No one said a thing.
Matt reached down and grabbed his shot and threw it back. His friends followed suit. I looked at Moira, and we both grabbed the shots and threw them back. The alcohol burned the back of my throat, and the saccharine sweetness coated my tongue.
But it appeared to break the silence. “Congratulations,” Seb said after he put his shot down.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit—” Jonas started. The words trailed off, and I noticed his tight fist. Silas reached over and covered his hand, rubbing it until Jonas’s fingers relaxed and laced together with his.
“Soon?” Eli picked up where Jonas left off. “It’s too soon. You two have been back together for what? Three months?”
“Does it matter?” Matt asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked at each of his friends in turn. “Three months or three years. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with Noah.” I wrapped my arm around his waist, offering what comfort I could. He rested his head on my shoulder for a moment. “I really want you all standing up there with me, too. I know it seems too soon, but it’s not. I promise, it’s not.”
Holden slid out of the booth and pulled Matt into a tight hug, pulling him from my embrace. “Like there’s anywhere else we’d be. Congratulations, Matt.” He grinned as he pulled away from the hug. “Jonas and Eli are happy for you, too.”
“We are,” Jonas agreed.
Eli jolted. “Y-yeah. We are very happy for you, even if it seems way too soon.” I caught the look Holden shot Eli andshuddered. Holden was typically the human embodiment of a golden retriever. It was almost scary for him to glower like that. Eli seemed to catch whatever silent message was behind that dark look and transformed his face into a smile, however forced it appeared. “Iam happy for you. If there is any planning help you need, let me know, okay?”
“Between Eli and your mother, we’re not going to have to plan anything for our wedding,” Matt joked.
The comment drew laughter from his friends, and a few moments later, they were all piling out of the booth, pulling us into hugs and congratulating us. Moira got smushed in the middle of a group hug, and I knew that all of Matt’s worries were for nothing. Even if Jonas and Eli thought it was too soon for us to get married, they’d stand beside us. They’d come around, and they’d make sure it was the perfect day for me and Matt.
We stayed at the bar for a few more hours, and I kissed Matt goodbye at his car. He was going back to his apartment, so Moira and I could have some time alone together.
After all, we had the rest of our lives to spend together.
Matt
SixMonthsLater
The ceremony was beautiful.
We’d held it on a private section of the beach, behind one of the nicest venues in town. It had been pure luck that we’d managed to get in. When we’d called with our list of dates, every one of them was booked. Two hours later, they’d called back. They had a cancellation, six months from the date we called. We accepted immediately, because it was at the top of Noah’s dream wedding locations.
Between Noah’s mom and Eli, we had managed to pull together our dream wedding in a matter of months.
The reception was held inside, and it was packed. Noah had a large family, and most of them had come to the ceremony. Brooke and my college friends had flown in from California, and Noah’s friends from New York had come down for the weekend. My parents had showed up, all three of them sitting together in the front row. I got to declare my love for Noah in front of the people I loved.
Dinner and toasts moved relatively fast. The entire day felt like it was moving so fast. When the dancing started, we were inundated by people congratulating us. People telling us how beautiful the ceremony was and how much fun they were having. Between my friends and Moira and our families, we were rarely alone.
I didn’t care. I had my entire life to be alone with Noah.
The party went by in a blur, the same way the ceremony and dinner had. I didn’t think I’d remember specifics in a few days, but I’d never forget the feeling. I would never forget the way it felt to see Noah waiting for me at the altar with my four best friends. I would never forget the feeling I had when our officiant announced us married and Noah kissed me in a way that got catcalls from everyone around us. I might not remember the meal we’d served, but I’d remember laughing as my friends joined together to give a speech.
A speech with a few bits I probably would never forget, because those assholes had chosen to take that moment to roast me instead of just talking about love or happiness or whatever else.
I’d never forget the way Noah had almost started crying when Moira gave her best woman speech, one that was heartfelt and touching and everything my friends’ combined speech wasn’t. I’d remember the way I felt when we danced our first dance as husbands, the annoyance at the formal pictures, the joy and laughter as my friends forced me into some line dance, all of it.
But eventually, it ended.
“Time to go?” Noah whispered. “We’ve got to get to the airport.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “I just need to say goodbye, okay?”
“Make it fast?”
I knew he didn’t want to be late. He’d been worried about being late for our plane all day. He’d been worried about mebeing late to our wedding for the last week, and he only stopped worrying when Seb promised to be in charge of getting me there. He was always on time for everything. He would probably worry about us being late to the plane all the way up to the moment that we were seatedonthe plane.
I kissed my husband—husband—and went off to find my friends while Noah disappeared to say goodbye to Moira and his family. I found Seb and Jonas easily, seated at a table with Chris and Silas. “Where’s Eli and Holden? I wanted to say goodbye to all of you!” I whined as they gave me hugs and wished me safe travels.
