Chapter 10
Arlo
Being with Reynolds, in secret, is the greatest high of my life.
Until now.
I’m not sure how my brother got through this morning, or even the ceremony.
He’s been sweating all day, on a completely different wavelength to the rest of us.
Here I was thinking that last-minute panic attacks were reserved for the bride.
It’s meant he’s been too busy being fussed over by Mom and bullied into drinking by Rick and Toby that he hasn’t noticed the changed dynamic between Reynolds and me.
No one has. And we’re not exactly being secret about it.
All through getting ready, we were stuck to each other’s sides. Through the ceremony, he kept glancing over his shoulder and catching my eyes, making my heart flip every time. And during the photos, he pulled me close and kissed me in the background of one of the shots.
We really need to tell Matti before they see that one.
“My boyfriend looked thirsty,” Reynolds’s deep voice says in my ear. Around us, the noise from the reception is building louder as people try to catch up before the first course. Reynolds and I ditched the bridal table almost immediately as a swarm of family descended on Matti and Liv.
Happiness floods me, and I turn and take the drink from him.
And damn, my boyfriend is the sexiest man alive. His warm brown eyes melt me as I stand there, dopily gazing up into them.
His lips pull up into a smirk. “Your tie is crooked.” Then he reaches for my throat and fixes the knot I already know is perfect. His fingers linger, brushing over the delicate skin before his thumb strokes my jaw.
I press into the touch.
“Kiss me,” I beg.
It lights up something savage in his eyes. “Nope. We already agreed that we didn’t want to distract from their day.”
“It won’t be distracting.” I pout. “No one cares what we’re doing.”
“Funny, but this is your family too.”
It’s so frustrating that we can’t even be a normal couple, doing normal things, until we tell my brother what’s going on.
“Fine.” I refrain from stamping my feet, but I do take his hand and drag him back to the bridal table, where Liv is just excusing herself.
“Gotta pee, gotta pee, gotta pee,” she chants as she rushes past us, followed quickly by two of her bridesmaids.
“When we get married, remind me that oversized dresses aren’t a good choice,” Reynolds says.
And even though I know he’s joking, it makes me feel warm all the same.
I take Liv’s empty chair and pull Reynolds down beside me, purposely keeping myself between him and Matti. I doubt Matti would cause a scene or anything, but he’s always been weirdly possessive of Reynolds, so I have zero clue how this conversation is going to go.
“Hey.” I squeeze his arm. “Had a good day?”
“The best.” He leans back in his chair, smiling out at the full room as people start taking their seats. “I thought Liv was going a bit overboard, but this has been really fun.”
“Despite the stress?”
“Eh. I think that made the rest of the day feel even better.”
My tongue darts out over my lips as I shoot a quick look at Reynolds. Maybe this isn’t the right time? Telling him something that could potentially piss him off doesn’t seem fair on his wedding day. But … given how happy he is, I’m not sure we could pick a better moment.
“Well, hopefully this adds to that feeling,” Reynolds says, not sounding worried in the slightest. “Arlo and I have some news.”
“Oh yeah?”
Shit, this is probably where I’m supposed to talk. Okay, words, Arlo. “Remember how I said I’d been thinking about coming home for a bit?”
His eyes narrow a little. “Sort of … I thought you’d changed your mind since you didn’t mention it again.”
“I didn’t mention it because it wasn’t really up to me.”
“I’m not following.”
“I had to talk to Reynolds first.” I try not to give anything away with my tone, but my brother’s not an idiot.
His jaw ticks. “Why the hell would you care what he thinks?”
I don’t like his tone, and I’m not going to let him get away with thinking he has any say here. “Because I’m in love with him.”
Matti blinks. Blinks again. Then shifts his stunned look from me to Reynolds. “And you?”
“Been in love with him since we were teenagers.” Reynolds throws it out there like it’s the most casual thing in the world, but damn, the things that one sentence does to me.
“You weren’t just … friends with me so …” Matti gestures my way.
Reynolds quickly shakes his head. “Nah, man. It was years after we started hanging out that it happened.”
