Chapter Three #2
I wink at her with a smile, but I don’t touch her. Christ, I want nothing more than to touch her, but I keep my hands to my sides. “It means let’s get this party started, beautiful girl.”
An hour later, I’m standing across from her as Mason and Sloane exchange their vows.
In the past, when Mason talks about his twin, it’s like she is a living, breathing part of him because they are so close.
So, it doesn’t surprise me when she wipes tears from her cheeks as she smiles at her brother.
Taking a handkerchief from my pants pocket, I lean behind the couple and hand it to her. I hear several ‘Ahhhs’ from the crowd of onlookers seated behind us and I wink at her when her eyes briefly meet mine. Her warm fingers brush mine and I swear that warmth travels up my arm.
At the appropriate time, we give them their rings, and as they exchange their vows, my eyes are glued to Marley. The first time I saw her, she took my breath away, and she’s done it every time since.
The priest declares them man and wife and after they kiss, Sloane turns to Marley and they hug. I can’t hear what Marley whispers in her ear, but she has her hand on Sloane’s round belly.
Mason turns to me and we clap hands in a tight handshake, he’s smiling like a schoolboy. “Congrats, brother.” I say, before he turns away and grabs Sloane’s hand to face the crowd.
Right on cue, as planned, every guy from the team stands up and pulls a party popper, streamers and confetti rain down on the couple as everyone laughs. Including Marley. It’s the sweetest fucking sound, and one I don’t hear very often.
Everyone moves to the covered area near the barn where the band is set up to eat. Marley and I are sitting next to each other at the wedding party table and when it’s time for the traditional best man and maid of honor toasts, Marley has a folded piece of paper in her hand.
Her knuckles are white as she clutches that piece of paper between the thumb and forefinger of each hand in her lap.
When I turn to her to see if she would like to go first, her face turns scarlet.
Mason leans over and whispers in her ear, probably telling her she doesn’t have to do it, but she gives a stubborn head shake while looking at her hands in her lap.
One of the guys from the band walks up to the table and holds the microphone out to Marley, and her chest starts to rise and fall faster. I grab the mic and thank the guy while unfolding my own piece of paper as I stand.
I’m used to speaking into comms with the guys all the time, so this is nothing for me, but I know Marley gets terrified if there are too many eyes on her. She doesn’t like any kind of attention, but she seems stubbornly determined to follow through with her maid of honor duties.
For her brother.
Looking at her, I lift my eyebrow in question. Her eyes dart to mine and then lower to the mic in my hand. “You go first.” Her voice is so small that I want to wrap her up and tell her she’s not doing it, but I won’t take her choices away.
Nodding my head, I tap the mic and the thump echoes loudly in the speakers all around us. I put my finger in my ear and turn like it hurt my ears. “Sounds like it’s working.”
A low rumble of laughter travels through the crowd.
Turning to look at Mason and then back out over the people, I say, “I’ve been working with Mason for quite a while now, we trained off and on in the service together over the years and let me tell you, he’s just as much a smart ass at work as he is at home.”
Another rumble of laughter.
“But all joking aside, no matter what the call, no matter where we are, I know he has my six. That’s just who he is, he’s one of the most reliable people I know.
” I turn to face Mason and place my hand over my heart.
Knowing we are in mixed company who think we are still in the service, not everyone can know about what we do for a living, so I try to keep it vague.
“I’m sure there have been times in the field when you covered my ass without me even knowing it, and I thank you for that, brother. Now I want you to know that this beautiful woman sitting next to you and that little boy…”
A gasp echoes across the crowd and I pretend to be shocked as I put my fingers over my mouth.
“Oh, did I spoil the surprise?” I smile my best smile and look at Mason and Sloane, who are laughing, before I look back at the crowd.
“As honorary uncle, I’m here to say,” I lift my arms and yell, “It’s a boy! ”
More loud laughter, whistles, and applause.
I wait for the applause to die down before I get serious and go on, giving my attention to Mason.
“As I was saying, just know that, as one of the most important people in my life, I will do anything for you and your family. Congratulations, brother, I’m so happy for you.
” I pretend to sit down but stand back up really quick. “Except diapers, I don’t do diapers.”
The crowd erupts in more laughter and applause, Mason is laughing and clapping his hands as he stands up and gives me a hug behind Marley’s chair.
When I sit down and extend the mic to Marley, she leans into me, looking down at the table, and softly says, “Will you stand up with me? I can’t do it by myself.”
When she leans into me, her coconut perfume wraps around me and my gaze moves over her head, across the crowd, as I listen to her question. By accident, my eyes land on the table her family is sitting at next to the wedding party table.
Two large overprotective brothers and one father, who I’ve personally seen press a red-hot branding iron to a man’s skin and a sledgehammer to another’s knees, are looking back at me. Concern on all of their faces.
They know she is faltering. Mason’s hand moves under the table and grasps her forearm to comfort her.
I sound like a selfish prick for saying this, I’m not happy she is in distress, but she is choosing me to help her up in her time of need, and my heart is fucking swelling in my chest.
Leaning in close to her ear so only she can hear, I say, “Of course, I’ll always stand with you, lepa.”
Her face turns the adorable shade of pink again and she nods. Her hands are trembling as we stand and she unfolds her piece of paper, almost dropping the mic when she takes it from my hand. She looks out at all the eyes on her and freezes.
Bending down to her ear, I put my hand on her shoulder and whisper, “Don’t look at them, focus on my hand on your shoulder.” Her muscles are pulled taunt, and she dips her head to look at the paper in her trembling hand.
Her small voice booms through the speakers.
“I can tell you for sure that I won’t make you laugh like Jax.
” She nervously clears her throat. “Mason has been my rock my whole life, no matter what he was doing or where he was, if I needed him, he was on his way to me or was a phone call away to tell me to be strong.” Her voice wobbles a little, and she clears her throat again as she pauses to turn her head toward Sloane.
“But I’m so lucky because I’m not losing my brother, I’m gaining another sister.
And since Jax spilled the beans.” She pauses as the crowd laughs and she trembles under my hand, stepping closer into my side as she focuses on the paper.
“Now I’m getting a nephew, who I hope is a perfect combination of his mama and his daddy.
And just so you know,” her eyes move between Mason and Sloane, “I will change diapers.” The crowd laughs again.
She keeps her eyes on Mason, and her voice almost breaks as she continues. “I love you and I’m so happy for you, bubby. Congratulations.” She pulls my handkerchief from the wavy folds of her dress and dabs her eyes after she sets the mic on the table with a small thump through the speakers.
Mason stands and pulls her into him, holding her tight as he whispers something in her ear.
She looks so small next to his big frame as she nods her head against his chest, and he kisses her temple before he lets her go.
Sloane is standing behind him and pulls her in when Mason lets her go.
He turns his back to the crowd and wipes his eyes before he sits down.
All I know is the best thing to happen to me in a long time happened when she stepped into my side just minutes ago because I felt safe. She chose me. If I could, I’d fucking fly.