Chapter 41
CASH
The reception was in full swing.
A tent had been set up in the side yard.
String lights crisscrossed overhead. Tables were set with enough candles to light up the entire coastline.
Dinner had been served, eaten, and cleared away.
The cake had been cut. Photos had been taken until the photographer probably had enough material for three albums.
And Austin was officially married.
I watched him on the dance floor with Melody, both of them grinning like idiots. I wasn’t an emotional guy. Emotions were not a common thing in my life, but I felt them all now. Pride. Joy. Relief that my brother had found someone who loved him completely, chaos and all.
“Speech time!” the DJ announced. “We’ll start with the maid of honor, Cleo Quinn!”
Cleo stood up from the head table, champagne glass in hand, looking nervous and beautiful and completely herself in that gorgeous dress. The elaborate updo exposed her neck and made me want to lick that pulse point.
“Hi, everyone,” she said into the microphone. “For those who don’t know me, I’m Cleo, Melody’s best friend, personal assistant, therapist, bouncer, and according to her, the only reason she’s functioned as a human being for the last three years.”
The crowd laughed. Melody was already crying.
“I’ve known Melody since she hired me on a whim because I told her I liked her shoes.” Cleo grinned. “Best job interview of my life. And since then, I’ve watched her build an empire, become a voice for women everywhere, and somehow manage to look flawless doing it all.”
She turned to look at the head table. “But the real magic happened when she met Austin. Suddenly this woman who had everything figured out was stumbling over her words and blushing and acting like a complete disaster. It was adorable.”
More laughter.
“Austin, as you know, when Melody first told me about you, I immediately looked you up and started an Instagram account dedicated to your worst paparazzi photos.”
Austin laughed and shook his head. Most of us knew Cleo was behind the account, but judging by the gasps throughout the crowd, not everyone did.
“And while I approve of you now, you give me too much good content to give up the account. So, sorry, love ya, but last night, while you were just a little tipsy, I got some more content.”
Austin groaned while everyone else laughed.
She raised her glass. “To Melody and Austin. May your marriage be filled with as much laughter, love, and chaos as your courtship. And, Austin, if you ever hurt her, just know that I have three years’ worth of embarrassing content ready to deploy.”
“Noted!” Austin called back.
Everyone drank. Cleo sat down to thunderous applause.
The DJ turned to me. “And now, the best man, Cash Bancroft!”
I stood up, suddenly aware of everyone’s eyes on me. Public speaking had never bothered me before, but this felt different. More personal.
I cleared my throat. “I’m going to keep this brief because unlike Cleo, I don’t have embarrassing Instagram accounts to leverage.”
“Yet,” Finn called out.
“Yet,” I agreed. “Austin and I are brothers, obviously. And like most brothers, we’ve had our moments.
Arguments. Disagreements. Times when I thought he was making terrible decisions.
I’ve tried to correct his decisions most of my life and I’ll admit, I thought he was moving too fast with Melody.
But I get it. I see it. I’m going to say this once and then I will forever deny it. Austin was right. I was wrong.”
Austin jumped up and cheered.
“Yeah, yeah,” I joked. “Watching him with Melody changed something for me.” I looked at my brother. “You showed me what it looks like when someone finds their person. What it means to be all in. To choose love even when it’s messy and complicated and terrifying.”
I paused. Found Cleo in the crowd. She was watching me with wide eyes.
“You showed me what falling in love looks like, so that I’d know how to spot it when it came for me.” I raised my glass. “To the happy couple. May you have a lifetime of happiness together.”
“To the happy couple!” the tent echoed.
I sat down. Austin reached over and punched my shoulder. “That was actually sweet. Who are you and what did you do with my brother?”
“Shut up.”
“Seriously, man. Thank you.”
The DJ put on music and couples started filtering onto the dance floor. Melody and Austin took the center for their first dance as husband and wife. Some slow, romantic song about Tennessee Whiskey that made half the guests tear up again.
I found myself drawn to the edges of the tent, watching. Kent and Sylvie were sitting at a nearby table, Kent leaning in to whisper something that made Sylvie laugh. She had baby Tiana in her arms. The baby was wearing so much pink tulle she looked like a very small, very cute cupcake.
Sylvie glanced at the dance floor. Back to the baby. To the dance floor again.
I walked over. “Want to dance?”
She looked up, surprised. Kent frowned and gave me a what the hell look. Like I was really going to put the moves on my brother’s wife.
“I’ll hold her,” I said. “The baby. You two dance.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Kent was grinning. “Take him up on it. I’ve been trying to get you out there for ten minutes.”
Sylvie looked at me, then at the baby, then back at me. “Are you sure? She’s been fussy, and when she’s like this, she tends to spit up.”
“Sylvie.” I held out my hands. “Go dance with your husband. I promise not to drop her.”
She transferred Tiana to my arms and rattled off a litany of instructions like she was hopping on a jet plane and headed to Siberia for six months. I nodded along, trying to remember even half of it.
Then Sylvie was gone, practically running to the dance floor where Kent swept her up and spun her around.
