Bound to Be His ( The Archer Family 2)

"I guess." Matt studied his sister, clinging to her husband and grinning like she'd been born to do it. Like she was comfortable in front of the cameras now.

And maybe she was. After all, it wasn't like their courtship and engagement had been a quiet affair. Between the accident, their dates, and then their engagement, the media had been almost as much a part of Andy and Logan's relationship as themselves. Still, they were happy. They made it work.

"I wouldn't want that," he said.

"Why not? Andy looks—"

"I know, I know. Andy looks happy. But you know Andy as well as I do. She hates this crap."

"But she does it for Logan." Shay shrugged.

"Unfair, don’t you think?"

"I don't know. Life isn't fair. Why should love be?"

The music started to swirl overhead, a low, soft fifties tune that had been a favorite of their father's. Matt smiled.

"You look great in that dress, by the way. Did I mention that?"

"Three times." She nodded and then stiffened and said, "Hey, uh, I'm going to grab a drink. Want anything?"

"Old Fashioned," he said, and she disappeared into the crowd.

Wading through the sea of photographers, Matt took his seat at last and was met within moments by a grinning Logan.

"Let's get a picture of you two," one of the photographers called to them, and Matt shook his head. "Please, today is about my sister."

"How does it feel to know your sister married the man who ruined your career?"

Matt opened his mouth and then closed it. A pang shot through his heart.

He would have thought he'd be used to that question, especially since it was such a natural one. But the part that intrigued them—that his best friend had married his sister, that that same man had also been the cause of the most catastrophic event of his life, didn't faze him. It was that last part that always felt like a sucker punch to the gut.

Ruined his career.

Like he was already done. Finished.

Logan's grin vanished. "This is a private event. I'll remind you that you can be dismissed at any time." He practically spat at the reporters, and Andy, apparently sensing the tension, rounded on them with a too bright smile stretched across her face. "You guys only have a few more minutes," she told the journalists. "Why don't I show you to the cake? I think you'll find it makes a great feature."

She led the crowd away and left Logan and Matt alone at last.

"Sorry about that," Logan said, and then slugged a beer Matt hadn't noticed until now.

"Hey, if I'm not used to that, then I have no business being a baseball player." Matt shrugged.

"You aren't... you know, bothered by this, are you?"

"Little late now, don't you think?" Matt nodded to Logan's shining golden ring.

Logan offered him half a smile. "Yeah, guess so. Still—"

"No, I've said it before. You and Andy were meant to be."

"Like you and Shay." Logan cocked his head toward Shay. Her slender hip was jutted up against the bar, and her sleek black hair was pulled into a little knot at the top of her head. Even with the bride so close by her, she was still the most beautiful woman in the room.

"Yeah," he said. "Like me and Shay."

"Finally he admits it. And hey, this thing with the minors is only going to be a small setback. One more year and you'll be up there again with me. I can't even believe they're—"