“Now I know you’re lying,” she says with a laugh and moves in to offer Wyatt a hug. “Hey there, handsome. You look great. Are you nervous?”
“Nah, Levi’s been feeding me whiskey.”
“Levi!” Mom exclaims.
“What? It calmed his nerves, didn’t it?”
“Don’t worry, I’m done drinking,” Wyatt says. “And we have fifteen minutes, so we should make our way out there.”
“Let’s go,” Dad says, leading us through the inn and out to the area where they’ve set up about two hundred chairs for the ceremony. The reception will be held in a massive tent about a hundred yards away. It’s already lit up, the tables set, and I can see several people bustling about inside, putting the finishing touches in place.
Dad escorts Joy to their chairs down in front. Joy is my date, and she’s been close to my family for years, so she’s sitting with Mom and Dad.
I’d have it no other way.
The guests are seated, with a few stragglers hurrying in to find their seats. But before long, the music starts. Levi walks in first, then I escort Mom to her seat and join Levi at the front.
Wyatt follows behind me, waiting nervously next to me as the music changes, and the girls start to make their way in.
Two little girls in matching white dresses drop rose petals down the aisle. Rather than make Stella and Olivia stand through the ceremony, they sit with their parents in the first row.
Jules walks in next, followed by Anastasia. The dresses they’re in are the same color pink but different styles.
And, finally, the music changes once more, and everyone stands to see Amelia as she’s escorted in by her dad.
I know this is especially exciting for Lia. Her dad had a massive heart attack last year. I performed the surgery that saved his life, and I’m happy that he’s here to give his daughter away to my brother.
I glance over at Wyatt, who has tears in his eyes. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her if he tried.
And I can’t blame him. I find Joy, sitting in the front row next to Mom, and smile when I see that she’s watching me. I wink at her, and she winks back.
When Amelia and her dad reach Wyatt, the pastor asks, “Who gives this woman to this man?”
“Her mother and I do.”
I’m an idiot.
Joy is dancing, having the time of her life, and I see green.
Of course, it doesn’t help that she’s dancing with Will Montgomery. I’ve met him a few times since my brother became engaged to his cousin, and I can admit he’s a nice guy. Very down to earth and friendly despite being the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. He’s happily married, and he and his wife are expecting their second child sometime after the new year.
But he has his hands on my Joy, and that makes me want to punch him in the face.
He twirls her out, then back to his body, making her laugh.
And I’ve had just about enough of that.
I set down my beer and walk onto the dance floor, tapping Will on the shoulder.
“Mind if I cut in?”
“Sure,” he says with a grin. “Nice to meet you, Joy.”
“You, too,” she says as I pull her into my arms and move her around the floor. “Why did you do that?”
“Because I wanted to dance with you.”
“But that was Will Montgomery. My favorite football player of all time.”
“Yes.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Will fucking Montgomery.”
“I’ve met him. He’s happily married, you know.”
“I don’t care,” she says, staring at me like I just told her, well, that Will Montgomery isn’t a big deal. “I don’t want to marry him, I just wanted to dance with him.”
“And you did. Luke Williams and Leo Nash are here, too.”
“I know,” she says with a grin. “I’m too intimidated to talk to Leo Nash. Remember when I made you go to their concert when we were finishing our undergrad?”
“You didn’t make me.”
“They weren’t your favorite. But you still went, and it was awesome.”
“I’m sure Leo wouldn’t mind if you said hello.”
“But you would mind if I danced with him.”
I shrug and brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’d rather be the only man touching you. Is that wrong?”
“No, I suppose not. If any of these girls tried to touch you, I’d cut them.”
Her voice is completely calm, which makes it even funnier. I laugh and sweep her in a circle, enjoying the way she smiles smugly. As it seems it always is when she’s within twenty yards of me, my dick is twitchy, completely aware that she’s near.
I can’t keep my hands off her.
Not that she’s complained.
I cup her face in my hand and lean in to brush my lips over hers, lightly at first, then sinking in, claiming her in front of everyone.
“You don’t have to worry about any of these women,” I assure her. “I don’t even see them.”
“Wow,” she breathes. “You did that here.”
“I’ll do it anywhere.”
She swallows, then watches my mouth as I continue dancing her across the floor. “I guess I’m just surprised that you’d kiss me in front of all of your family.”
“Why?”
“They’ll ask questions.”
“So? Let them. I don’t have anything to hide. I’m not ashamed of you, Joy. You’re the most amazing person in my life.”
Her cheeks turn pink, and she smiles shyly, the way she used to when we were in school, and I’d tell her how fucking smart she was.
When the song ends, someone taps a glass, getting everyone’s attention. I escort Joy back to our seats, not oblivious to the smiles directed at us by my parents.
They’ve wanted me to date Joy for years.
“I’d like to start the speeches,” Amelia’s dad begins, and for the next twenty minutes or so, we listen to him speak, along with her brother, Archer, and her sister.
Then, it’s our turn.
My dad isn’t much of a public speaker, so he left this task up to us.
Which is totally fine.
Levi and I stand, and before we do anything, we pick up our shot glasses, clink them together, and slam the whiskey. As the audience laughs, we fist-bump each other and then get down to business.
“I’m Jace, the handsome one.”
“And I’m Levi, the favorite.”
“Where does that leave Wyatt?” I ask the audience, glancing at my baby brother, who’s already laughing. “Well, he’s the baby.”
“He might also be the smartest of all of us,” Levi says, “because, well, look at this beautiful woman that he talked into marrying him.”
More laughter.
“I mean, he stalked her at first,” I continue and gesture to Levi, “despite having a cop for a brother.”
“I don’t think that’s fair,” Levi says, shaking his head and putting on a great show. “Technically, he just had a crush on his neighbor.”
“Well, I’m grateful that it turned out to be mutual and that you didn’t have to arrest him.”
“Fair enough,” Levi says with a nod. “In all seriousness, I would like to say thank you, Amelia. Thank you for loving our brother and for reminding him how to trust.”
“Welcome to the Crawford family, sweetheart.”
There are applause and hugs, and then, much to our surprise, Will Montgomery stands and asks for the mic.
“Hi, everyone. I haven’t met all of Wyatt’s family yet, so I’ll introduce myself. I’m Will Montgomery, and I’m Lia’s cousin. I just have a couple things to say.
“I had a feeling about you two from the beginning.”
He winks at Lia, making her blush, and Wyatt busts up laughing. I make a mental note to ask him later what the inside joke is.
I glance over at Joy, who’s hanging on Will’s every word.
I’ll get her naked later and remind her who, exactly, she has a crush on.
“I know the journey you’ve taken to get to this moment, Lia, and I just want to say, on behalf of my whole family, how very proud of you we are. You’re strong, successful, smart, and you manage to do all of that and be a kind woman, despite what you’ve been through. You deserve this happiness, today and every day. You’ve come a long way, baby.”