I looked down at Tiana. She looked up at me with huge hazel eyes, blinking slowly like she was trying to figure out who I was and whether I was trustworthy. Then she yawned, showing off her gums, and made a sound that might have been a laugh or might have been gas.
“You’re very judgmental for someone who can’t hold up her own head,” I told her.
She blew a spit bubble at me.
“Fair point.” I found myself swaying slightly, the way I’d seen Kent do with her earlier. Tiana seemed to approve. She settled against my chest, one tiny fist curling in my shirt.
“Your dad is disgustingly in love with your mom,” I said conversationally. “It’s actually kind of inspiring. Also nauseating, but mostly inspiring.”
She blinked at me.
“Maybe that’s why you spit up. All that love stuff would be a lot to deal with on the regular.”
She frowned and then I definitely felt something happening in the diaper.
“Rude.”
Another very unladylike fart. And then she smiled.
“I’d smile too if I could get away with ripping one off and looking all cute.” I continued to sway, patting the offending backside that seemed to be quite active. “Your uncle Austin just got married to a woman who’s way too good for him. But don’t tell him I said that.”
Another blink. Her eyes were starting to droop.
“And I think I might be in love. Which is scary and unexpected and probably the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Love is crazy. And sneaky. One day you’re minding your own business and the next you’re in love.”
Tiana made a small cooing sound and closed her eyes.
“Glad you approve,” I said.
“That might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
I turned. Cleo was standing there, looking at me holding the baby with a serene smile.
“You’ve never looked hotter,” she said.
I laughed. “Holding a baby does it for you?”
“Holding a baby while looking at me like that does it for me.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m the only person here.”
My chest went tight. “That’s because you are.”
She smiled. “Save a dance for me tonight?”
“All of them.”
“Smooth talker.” But she was blushing. “I should get back to the bridesmaids. They’re doing shots and someone needs to supervise.”
“You’re the supervisor?”
“I’m the most responsible one there. Which is saying something considering I slept with the best man last night.”
I covered Tiana’s exposed ears. “You can’t say that in front of the baby.”
“If that baby understands what that meant, I feel very sorry for Kent and Sylvie. They are going to have their hands full with their genius baby.”
Tiana decided to cut another one.
Cleo laughed. “I’m going to deal with the big girls. They smell better.”
She disappeared onto the dance floor where the bridesmaids immediately pulled her into their circle. I watched her laugh and dance and be completely herself, and I felt that pull again. That gravity.
“Cash.”
I turned. My father stood there in his tuxedo, looking more relaxed than I’d seen him in months. Maybe years.
“Dad.”
He looked at Tiana in my arms and his whole face softened. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
“She is.”
“May I?” He held out his arms.
I hesitated. “Actually—”
“We need to talk.” His voice was gentle but firm. “Please.”
I transferred Tiana carefully. She fussed for a second, then settled against Dad’s chest like she’d been there a hundred times before.
“When we get back to the city, I’ll stop by the house,” I said. “We can talk then.”
“I’d rather talk now.”
“Dad, it’s Austin’s wedding. Can we not do this right now?”
“This won’t take long.” He looked at me, his expression serious. “I was wrong.”
I blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
“About Rossi. You were right to walk away from that deal.” He shifted Tiana in his arms. “I had the team dig deeper after you left. Everything you said was accurate. He’s hemorrhaging money, his wife’s spending is out of control, and signing another deal with him would have tied us to a sinking ship. ”
“I know. That’s what I told you.”
“You trusted your gut. Made the hard call. That took courage.” He paused. “I’m sorry I didn’t see it that way initially.”
This might have been the first time my father had apologized to me in my entire adult life.
“Thank you,” I said carefully.
“I’d like you to come back. To the company. But on your terms this time.”
“I appreciate that. But I’m still taking the sabbatical.”
His expression flickered. “Oh?”
“Family is incredibly important to me,” I said. “You know that. But I’ve lost sight of everything else that matters by prioritizing the business over all else. I need to find balance. Figure out who I am outside of being a Bancroft.”
Dad’s gaze drifted to the dance floor. To Cleo, spinning with Melody, both of them laughing.
“This is about her,” he said. Not a question.
“This is about me,” I corrected. “But yes, she’s part of it.”
He was quiet for a moment, swaying gently with Tiana. “She’s not what I expected for you.”
“I know.”
“But I can see why you’re enamored with her.” He looked at her again. “I see the way you look at her. The way you’ve changed since Rome. You’re lighter. More yourself.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I am.”
“Then take your time. Figure it out.” He looked at me. “I think I understand, son. Take all the time you need.”
He put his free hand on my shoulder. I felt something shift between us. Things weren’t fixed but maybe they were on the mend.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Go dance with your girl. I’ll watch this one.”
I hesitated. “Actually,” I said, “I’m right where I want to be. For now.”
Dad’s smile widened. “Good answer.”
We stood there together, watching the party. Tiana slept peacefully. I felt like maybe I was figuring out the meaning of life. A reason to get out of bed every morning that didn’t involve making money.
Kent came over a few minutes later to collect his daughter. “Thanks for babysitting.”
“Anytime.”
“Really?” Sylvie appeared beside her husband. “Because we could use a night out sometime.”
“Don’t push it,” I said, but I was smiling.