Like so many grooms before him, Ty is a nervous wreck. Of course, Ty being a nervous wreck means a slight crack in his facade.
Ian offers champagne, but Ty refuses him. He wants to remember everything.
"You need something," Ian says. "Or you're going to burst the second you see her."
"Go fuck yourself." I motion to the bedroom. "Take the edge off."
He flips me off.
Ian chuckles. "It's not bad advice."
"Think about what you want to do to her tonight."
"That's going to make him more antsy."
"But it's a good anticipation."
Ty shakes his head. "You're both arseholes."
"No argument here," Ian says. "But we are the arseholes you've got. So…" He offers the bottle again.
Ty shakes his head again.
He's not drinking. And he's not giving in to any of our baiting.
I need to up my game. "What are you scared of?"
He looks at me like I've sprouted horns.
"What?"
"That was sincere."
"I'm capable."
Ian and Ty exchange a not really look.
I flip both of them off. "You want to mock me or you want to get married today?"
"Can I not do both?" Ty's shoulders fall with his laugh.
This is helping. And this is where I excel.
So I step into my role as shit stirring life of the party. I make Ty laugh until he forgets why he's scared.
Ian joins with his own mocking stories. We tease each other about anything and everything on the way to the limo, the ride to the venue, the elevator up to the roof.
Then Ty steps onto the aisle and his nerves return.
Of course he's nervous.
He's marrying the woman he loves.
His entire life is changing. Of course, it's terrifying, even if it's what he wants.
Love is terrifying.
We take our places.
Me and Ian in the front row, on the groom's side.
Ty's mother walks him down the aisle.
The music swells.
The second Ty sees his bride, he calms. The rest of the world slips away. It's just the two of them.
She looks gorgeous in her sleek white dress, but I don't watch her.
I watch Sienna.
She's the one walking her sister down the aisle. Since their parents are gone, Indie wanted Sienna to "give her away."
Sienna is beaming, as proud as any father ever has been. She even kisses Indigo on the cheek before she takes her seat.
I try to keep my eyes off her, to watch my best friend marry the love of his life, but I fail.
Instead, I watch Sienna watch her sister marry the love of her life.
I watch joy spread over her face.
I feel every fucking ounce of it, hold it close, claim it as mine.
After we take pictures (thankfully, I'm not touching Sienna in any of them), I slip into my role as life of the party.
We eat, toast, cut the cake.
The room fills with As Time Goes By. Ty and Indigo take their first dance. It's a simple waltz, but they still draw the attention of the entire room.
Watching them still makes my thoughts fuzzy.
Then I spot Sienna watching and I give up on clarity. She's gorgeous in her purple dress, and more, she's ecstatic.
I want that for her.
Maybe more than I want anything.
She doesn't catch me watching, so I stay at the bar, drink too much wine, accept a family member's offer to dance. For a dozen songs, I sway with aunts and family friends.
Then the song shifts to an EDM mix of an Amy Winehouse song and someone taps me on the shoulder.
Ty's mother. "You still owe this one a dance." She steps back.
And there's Sienna, standing on the dance floor in a gorgeous purple dress, her cheeks flushed, her eyes on fire. "Mrs. Hunt, it's really not necessary."
"Nonsense. You're both excellent dancers." She pushes Sienna toward me.
I offer my hand.
Sienna accepts. "Of course."
I bring one hand to her waist. Pull her closer. As close as I can with everyone watching.
"Hey." She looks up at me. "You look handsome."
"You too."
"Handsome, really?"
"Really."
She smiles. "Is this our joke? Like with Indie calling Ty beautiful?"
"I'm game if you are."
"Deal."
Fuck, it feels so good being this close to her, seeing her smile, smelling her shampoo.
She loves me.
Is that really possible?
It's still beyond my comprehension.
The song shifts to something slower.
I pull her closer.
She rests her head against my chest, sways with me through the entire song, then she pulls back and kisses me on the cheek. "Will I see you tomorrow?"
I don't know. I can't do this here, but I can't leave without talking to her either. "You know where to find me."
She nods I do and accepts a friend's offer to dance.
I stay as long as I can, but the atmosphere of love and togetherness overwhelms me. It's too fucking confusing.
I find Ian. Tell him goodbye. Make him promise to send Ty and Indigo to their hotel suite in style.
He convinces me to have one drink for the road. Champagne, of course. It is a wedding.