Chapter 16 #2
Theo and Aiden not getting along was unheard of.
Sure, they had their disagreements, especially growing up, but usually within a day, they were back to being the best of friends.
For them to have gone weeks without speaking, something significant must have happened between them.
Should he butt his nose into the situation or let them deal with it?
He honestly didn’t know. “Are you still coming back with me tomorrow?” Matt asked while he considered whether to get involved.
“Yeah, I’m not expected back in the office until Thursday, and I’m anxious to meet Liv. If you’re relocating and asking her to move in, she must be special.”
Matt already knew Liv was special. He didn’t need his baby brother to tell him.
Aiden nudged Matt’s arm with his elbow. “Poor Viv. She looks miserable.”
Matt glanced at his cousin, who was still sitting with Theo and Brianna. Although he hadn’t thought it possible, she looked even more unhappy now than the last time he’d looked her way. If anyone needed rescuing, it was Viv.
When it came to dancing, he was indifferent. But if he asked Viv to dance, it would give his cousin a reason to leave the table without appearing rude.
Pushing back his chair, he took another sip from his drink and stood.
“Off to the rescue?” Aiden asked with amusement.
“Hey, if you were as unhappy as Viv looks, wouldn’t you want someone to rescue you?”
“Hell yeah.” Aiden gestured toward Matt’s glass. “Do you want me to order you another if someone comes by?”
“Sure.”
Although the reception was small by Sherbrooke standards, there were still over one hundred guests there, many of whom were related to him. Tonight, they all seemed to want to talk, and it took him longer than it should’ve to reach his cousin’s table.
“When we get married, I want everything to be outside. I’m leaning toward my parents’ home in the Hamptons.”
Matt was glad his brother and Brianna had their backs to him so they couldn’t see his expression. Not once during their visit had Theo mentioned he was thinking about marrying Brianna. Yet she sounded like it was a done deal.
“But my grandfather’s house on Martha’s Vineyard is a close second,” she continued, still unaware that he stood behind her.
Relief crossed Vivian’s face when she spotted him. “Matt, that was a great best man’s speech.”
“Thanks,” he said before turning his attention to Theo. “How’s everything going today?” He hoped his brother understood that he was asking if he’d kept an eye on Brianna, as he’d requested.
“Fine,” Theo replied, his jaw clenched tight.
Yup, he’d understood the question and hadn’t liked it. Not that Matt cared.
“Excellent.” With the question answered, Matt turned his full attention to Vivian. “Would you like to dance?”
The words were barely out of his mouth before she was out of her seat.
“I’d love to.” Taking his hand, she gave Theo and Brianna the most forced smile he’d ever seen. “If you’re not here when I come back, it was great catching up.”
Even if they remained sitting there after they danced, Matt knew his cousin wouldn’t be returning to the table.
Matt lowered his mouth close to her ear as they walked toward the dance floor. “Don’t ever go into acting.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You weren’t fooling anyone with the smile you gave them.”
A slow ballad started the moment they stepped onto the dance floor, and Matt settled his hands on Vivian’s waist.
“You’re a lifesaver and officially my favorite cousin.
” Vivian kissed his cheek and then placed her hands on his shoulders.
“If I had to hear about all the things that were wrong with the wedding and reception and how she planned to do things when she gets married much longer, I would’ve stuffed napkins in my ears. ”
“I’m sorry I intervened when I did. I would’ve loved to see you sitting there with napkins sticking out of your ears.”
She pulled back enough to look him in the eyes. “I take it back. You’re not my favorite cousin.”
Smiling, Matt kissed her forehead. “Not buying it. I know you love me the most.”
They danced in silence for a few seconds before Vivian spoke again. “Are Theo and Brianna engaged?”
“I sure as hell hope not.” He couldn’t imagine spending the holidays or family gatherings with her.
“Are you sure? It sounded like they are. She kept saying, ‘When we get married, I want this.’ And she was wearing a ring on her left hand. Not everyone gets a diamond as an engagement ring. If I ever get engaged, I’d rather have a ruby.”
Vivian wasn’t wrong. A handful of his cousins had proposed with rings that featured something other than a diamond. But he didn’t think that was the case. If Theo was engaged, he would’ve said something to him and Aiden.
The brewery tour was the first time Theo and I had spoken in weeks. Aiden’s comment from earlier resurfaced.
