He huffs out a breath. “You sure?”
“Positive.”
Chapter 50
Liam
Istand up from the table and tap my fork against my champagne glass. The dining area of the restaurant where Aidan and Micah are having their wedding reception falls quiet. Everyone looks at me.
Phone in hand, I pull up the notes I made for my best man speech tonight. I take a breath and smile at the crowd.
“Good evening, everyone. I’m Liam. I’m Aidan’s brother and his best man.”
I glance at the small table in front of the restaurant that the two of them are sharing at their reception.
“Aidan and Micah, I just want to say congratulations to you both. I’m so happy for you.”
They beam at me. Everyone claps. I glance down at my notes. I’ve practiced my speech a few times in preparation for Aidan and Micah’s wedding, but nerves are still going off inside of me. I look up and spot Kendall, sitting with her aunt. She flashes a gorgeous smile. “You got this,” she mouths to me.
The nerves start to fade.
I look back over at Micah and Aidan. “Micah, you make my brother happier than I’ve ever seen him. Thank you for giving him the love and joy he deserves.”
Everyone goes, “aww.”
“Aidan, your wife is beautiful, smart, and she makes a lot of money. Don’t screw this up.”
The entire restaurant bursts out laughing.
“I’ll do my best,” Aidan says, then kisses Micah.
I clear my throat. “I know a lot of best man speeches feature embarrassing stories about the groom. I’m not gonna do that. Aidan, you’re welcome.”
The crowd chuckles as my brother flashes a thumbs up and hollers, “Thanks!”
“I’m also not going to give relationship advice, like in some best man speeches. Because let’s be honest, I’m the last person in the world who should be doing that, given my less-than-stellar track record when it comes to dating.”
Everyone laughs. I laugh along too.
“I mean, I know the obvious stuff that you should do. Apologize when you mess up. Always make time for each other, even when you get busy. Tell each other how crazy you are about each other all the time. Go all out for birthdays and anniversaries and Valentine’s Day. Standard stuff, we all know that,” I say. “So instead, I did something a little different. You two are both romance writers, so I wrote a love poem.”
Everyone makes another “aww” noise.
“That’s probably pretty surprising to most of you. I’m a hockey player, not a poet.” I glance at Aidan and Micah, who look stunned.
“I did a lot of research though. I read tons of love poems and novels written by the greatest writers in history. And I had the help of an incredible friend who is now more than a friend.”
Soft murmurs echo through the crowd. I look over at Kendall, who’s beaming at me with love and pride in her eyes. My heart swells in my chest.
“This isn’t going to be as good as anything you two have written,” I say to Aidan and Micah. “But it’s pretty good for a hockey player who’s recently become a big romance fan. And I hope that years down the line, you’ll think of this poem and remember how beautiful your love is.”
I take a breath and skim the lines I’ve practiced over the last few weeks.
“My heart throbs when I think of you.
It’s more than a beat, more than a pulse.
More like an ache.
