‘Go ahead.’ Gina lets him go. ‘I’m going to go check on Lyndsay.’
They leave and I’m alone with Mia again.
‘Another one of your brothers is getting married,’ Mia says. ‘That’s exciting.’
‘I worry about those two. They fight constantly.’
‘I think they’re just both really passionate. They seem perfect for each other.’
I stand up. ‘I need to go get ready.’
‘Okay.’ Mia smiles at me and I feel a pain in my chest. She’s being so nice and I’m being cold and aloof. But I don’t know what else to do to keep myself from falling for her even more. Just looking at her, at her deep brown eyes and long dark hair and that beautiful smile, has me wanting to take her in my arms and kiss her. Then I see her with my family, how well she fits in, and my mind starts going again, dreaming of a future where we’re together.
‘Are you coming back?’ she asks. ‘Or will I just see you after the wedding?’
‘I’ll come down after I’m dressed. Mom wants my brothers and me to meet her and Dad in the barn before we go out to the orchard for the ceremony. She wants to do some family pictures. If you want to wait there while we take photos, you can. Or you can go upstairs with the girls.’
‘I’ll think about it.’
I go up to Sawyer’s old room where my brothers are getting ready.
‘There you are,’ Nick says when he sees me. ‘Where the hell have you been? We’re supposed to be in the barn in five minutes.’
‘I can be ready in five minutes.’ I yank off my t-shirt and grab my dress shirt from the hanger.
‘He was downstairs talking to Mia,’ Sawyer says, standing in front of the mirror, messing with his hair.
‘What’s up with you two?’ Nick asks. ‘You almost seemed angry at her last night. You two not getting along?’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was acting normal last night.’
‘You wouldn’t even look at her,’ Brody says. ‘Kate and I thought you guys had a fight.’
‘Why is everyone watching me with Mia? We spent a night together. That doesn’t make us a couple. We’re just friends. Not even that.’ I finish buttoning up my shirt and put on my tie. ‘And before you ask, nothing happened last night. I slept on the couch.’
‘What about last weekend?’ Brody asks, leaning against the wall. Mom told us not to sit down or we’d wrinkle our suits and ruin the pictures. But there’s no way we’re all going to stand for the next two hours or however long the ceremony and pictures take.
When I don’t answer Brody’s question, Sawyer turns away from the mirror and looks at me. ‘Did you do it or not?’
‘It’s none of your business.’
‘He did it,’ Nick says.
‘Why the hell are we talking about this?’ I quickly take offmy jeans and toss them on the bed. ‘Nick’s the one getting married.’ I pull on my dress pants. ‘We should talk about him. Or Sawyer. He just proposed to Gina.’
‘You did?’ Nick and Brody say at the same time.
‘I didn’t propose to her,’ Sawyer says, turning back to the mirror. ‘She caught me talking to the jewelry designer and thought I was cheating. I had to fess up and tell her I’m having her engagement ring made.’
Nick chuckles. ‘So you’re next, huh? I thought it’d be Brody, now that he and Kate got a house.’
Sawyer looks back at Brody. ‘When are you asking her?’
He shrugs. ‘I don’t know. I haven’t decided.’
‘Tell me before you do. We can’t be doing it at the same time. You know how girls get when someone takes away their special moment. Actually, Gina probably wouldn’t care, but Kate might.’
‘Okay, am I good?’ I ask, desperate to get off the topic of marriage. How did all these idiots get girlfriends and I’m still single? I must be doing something wrong.
