Chapter 4 Owen
B randon stands at the head of the table, rehearsal dinner in full swing, and conversations begin to die down. The conversation I was having with Andi’s cousin, Ashley, was not creating a life-long bond. She’s very clearly in love with her ex, who is invited to the wedding and she hopes to rekindle things. It’s obvious from what she’s already told me that they’re completely wrong for each other and I feel like that should be enough for anyone to move on. I want to tell her that she should count herself lucky that he broke things off when he did because now she knows. Or should know. I’ve had too many buddies who knew they were with a good person, but it wasn’t their person. Then, they would end up staying because it was easy and not because it was right.
But I just met Ashley and that seems like a lot to dump on a bridesmaid the night before her cousin’s wedding. Weddings are when we’re supposed to imagine our special person is right around the corner, even though it feels like mine must be on a different planet at this point.
Maybe I’m just extra cynical today because the phone call came as I was getting dressed for tonight. Erin was completely professional and kind and even complimentary, but it was still a major blow not getting the teaching position. It was nice Noah messaged just before I left for this dinner, asking if I wanted to grab a beer. He’s a ridiculously nice guy which is probably why the students at Honey Cove High School love their school counselor. Normally, I’d take him up on hanging out, but I’m not sure how late the rehearsal dinner will go tonight, so I’ll make sure I find time to see him before I move back to New York.
“Thank you all so much for being here and being part of our day. I know tomorrow you’ll have your fill of me and I promise I’ll try to not be insufferable.” Brandon winks at Andi who rolls her eyes while laughing. “But tonight is our time to thank you all for being part of our lives and our journey. So with that, I promise I’m not suddenly a huge sap, but I have something to say to each of you. I’ll keep it to one sentence so things don’t get weird.”
“Graham, you’re the youngest of the cousins, but you’ve already shown what kind of man you’re going to be and I’m honored to have you here, standing with me. Owen, I know we haven’t seen each other nearly enough over the years, but I’ve always admired you and can’t tell you how much our time together has meant since you took the temporary position this spring in Honey Cove. We can’t wait to have you here for good.”
I nod and can feel my cheeks heating as my gut plummets. I didn’t want to rain on Brandon’s parade, so I didn’t tell anyone I didn’t get the job. I’m glad that everyone has been so happy to have me here and wish I hadn’t gotten the news until after the wedding so I could have held out hope in staying.
“Brad, you’ve been the peanut butter to my jelly since middle school football and if you hadn’t talked me into getting coffee at Bobbi’s before that impromptu volleyball game, I don’t know when I would have met Andi, so I owe you one. Finally, James, my brother, my best friend, the guy I’ve looked up to my whole life, you mean the world to me and I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for you.” Brandon holds up his beer. “To each of my boys standing with me tomorrow while I get to marry the woman of my dreams.”
We all clink our glasses and James wipes his eyes.
Ashley makes eye contact with me as she takes her sip of bubbly and I give her what I hope is a kind smile. Not a smile that says ‘I hope you change your mind before the wedding and decide you’re better off without your ex because you deserve more.’ That smile would be too much.
Honestly, I don’t know what my problem has been lately. It’s not just tonight, but I didn’t even want to find a date for the wedding. Maybe it’s something with the move possibly being temporary—well, it’s officially temporary now—so I didn’t want to go out with someone if I knew I might not get to stay here. In New York, I suppose I got used to dates that never went anywhere. Maybe I’m simply done putting time and effort into people who I know right away aren’t the one.
A gentle kick under the table gets my attention. Graham tips his head toward Andi who started her speech while I was apparently zoning out, trying to figure out why no one has so much as caught my eye in over a year. Damn, apparently, I’ve been wanting something real for longer than I realized.
“So, I know that she’s not here, yet, she’s getting in tomorrow morning, I promise. I just talked with her and she’s packed, of course. But Poppy. Poppy is the sister I never had and the fact that she’s coming back early from her time away means the world to me. Since she’s not here, I’m going to ask you all to please just be aware that people are going to have questions for her, especially anyone local. I’m not afraid to go full-on bridezilla on anyone who makes her cry by prying too much. So, if things look tense, jump in and get my girl a drink.”
She pauses and looks each of us in the eye.
Jesus, I never knew Andi had this side to her.
“Also, don’t you dare tell her I asked y’all to do anything, because she’ll be pissed at me, and, once again, I’ll have to resort to being bridezilla because my bestie has enough on her plate and so do I, so, just be your lovely selves.”
Brandon tugs her down so they’re face-to-face and says, “We’ll do our best to keep bridezilla at bay, I promise.”
He uses his other hand to pull her in for a fierce kiss that has both sets of parents blushing and Andi fanning her face when they break apart.
“Thank you. Alright, I have some thank yous for all my ladies who will be standing there while I officially marry this stud muffin. Mine might be longer, so buckle up buttercups.”
She is nothing if not honest. I down the rest of my beer as the server walks around with a pitcher to refill us. I let my thoughts drift to what little I’ve heard about this mysterious Poppy.
The interim art teacher came in last-minute, a little before my position opened. I know that much, and even though people have talked about Poppy being on leave, it sounds like a bad break up. I’ve been tempted to ask someone about it because every now and then I’d hear someone reference how hard it must have been for her, but that sounds like a huge invasion of privacy for someone I haven’t even met. Plus, if it were me, I wouldn’t want people still talking about it months later. I resist the urge to find her photo again on the school’s website so I know which face to put with her tomorrow, but it should be obvious. It’s not like I haven’t seen pictures of her and Andi, but so many are when they were teens and maybe early college. I’m just feeling nosy, I guess.
It must just be the mystery that’s intriguing me.