The most adult promise she’d made herself was that she wasn’t going to punch Grant in the face when she saw him.
He was welcome for that wedding gift.
Waiters began to mill around the room. The guests who hadn’t sat down yet were finding their tables, and the time for Reese’s petty banter was over.
“Let’s take our seats,” her mom said, ushering Reese into the spot next to her, Sydney on the other side of Reese.
Stan, Margie, and Brynn appeared at their table, and they sat down next to Sydney in that order.
“Great to see you,” Stan called to Reese and Sydney, his voice booming in the still-chattery room.
Her father would be seated next to her mother, unless he wanted to stop the couple of honor from being seated together.
Honestly, Reese didn’t know how that would go until it happened.
She did find out momentarily, though, as a glowering Grant and an even angrier-looking Tripp sat down in their assigned chairs.
Sydney leaned toward her, and Reese was grateful to have a reprieve from the awkwardness that permeated the table. “You aren’t giving a speech, right?”
Reese quickly stifled her laughter by bringing her napkin to her face and pretending to cough. When she’d gotten herself under control, she turned back toward Sydney, whose hand had found its way to the top of her thigh. “You would have heard about that.”
Waiters walked purposely around the tables in a well-timedpattern, and salads were deposited so quickly it was like they’d materialized in front of each place setting.
After everyone had been served, the salads provided a nice distraction from the tension. Reese was seated at, by far, the quietest table. She glanced around the room, confirming her suspicions. The other guests seemed to be having a great time, so at least the insane amount of money that had gone into hosting the rehearsal dinner was well spent.
About ten minutes into the first course, a woman walked up to the table with a portable microphone and leaned down toward her father. She handed him the microphone, which explained who exactly had paid the insane amount of money in question.
“I’d like to give my speech soon, if that’s okay,” a voice to Tripp’s left piped up. “I’m not the best public speaker, and waiting will only make me more nervous.”
Almost all eyes at their table turned toward Brynn, varying degrees of curiosity on their faces. Grant shot a furtive look at Sydney, which Reese noticed that her girlfriend missed. Sydney, like the others, was staring at Brynn, her mouth open in surprise.
Reese’s father was holding the microphone awkwardly, but he almost seemed relieved that he didn’t have to kick off the speeches.
It was Stan then, who broke the silence. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Brynn. I’ll start you off?” he asked, already standing up from his chair.
With the microphone secured in his beefy hands, making it almost look like a toy, he did the obligatorytap tap tap, and asked, “Is this thing on?”
“For what I paid, it better fucking be on,” Reese heard her father mutter from where he was seated before downing the rest of his drink.
Sydney had caught it, too, and they shared a look, Reese wondering if she needed to brace for an impending storm.
The crowd quieted as a hundred pairs of eyes turned theirattention to the hulking man who had love in his heart and a tiny microphone in his hands.
“I’m Stan Fitzpatrick, the father of the bride. I’m going to wait to give any sort of speech, given that I’m likely to end up in tears and it’ll really ruin the mood.” There was a smattering of laughter, and Stan smiled good-naturedly.
Truly, Reese couldn’t have liked this man more if she tried.
“I’d like to introduce my daughter, Brynn, who is the light of my and her mother’s lives. Please give her your attention.”
Brynn stood, more purposefully than Reese would have expected, accepting the microphone from Stan and giving him a kiss on the cheek.
“Hi, everyone.” Brynn waved, which the crowd returned with varying degrees of enthusiasm.
“I don’t know if I can sit through this,” Reese said as she considered fully what was about to happen.
Sydney squeezed her leg as she quietly said, “It’ll be okay,” her voice only slightly managing to quell Reese’s rising nerves.
The music had been turned off, and the room was silent except for the clanking of silverware on plates. A light shone directly on Brynn, who had moved over to stand next to a large wall.
