Leslie hadn’t forgotten to mute her gaze, but her eyes still held a sheen like opal. They fixed on Ryker and only Ryker as she came to stand under the bower.
It must be true, what relics said about bloodbound eternals. They really did sense and share each other’s moods. Tai didn’thave to be an empath to see it as the officiant invited Ryker and Leslie to join hands. The couple were sharing happiness back and forth, two source streams that joined and became a rushing river.
It was something Tai could never have.
But today was about Ryker and Leslie. After their vows, they took turns pouring colored sand into a glass bottle—blue for him, purple for her.
When the officiant said “You may kiss each other,” their kiss was soft and sweet.
“It’s my honor to introduce to all of you, for the very first time, Ryker and Leslie Maddox!”
The group cheered, and Ryker and Leslie dashed down the aisle, back into the hall.
The rest of the wedding party exited at a more ceremonial pace. Then came pictures in the garden, which resulted in a few candid shots of laughter when Logan encouraged them to try a “jump shot.” The vampires leaped six feet into the air, Hannah shrieked, and the photographer captured it all.
“This is the best day ever,” Leslie said when everyone including Hannah finally stopped laughing.
Leslie had once told Tai he meant the world to Ryker.“It’s mutual,”he’d said. Today, celebrating Ryker’s happiness, Tai had rarely felt so happy. They’d barely begun their lifespans, but so far, Tai would number this day among his favorites too.
Fifteen
What a good day.
As Claire took her seat at the wedding party’s table, she basked in the buoyant mood of her friends. She wondered who else in their friend group would meet someone who matched them as well as Leslie matched Ryker. The group had seemed complete before Leslie, but when she joined them, their years before her seemed to be missing her. Maybe there were others too, whose friendship would enrich the group.
Tai could be one of those people. Mackey would connect with his passion for helping the vulnerable. Just as Tai and Leslie connected over art—sculpture, music, both deep acts of creation—Logan would connect with him too through his art as a chef. Plus Tai was already Ryker’s best friend. His place in their group should have been automatic.
She was the reason the rest of them left Tai alone even now. They were subtle about it, of course. No one observing from the outside would catch on. But they were pointed too, the way they kept conversation flowing around the table among bridesmaids and groomsmen, all of them including each other and neverquite including Tai. Claire hated it, wanted to make it right, but a wedding reception wasn’t the time or the place.
Now that she’d seen him in a tuxedo, Tai’s black tie and jacket over a green dress shirt that matched her dress were slightly less impressive than they would have been otherwise. But only slightly. The man looked hot in a suit.
And that hot man had just been passed a microphone for the best man’s toast. He stood, and quiet fell naturally, as if he couldn’t help drawing attention even before he said a word.
“Ryker and I might never have met without a case of mistaken identity.”
With a single sentence, he had them all engaged and curious. Claire leaned against the long table for a better angle toward him. She’d never heard this story before.
“He was on a date with someone who turned outnotto be his eternal, and I was at a table at the same restaurant for a work-related one-on-one. When his date described being harassed by someone who looked vaguely like me…”
Ryker clearly hadn’t known this story would be part of the toast. He made a dramatic face-palm, and laughter rippled around the room.
“Ryker charged up to me and shoved me into a wall. He said, ‘Stop bothering women,’ and then his date intervened, explained this wasnotthe same white guy with black hair.”
The laughter rose. Ryker lifted his head and gave a sheepish grin.
“Ryker felt bad about it, so when he and his date said good night, he came and found me to apologize for a second time. I said he did the right thing, given what he’d thought I did. We started talking—jobs first, then figured out we used the same gym, but the big thing I remember from that night was respect for a guy who’d take action the way he did in defense of someone else. Almost seven years later, we still talk all the time,still meet at that gym, and my respect has only grown for this man’s immense integrity and the bold way he takes action. His friendship is a gift, which I think everyone at this table could attest to.”
The wedding party all nodded.
“Ryker is a natural troubleshooter. He’s a listening ear no matter what time of day or night. He takes the time to figure out your dreams and then pushes you to chase them. He’d do anything for a friend. One of his favorite things to do is to make Leslie happy, and when he talks about her, the joy and love just shine from his face.”
Tai looked from Ryker to Leslie, and his expression grew softer.
“Dating life wasn’t always kind to Ryker. It’s hard to see your friend get hurt by a cruel person. I wanted him to be careful for his own sake, but when he met you, Leslie, it was different from the start. He was so sure of you. Then I met you, and I was sure too, that y’all were the best person for each other. And I was sure you’d be kind to my friend.”
Leslie’s eyes were shiny with tears. She nodded, smiled.
“Now it’s my privilege to countbothof you as good friends, and now y’all are married. You’ve got each other for the rest of your lives, and I know you’ll keep making each other’s eyes shine with joy and love.” Tai lifted his champagne glass. “So I’d like to propose a toast.”
