“Off to the rescue?” Aiden asked with amusement.
“Hey, if you were as unhappy as Viv looks, wouldn’t you want someone to rescue you?”
“Hell yeah.” Aiden gestured toward Matt’s glass. “Do you want me to order you another if someone comes by?”
“Sure.”
Although the reception was small by Sherbrooke standards, there were still over one hundred guests there, many of whom were related to him. Tonight, they all seemed to want to talk, and it took him longer than it should’ve to reach his cousin’s table.
“When we get married, I want everything to be outside. I’m leaning toward my parents’ home in the Hamptons.”
Matt was glad his brother and Brianna had their backs to him so they couldn’t see his expression. Not once during their visit had Theo mentioned he was thinking about marrying Brianna. Yet she sounded like it was a done deal.
“But my grandfather’s house on Martha’s Vineyard is a close second,” she continued, still unaware that he stood behind her.
Relief crossed Vivian’s face when she spotted him. “Matt, that was a great best man’s speech.”
“Thanks,” he said before turning his attention to Theo. “How’s everything going today?” He hoped his brother understood that he was asking if he’d kept an eye on Brianna, as he’d requested.
“Fine,” Theo replied, his jaw clenched tight.
Yup, he’d understood the question and hadn’t liked it. Not that Matt cared.
“Excellent.” With the question answered, Matt turned his full attention to Vivian. “Would you like to dance?”
The words were barely out of his mouth before she was out of her seat.
“I’d love to.” Taking his hand, she gave Theo and Brianna the most forced smile he’d ever seen. “If you’re not here when I come back, it was great catching up.”
Even if they remained sitting there after they danced, Matt knew his cousin wouldn’t be returning to the table.
Matt lowered his mouth close to her ear as they walked toward the dance floor. “Don’t ever go into acting.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You weren’t fooling anyone with the smile you gave them.”
A slow ballad started the moment they stepped onto the dance floor, and Matt settled his hands on Vivian’s waist.
“You’re a lifesaver and officially my favorite cousin.” Vivian kissed his cheek and then placed her hands on his shoulders. “If I had to hear about all the things that were wrong with the wedding and reception and how she planned to do things when she gets married much longer, I would’ve stuffed napkins in my ears.”
“I’m sorry I intervened when I did. I would’ve loved to see you sitting there with napkins sticking out of your ears.”
She pulled back enough to look him in the eyes. “I take it back. You’re not my favorite cousin.”
Smiling, Matt kissed her forehead. “Not buying it. I know you love me the most.”
They danced in silence for a few seconds before Vivian spoke again. “Are Theo and Brianna engaged?”
“I sure as hell hope not.” He couldn’t imagine spending the holidays or family gatherings with her.
“Are you sure? It sounded like they are. She kept saying, ‘When we get married, I want this.’ And she was wearing a ring on her left hand. Not everyone gets a diamond as an engagement ring. If I ever get engaged, I’d rather have a ruby.”
Vivian wasn’t wrong. A handful of his cousins had proposed with rings that featured something other than a diamond. But he didn’t think that was the case. If Theo was engaged, he would’ve said something to him and Aiden.
The brewery tour was the first time Theo and I had spoken in weeks. Aiden’s comment from earlier resurfaced.
No, even if his brothers weren’t getting along, Theo wouldn’t keep something like that from his twin.
