“No we’re not,” Ani and I both replied at the same time.
“Jinx, you owe me a Coke,” we both said at the same time again.
“I rest my case,” Bram muttered. He wrapped his arms around me and slapped me on the back a couple of times as we hugged. “Make sure you get some pictures,” he said quietly in my ear. “You know mom will want some.”
My mouth dropped open in surprise as I pulled away. “How did you know?”
“You’d never forget when you had to be back,” he said, his voice low as Ani made her way over to our parents. “Figured you were probably taking a detour.”
“Were you looking in my phone?” I asked suspiciously. There was no way that he’d put it all together himself.
Bram laughed and shook his head. “Nope. I just knew what you were up to as soon as you said you were leaving tonight instead of tomorrow.”
“Woo-woo twin shit?” I asked. It happened very rarely, but sometimes we just knew things about each other that made no sense. It wasn’t telepathy or anything like that; it was more of a feeling.
“Must be,” Bram said with a shrug.
“Not even sure if we’ll go through with it,” I said, guilt rising up in my chest. I had no idea how to explain to my brother that the thought of marrying Sarai in a quiet ceremony without the entire family watching and weighing in felt…right. I wanted it to be about me and her, not putting on a show for everyone else.
“Alex,” Bram said, stopping my apology. “Do what’s best for you guys, all right?”
“You’re the best brother a boy could have,” I replied, grinning.
“You’re a shithead, and if you try to hug me again, I’ll punch you.”
“Abraham,” I sang as I wrapped him up in a bear hug. “I love you, brother!”
“Knock it off,” he groused, laughing as he tried to push me away.
“I can’t,” I yelled. “I can’t contain it!”
“You damn well can,” he huffed, shoving at me while I clung to him. He was laughing so hard that barely any noise came out.
“Boys,” my mom called as we tussled, my hands grabbing hold of anything I could grip as Bram did his best to shove me away. “You’re going to fall and get all muddy.”
“I’m okay with that,” Bram called back, out of breath. “My house is five minutes away. Princess here can fly”—he paused for a split second—“home covered in mud.”
“You’re such an ass,” I said, laughing as I finally let him go.
Bram shot me a lopsided grin as he settled his coat back on his shoulders.
“We better go,” my dad said, giving my mom a kiss on the lips. “Or they’re gonna miss their flight.”
I jogged over to my mom and pulled her into a hug, spinning her gently in a circle before putting her on her feet again.
“Thanks for coming home, baby,” she said, smiling even though her eyes were watery. “Love getting to see you, even for a couple of days.”
“We’ll be back soon,” I promised, smiling back.
“Make sure of it,” she replied. She turned to Sarai. “It was so good to meet you, sweetheart.”
“You too,” Sarai said, smiling as my mom pulled her into a hug.
As soon as they’d separated, I laced my fingers with Sarai’s and tugged her toward the truck.
“Love you,” I called over my shoulder to my mom.
“Love you, too. Call me this week.”
“I will.”
We climbed into my dad’s truck, and I turned to smile at Sarai. “You ready?” I asked as my dad backed out of the driveway.
“Yes,” she murmured, grinning excitedly.
Chapter 12
Sarai
I swallowed painfully, smoothing down the front of my white sundress as I waited for the receptionist to start the music. After Alex and I had split up and found clothes to wear for the ceremony, it had been pretty easy to find a chapel. It was nothing fancy, and the small building had only a few people working, but they’d fallen all over themselves trying to make sure everything was perfect for us.
They’d stuffed a bouquet of fake flowers in my hand in the reception area and ushered Alex to the front of the chapel to wait for me, and the moment he was out of eyesight, my stomach twisted painfully with nerves. Was I doing the right thing? We hadn’t told anyone what we were doing. In theory it had seemed really romantic, but now that it was actually happening, it felt…sneaky. Like we were doing something wrong.
My aunt and uncle were going to lose it. I couldn’t imagine getting married any other way, but convincing them of that would be impossible.
“Are you ready?” the grinning receptionist asked me. At my nod, she started the music and gestured for me to move through the door to the chapel.
My heart was thumping heavy in my chest, and my feet felt like lead as I moved forward, but the second I saw Alex’s wide smile and the way he fidgeted, clearly nervous himself, I calmed down.