“I still can’t believe she wouldn’t allow us to wear boots and jeans for your wedding,” I say to Aiden, who is sitting down, tying his dress shoes.
He stands, reaching for the cowboy hat he has sitting on the table, and places it on his head. “Marriage is all about compromise, my boy,” he says as if he were an old man, giving advice. “She got the tuxes; I got the cowboy hat. I’m good.”
“She’s got you so whipped,” I tease him.
“Yep, and I’m not afraid to admit it. You’ll be there, just wait. And don’t worry; I won’t make fun of you then. Instead, I’ll just hand you a beer and welcome you into the club.”
He smirks and walks away, ready to marry my sister and officially become my brother-in-law.
We make our way to the courtyard, where their outdoor wedding will take place. All the guys were able to get dressed here, but Katie and the rest of the bridal party got ready at aplace down the road. Then she’ll make a grand entrance when the wedding begins.
As everyone starts to gather, I stand, thinking about how we got to this point. I met Aiden the first day of seventh grade. We had PE together, and when he told me to go long and then threw a football, which I caught, we knew we’d be good friends. We’ve always had this easy relationship about us—no drama ever.
I respect the fact that he waited until I was gone to hit on my sister. He knew I wouldn’t want to be a part of that, but he also knew she’d need someone to protect her after I left. He filled that role and more, and here we are, in front of everyone, ready for him to make that promise to her for the rest of his life.
I look his way just to take him in.
You’d never know he was about to get married by looking at him. He’s standing very casually with his hands in his pockets, like he’s waiting in a line to buy his dinner, not about to confess his love for my sister to God and everyone around him.
It’s so wild to me that I have to ask, “How can you be so calm right now?”
He grins at me. “There was never a doubt in my mind that I would marry your sister someday. I’m just glad we’re finally here.”
I smack his shoulder. “Good answer.”
He shrugs. “Just stating the truth.”
“If everyone could take their seat, the bridal party will be arriving shortly,” the woman working the venue states to the crowd.
“It’s go time,” Aiden says, leading us to the front, where we practiced last night at the rehearsal dinner.
I stand right next to him when I hear the rumble of his truck coming down the road.
He turns to give me a shit-eating grin. “See, compromise. I also got her arrival to be in my truck instead of some fancy car that’d be too quiet and cost too much.”
I laugh out loud. Some things never change with this guy, and I’m glad he’s not allowing my sister to change him that much.
The reception runs perfectly, and my toast gets more than a few laughs. As the night winds down, it’s time to toss the garter belt and bouquet.
Seeing my best friend on his knees, climbing up my sister’s leg and removing the garter belt with his teeth, is both hilarious and disgusting at the same time. Of course, the crazy guy he is, he makes a whole show about it. Instead of tossing it to all of the single guys in the crowd, he shoots it like an arrow right at me even though I’m standing next to the table, not part of the guys wanting to actually catch it.
“Gee, thanks, bro.” I hold it up, acknowledging I caught it and leaving it at that.
Thankfully, the single girls in the crowd all gather, taking the attention from me to them.
“Are all of you ready?” Katie yells out, holding the bouquet up in the air. “You all know what this really means, right? The people who catch the bouquet and garter belt are next in line to get married!” she sings out.
I close my eyes, shaking my head. Of course she would make a big thing about this tradition. I’ll kill them both if I have to dance with whoever catches the dang thing.
She turns her back to the crowd, holding the flowers over her head. “Ready?” she teases them some more. “One, two, three!”
She throws the bouquet, and instead of girls going crazy to catch it, they all disperse away from the dance floor, leaving one person there by herself. It takes me a second to realize that one person is Zoe.
My sister is a horrible shot, and after the chaos of everyone leaving, the flowers are nowhere near where Zoe is standing, staring at me, waiting for me to say something.
Without a second thought, I head toward her, picking up the flowers on my way.
I’m absolutely speechless, stunned into oblivion at the fact that she’s here right now.