No, even if his brothers weren’t getting along, Theo wouldn’t keep something like that from his twin.
Matt glanced over Vivian’s shoulder. Another one of his cousins and his wife had joined his brother, and it appeared as though Brianna was doing all the talking.
“You’re not positive, are you?” Vivian asked, pulling him away from his thoughts and back to the dance floor.
Three months ago, the answer would’ve been easy. But not now. Theo hadn’t been himself during his stay in Maine, and the fact that he hadn’t spoken to his twin in so long only reinforced the fact that something was off.
“I’m 90 percent certain he’s not engaged.” But he wouldn’t be surprised if Brianna were pressuring his brother for a ring.
“Maybe we should both keep our fingers crossed that you’re right. Can you imagine spending Thanksgiving with her across the table? Talk about an absolute nightmare.”
“I’d start celebrating alone if she was there.”
Vivian patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, you can always come and celebrate with me. Or maybe I should say you and your girlfriend can come. I’ve seen the pictures. I thought she’d be here with you.”
The slow song ended, and one with a much faster tempo took its place.
“Or has that relationship already ended?” Vivian asked as he led them off the dance floor and to the table where Aiden sat.
“Liv couldn’t take time off from work. What about you? I noticed you’re flying solo this weekend.”
It had been eight or nine months since he’d seen Vivian. At the time, she’d been with someone, but he didn’t remember his name.
“Wyatt and I weren’t working out. I’ve been on a few dates since we broke up but haven’t met anyone I like enough to go out with a second time.”
“I ordered you another drink.” Aiden pulled his ringing cell phone out and checked the screen. “It’s Dad. I’ll call him back later. Does he know Adam got married today?”
“I don’t know.” Matt’s phone rang as he sat next to his cousin.
He’d promised to call Liv when he got back to his hotel room and wasn’t expecting a call from anyone.
For a moment, he considered letting it go to voicemail, but just in case it was Liv, he took out his phone.
When he saw the name “Dad” on the screen, a knot formed in his stomach.
If their father was calling them, something was wrong.
Pressing Accept, he skipped a proper greeting. “Dad, what’s wrong?”
Across the table, Aiden frowned and set his drink back down.
“There’s nothing for you to worry about, but I wanted you to know your mom was in a car accident earlier today.”
If it had been a simple fender bender, his dad wouldn’t be calling him, so how could he say there was nothing to worry about? “How is she?”
“She has a broken leg that’s going to require surgery and a broken wrist. Otherwise, she’s fine.”
He’d broken his leg when he was ten and had been in a cast for weeks. If his mom required surgery, her injury was far more serious than his had been.
“I’m in Virginia right now, but tomorrow I’ll fly out there.” He hadn’t intended to take a trip to California without Liv, but when he explained the situation, she’d understand.
“That’s not necessary. I only called so that you’d know what was going on if you had trouble getting a hold of us for the next couple of days.”
“I’ll—”
Dad interrupted him before he finished. “Your mom wants to talk to you.”
He already knew what she planned to say, and it wouldn’t change his mind.
“Matt, there’s no need for you to come. Your dad’s right. I’m fine. Enjoy your time in Virginia.”
His mom’s speech was slower than usual and slightly slurred, a good indication that the hospital had given her some strong pain meds.
“I’m coming. I planned to leave Virginia tomorrow anyway. When I land, I’ll call Dad. And I’ll let Aiden and Theo know what’s going on.”
Matt still held the phone when Aiden asked, “What happened?”
He gave his brother a recap of his conversation as he opened the app for the charter flight company he frequently used.
“Did Dad tell you what hospital she’s in or when the surgery will be?”
“No.” And he hadn’t thought to ask. But it didn’t matter. Even if the surgery was done today, he planned to visit tomorrow.
“Do you want to fly back with me or make your own arrangements?”
“With you.”
“Can you tell Theo, or do I need to?”
“Hey, you told Dad you would let me and Theo know,” Aiden responded as he rubbed his hands together. “Vivian will back me up because she heard you too.”
“Actually, I told Mom that.” If Aiden didn’t even want to talk to Theo to let him know about their mom’s accident, their relationship was worse than he’d thought.
“But I’ll tell him.” Matt finished his drink and then pushed back his chair. The sooner he filled Theo in, the sooner he could once again put distance between himself and Brianna.