Breaking The Bro Code (Hawthorne Brothers 3)

“Claire.” Natalie gives her a hug. “You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you,” she replies. “You too.”

“And me?” Joel asks.

“And both of you,” she says.

I notice her gaze inspecting my tailored suit. Our eyes meet for a moment and she smiles.

God, she’s beautiful.

“She said she was in the kitchen, just checking the food,” Joel says.

“I thought you didn’t want to be in the kitchen,” I tell her.

“I don’t want to be stuck in a kitchen when there’s a party going on,” she corrects me. “I don’t mind dropping by the kitchen to check on things.”

“And?” I ask.

“Everything’s going well.”

“Everything’s perfect,” Natalie says. “Thank you to both of you.”

“You’re welcome,” I reply.

“Don’t thank me yet,” Claire says. “The program is just about to start. Is everyone ready with their speeches?”

I nod.

“Everyone?” Joel’s eyebrows furrow. “I have to make a speech?”

“Just to thank everyone for coming,” Natalie says as she wraps her arm around his.

He looks at her. “Shouldn’t you do that?”

“Joel, this is a wedding shower,” Claire points out. “Not a bridal shower. That means both the bride and groom give speeches. But don’t worry. That won’t be until the very end.”

Joel frowns. “And you couldn’t have told me before?”

Natalie pats his shoulder. “Don’t worry, darling. You just have to be your charming self and say thank you. That’s all.”

“And like I said, it’s at the very end, so by then, everyone will have forgotten how you look in your baby pictures,” Claire adds.

Poor Joel. His sister is in one of those evil moods.

“My baby pictures?” Joel’s eyes grow wide. “I thought I told you not to show those.”

Claire grins. “I plan the wedding shower. I show the pictures.”

Joel gives me a pleading look.

“Don’t look at me,” I tell him. “She was the one in charge of almost everything.”

“What’s the problem?” Natalie asks. “You look cute in those pictures.”

Joel sighs. “Says you.”

“Anyway, just get up when you’re called and give a speech,” Claire tells him.

Joel glances at me. “You should have let me finish my drink.”

“It’s just one speech, bro.” I pat his shoulder. “You’ll be fine.”

~

Or maybe not, I think as I watch Joel take the stage with Natalie at the end of the program.

Even from where I’m standing, I can tell that he’s nervous. I can see his hand fidgeting with something inside his pocket. He’s tapping his foot and licking his lips. His breathing seems shallow and I think I see a bead of sweat on his forehead. He wipes it off.

I frown. I know Joel is bad at public speaking. I thought that was only when he was in front of strangers, though, or when he had to impress someone, like our history teacher in high school. I thought he would be fine speaking to his friends and relatives at his wedding shower. I guess I thought wrong.

Maybe I should have given him a glass of scotch.

Natalie gives her speech first. It’s short but heartfelt. Everyone applauds. Now, it’s Joel’s turn.

Maybe Natalie should have let him go first. Then she would have had a chance to undo whatever damage he caused and end the program on a good note. Oh well. She can always speak again if she needs to.

On the other end of the stage, I see Claire holding her breath. She can also tell that Joel is nervous. She’s probably regretting asking him to make a speech.

I try to catch her gaze so I can tell her everything will be fine but she’s staring at Joel so I just cross my fingers.

Come on, bro.

“Hello everyone,” he starts his speech in a shaky voice. “I mean… good evening. It has… been a good evening, hasn’t it?”

I hear murmurs of assent from the crowd.

Okay. So far, so good.

Natalie gives him an encouraging look as well. He clutches her hand.

“I… want to thank everyone for coming. I know some of you can’t come to Jamaica to attend our wedding, but I’m glad you’re here to celebrate with us tonight.”

See. That wasn’t so hard.

“I want to thank some people, too. I want to thank my lovely fiancée.” Joel looks at her. “Without her, there would be no wedding and no reason for this celebration.”

Natalie blushes.

Joel touches the nape of his neck. “And I want to thank my sister, Claire.”

He looks at her and the spotlight shines on her. She waves.

“She’s the one who planned everything and she’ll always be my little sister no matter what, even when she’s a hundred years old.”

Claire makes a face. Some people in the audience chuckle. I swallow.

I sure hope that Joel will be speaking to me again by then.

“And last but not least, my best friend and best man, Ryker Hawthorne.” He turns to me. “Thank you for helping Claire plan all this. I know you said she did most of the work because you’re a gentleman and a really good guy, but I know you helped a lot.”