happy my mommy and daddy got married.”
She started calling Jordie mommy a while back, which was fitting.
Reece never had a mother in her life, and Jordie stepped into the role so naturally it’s almost hard to believe she didn’t birth Reece herself.
They’ve already started the adoption paperwork, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for their little family.
I kiss Reece’s slightly sweaty forehead. “I am too, baby girl.” She doesn’t answer, and I look down to see that her eyelids are closed and her lips are parted in sleep.
Smiling, I find Phoenix dancing with Reece’s nanny, Lorraine. “Apparently I’m a boring dancer,” I announce. “Do you want me to take her upstairs?”
Phoenix shakes his head and takes his daughter in his arms. “No. Mom is keeping her tonight, and I think she’s ready to go. I’ll take her up.” We glance over to find our mother sitting beside one of her friends, both of them with their shoes off.
I watch as he carries Reece over to Jordie, who smooths her daughter’s hair back and kisses her cheek. Then I return my attention to Lorraine, a sweet older lady who’s been Reece’s nanny since birth, and bow formally.
“Ms. Lorraine, would you like to dance with the best looking Hale brother now?”
The woman giggles like a schoolgirl. “I’d love to.”
We begin a slow waltz. “Seems like you’re getting around well after your knee replacement,” I tell her. “You’ve had both of them done now, right?”
“Yes, the first one was about a year and a half ago.”
“And you stayed with Mom then, correct?”
Lorraine smiles fondly. “I did, at her insistence. She’s such a dear lady. And she welcomed my niece with open arms.”
I tilt my head to the side, trying to remember what Phoenix has told me about Lorraine. “I didn’t realize you had family nearby besides your son.”
“Well, I had a sister, but we were estranged for many years. She died a few years back, and her daughter was reluctant to reach out because her mother asked her not to.” Her lips press together into a disapproving line.
“My sister was the most stubborn woman in existence. I loved her and tried to smooth things over after our disagreement, but Ciara wasn’t having any of it, which meant I lost years with my niece as well. ”
“I’m sorry to hear that. What made your niece finally reach out?”
“Kind of a weird coincidence, I guess. She said my name popped up on her ‘suggested friends’ list on Facebook, and she clicked on it. Then she saw my post about recovering from knee surgery, so she sent me a friend request and offered to come visit.”
“That’s fantastic. I’m glad you reconnected with…”
“Mindy,” she replies. “She came over to your mother’s house while I was still recovering there. We sat on the front porch and ate cookies and drank lemonade. Mindy makes the most delicious cookies I’ve ever eaten in my life. Your mother and I must have gained five pounds each after her visit.”
I smile as we move around the dance floor. “And you’re still in touch with Mindy?”
“Oh yes. We talk several times a week now, and when I had my second knee surgery, she insisted on coming up to stay with me for a whole week to take care of me. She lives down in Galveston with her husband, Roger.”
Something about the way Lorraine says the husband’s name has me curious. “Do you like her husband?”
Her nose wrinkles a little. “I’m not sure about him. To be honest, he seems like a bit of a mama’s boy.”
“Ah, one of those,” I say with a chuckle.
“Mindy never says a bad word about him, but… I don’t know.
I can’t pinpoint anything specific, though her light dims a little when she talks about him, and that worries me.
” Lorraine shakes her head as the song ends and I walk her over to the punch table, arms linked.
“I’m probably blowing it out of proportion, but I feel like a woman’s face should light up when she talks about her husband, don’t you?
Especially when they’ve only been married less than three years. ”
“Ideally, yes,” I agree, signaling the punch lady to pour two glasses. “Have you talked to her about it?”
“No. I don’t feel it’s my place since we’re only recently rebuilding our relationship, but I have told her I’ll always be there for her, no matter what.”
“I guess that’s all you can do,” I tell her, accepting the cut crystal glasses and handing one to Lorraine. We both take a sip. It’s delicious, fruity, and kind of slushy.
I follow Lorraine’s line of sight to see Phoenix coming back into the ballroom and rushing over to Jordie like he just returned from war after a year away. He picks up his bride and twirls her around in a circle. They’re both smiling so big I’m surprised their faces don’t hurt.
“See? That’s how a couple should look at each other,” Lorraine says, nodding toward the couple. “Especially as newlyweds.”
My chest tightens because I don’t think anyone will ever look at me like Jordie is looking at my brother.
“I guess it’s not meant to be for some people,” I comment, and even I can hear the bitterness in my tone.
Lorraine’s gaze burns a curious hole in the side of my face, and I finally look down, giving her an apologetic smile.
“Mark my words, Remington Hale. One day, you’ll find your special lady. She’ll march into your life and flip your world upside down.”
Her prediction sends a shiver down my spine, and I have no idea why.
A couple hours later, I drop Serena off at her apartment and return to my car.
I gave Antonio the evening off, so I drove my McLaren 750S Spider tonight.
I fucking love this car. It’s black, sleek, and fast as hell.
Letting the top down, I inhale the April night air and decide I’m not quite ready to go home.
Shrugging out of my jacket, I roll up my shirtsleeves and toss my bow tie into the passenger’s seat.
Then I take off, driving the streets of downtown Houston with the radio blaring some old eighties hair metal as my hands thump to the beat on the steering wheel. When I pull over, I realize where I am.
They fixed the sign so it now reads Waffle House instead of Waffle Ho. I’ll be honest, I was a little disappointed to see that when I came here a couple years ago. It’s like the appearance of those extra letters stole some of the magic from our place.
No, not our place. It’s just a restaurant. One I come to by myself every time I visit from London but whatever.
Pressing a button, I wait till the top closes and seals before getting out and going into the restaurant. Luckily, the table I want is available, and a hostess I haven’t seen before seats me.
Then I order the same thing Minnie ordered that night, and I sigh, wondering what the fuck I’m doing with my life.