Matti’s shoulders relax a little, but his face doesn’t look any less tense. “So, what is this? You’re asking for permission to sleep together, or …”
I actually laugh. “You’re about ten years too late there.”
“What?” Now he does look mad. “How long have you two been together?”
“Technically less than twenty-four hours,” I answer.
“But I’ve belonged to him the whole time.”
I spin to face Reynolds. “You’re going to have to stop being so sweet or I’m going to jump you right now, and that’s not something my brother wants to see.”
Reynolds’s forehead creases. “I’m just being honest.”
I kiss him. I can’t help it. It sends a thrill down my spine that he’s mine. Knowing we have an audience though, I keep it PG.
Matti’s whole face has scrunched up. “Yeah, that was weird.”
“Better get used to it.”
“I think … you guys need to explain. From the start.”
I cut Reynolds off before there’s more of that honestly.
“No, we don’t.” I say it as kindly as I can, but really, this relationship is two people, and I need Matti to know that from the start.
He’ll always be Reynolds’s best friend, but this relationship is mine.
“All you need to know is that we’ve been in love for years, but now we’re both ready to settle down.
With each other. And we really hope we have your support, but it’s going to happen regardless. ”
“So it doesn’t matter what I say?”
“Of course it matters,” Reynolds says. “We love you, but if your first reaction is negative, that’s going to change things. Not between Arlo and me, but you and me.”
Matti reaches for what I’m assuming is a glass of scotch and drains the whole thing. “Jesus fuck, you guys aren’t giving me many options here.”
“You have Liv,” I remind him. “What if Reynolds or I tried to stop you seeing her? How would you feel?”
He eyes me a second. “Devastated. But Liv isn’t your best friend.”
“No, but I’m hoping Reynolds is my forever. Same deal as you guys.”
All the resistance finally seems to leave him. He turns to Reynolds. “If you hurt him, I’ll kick your ass.”
I roll my eyes. “Such a protective brother.”
“Wha—no. You can look after yourself. I’ll kick his ass if this relationship ends and I lose my best friend.”
Ahh … that sounds more like it.
I chuckle and shake my head as Matti loops an arm around my shoulders and presses a kiss on the side of my hair. Then he says, so low Reynolds can’t hear, “Do not fuck this up.”
Like I even need his warning. I’m going to be holding on to Reynolds with both hands.
“Oh, and don’t worry,” I say as I pull away. “We’re not going to say anything tonight and steal your thunder or whatever.”
Matti laughs. Loud. “Adorable you think that’s even possible.”
Liv chooses that moment to return, and I quickly free up her chair, and then Reynolds and I take ours.
Dinner passes quickly with sneaky touches shared under the table and me dominating the conversation about where I’ve traveled to the past year.
Like always, Reynolds communicates with his expressive eyes, happy to sit back and let me talk.
And talk.
Somewhere the MC calls for the first dance, and we all stand to ring the dance floor as Matti pulls Liv into his arms. I’m just wondering whether I can convince Reynolds to have a completely innocent, friendly dance when the maid of honor, Gina, rushes up behind us.
“Slight change of plans.” Then she shoves me and Reynolds onto the dance floor.
I’m too stunned to react at first, but thankfully Reynolds is aware enough to take my hand and tug me into his arms.
My stomach swoops. I’m engulfed by the comforting scent of his aftershave and the warmth of his hand resting on my lower back. And regardless of what Matti said, I can feel the stares of everyone around us.
My pulse has kicked up a notch.
It feels incredible.
“This okay?” Reynolds asks.
“Perfect, actually.” I grin up at him. Then, spurred with the kind of confidence that only comes from being one hundred percent sure about something, I lean up and brush a sweet kiss across his mouth. “I love you. And now, finally, I get to tell the world.”
He pulls me closer, and I rest my head on his shoulder.
People have flooded the dance floor around us, and while I catch Mom throw a curious look my way, it seems like everyone else has moved on from seeing us dance together.
I prefer it that way.
Even though I know that in the not too distant future there’s going to be questioning and demands for details, here, now, I get to just enjoy being with my man.
Matti and Liv are in their own private bubble.
And now Reynolds and I are as well.