“You’ve been holding a grudge for almost nine years?” Kevin was in shock, but Jordan simply shrugged it off.
“I’m petty like that.” She gave Jasmin a warm smile. “I’m assuming you’re Jasmin. Mom can’t stop raving about you. She told me you were really smart, but judging from the guys you date, I have to disagree.” She stuck her tongue out at Kevin and he, in turn, groaned his annoyance.
“How do you put up with her?” he asked, looking at Tyler.
“Drinking helps,” he replied with a straight face. “Also she forces me to watch this stupid Soap Opera, which is always a very good reminder that life could be worse.”
Jasmin giggled. Tyler was a little strange, yet the way Jordan looked at him showed that she was crazy about him.
She hit his arm playfully. “Wow. Your third joke for the day, Mister Evans. I’m impressed, but we both know that you love that soap opera.” Tyler didn’t bother trying to deny it and Jordan turned her attention back to Jasmin. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Jasmin felt more comfortable now. If Jordan was the worst of the bunch, then she was confident she could handle the rest of them. “Same here. I can finally start putting names to faces.”
“Just watch out for cousin Morris,” Jordan warned as she began weaving through the cars to get to the church gates. “He’s a bit of a creeper.”
“Who’s cousin Morris?” Jasmin asked.
“You’ll know him when you see him,” Jordan replied. “If you see some guy staring at you like he’s about to hogtie you and toss you in the trunk of his car, that’s probably cousin Morris. Get as far away from him as possible. Trust me, being bound and fuckin’ kidnapped isn’t as fun assomepeople think.”
She gave Tyler a playful wink and it seemed to be an inside joke between them because he chuckled. “Fun is a relative term, Roman,” he replied.
Jasmin didn’t ask to be let in on their banter. Instead, she focused on cousin Morris. “So if he’s so weird, why was he invited to the wedding?”
“He wasn’t. He crashes every family event. I don’t even know how he finds out about them. And in all honesty, he really is harmless. He just has a really creepy stare.”
Jordan was still explaining the extreme creep factor of their cousin when Kevin took hold of her arm and lowered his lips to her ear. “At some point today,” he whispered, “I’m going to get you alone.”
She smiled, her body heating up with those simple words. “Is that a promise? Because it sounds like a threat.”
He didn’t answer and dropped his head to hide the naughty grin on his face. He took her hand and led her into the church.
It was an all white wedding. The aisles were lined with white flower bouquets and sheer white cloths were draped over the side of the wooden benches. They took a seat on the same bench as his parents and Tyler and Jordan sat down beside them.
“That’s Max,” Kevin said, pointing to the front of the church where his brother was fidgeting with the buttons of his suit jacket. “And the gray-haired dude next to him is his best man, Charlie.”
Although he was taller, thinner and a little less rugged, Max had the same brown hair and boyish face as Kevin.
“He looks so nervous,” Jasmin commented.
“I think he’s more anxious than nervous. He’s been waiting for this for years.”
It took a few minutes before the sounds of the organ filled the church. Kevin’s three nieces walked down the aisle, sprinkling white rose petals on the floor. Danny followed behind them. She looked beautiful with her dark hair swept up, wearing an elegant off-the-shoulder white dress. The smile that lit up her face was a telling sign that she’d been anxiously counting down the days until this moment.
Mommy Jess was a blubbering mess as she watched them declare their vows to each other and despite her cool exterior, Jordan was also desperately trying not to let mascara stain her cheeks, continuously dabbing her eyes before a tear escaped. The love of this family and this couple seemed almost tangible and Jasmin got a little choked up too just watching them.
After the ceremony, everyone gathered at the front of the church to congratulate the happy couple. Kevin waited until the crowd dispersed before he led her towards them. The broad grin Max had been wearing for the last hour stretched even wider and Jasmin noticed that he only had one dimple.
“Congratulations, bro!” Kevin said, giving his brother a hug. He moved to Danny and kissed her on the cheek. “You look beautiful, Danny.”
“Thanks, Kev.” Her eyes shifted to Jasmin. “So is this your girlfriend that we’ve been hearing so much about?”
“Hi,” Jasmin said, extending her hand. “Jasmintha.”
Max ignored her hand and instead wrapped her in a tight hug. It was amazing how warm and welcoming his family was. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Jasminda.”
She tried not to cringe at the mispronunciation of her name. She couldn’t understand what was so hard about getting the TH right. “Uh…it’s Jasmintha,” she corrected.
“That’s what I said.”
