Yeah, Kase. We sure fucking do.
Thirty-Three
Logan
“You really expect me to follow that?”
A smirk pulls at Hayes’s lips as he places the mic in my palm after just giving his best man’s speech—one equally emotional and hilarious—signaling my turn to toast my brother and Quinton on their nuptials.
“I offered for you to go first,” he reminds me.
Yeah, and now I’m really regretting not accepting it.
The urge to vomit coils in my gut as my fingers wrap around the microphone, wishing like hell I’d taken my speech and debate classes more seriously. Or wishing the number of people seated at round tables throughout the ballroom was significantly less, because public speaking to a small crowd is far less intimidating than a reception of nearly two hundred.
Swallowing, I pull my speech up on my phone. As much as I’d love to be the guy who can wing it at this kinda thing, there’s no way in hell I’ll be fucking up my best man speech after skipping out on my duties at the rehearsal dinner yesterday.
If only the words weren’t all jumbling together from my vision going hazy around the edges.
Jesus. Get it together, Logan.
“Uh, hi, everyone,” I greet hesitantly before clearing mythroat. “I know a good portion of you may not know me, but I’m Logan.LittleReed, as some would say.”
My eyes lift to the crowd, scanning the plethora of family and friends, until I find where Cam is sitting a few tables away. He offers a small smile of encouragement, and it’s enough to ground me, push the nerves down, and continue speaking.
“You know, when my brother asked me to be his best man, I was a bit surprised. Partly because he hadn’t evenaskedQuinton to marry him yet.” I shoot a look toward my brother seated beside me. “Which was a bit of an oversight on your part, by the way. But the real reason it took me by surprise was because, growing up, Oakley and I weren’t close. We didn’t really understand each other, didn’t have a lot in common, so to have me up here on the biggest day of his life? Well, as much of an honor as it was, it didn’t make sense to me.
“There’s only been one other time my brother has surprised me like that. It was a few years ago, over his winter break, when I overheard this crazy conversation he was having with his now-agent, Louis.”
Instinctively, my attention shifts to the table where Louis sits with my parents, and I see a Cheshire cat grin pulling up his mouth—likely because he knows exactly where this is going.
“Now, some of you may not know this about the Reed family, especially by looking at me, but hockey is a pretty big deal. Some would even call it a legacy, and it’s one Oakley has always held in the highest regard, even as a kid. So imagine my surprise when I hear my older brother talking to Louis, who was ready to sign him on, the same way he did our dad and uncle, only for him to say no. But it wasn’t just that he said no; it was the reasonwhythat shocked me. And that reason was Quinton.”
I shift my focus back to my brother, who is biting back a bit of a grin now—same as Quinton. But they can’t help laughing when the next words leave my lips.
“You wouldn’t think it when you look at them now, but these two couldn’t stand each other. I’m talkingyearsof hatred. They were rivals all through high school, even at Leighton when they played for the same team, and I can remember on more than one occasion when Oakley came home bitching about Quinton de Haas. They even came to blows at one point—with their fists, obviously.” I pause as laughter rings out through the guests—especially the table where all their friends are seated—and my lips pull up in a wry smirk. “So knowing all this, and knowing how much it meant to my brother to continue this family legacy, I couldn’t figure out why he was willing to hand it all over to Quinton, of all people. Again, it didn’t make any sense. Until it did.
“You see, it was love that drove him to be so incredibly selfless, so unbelievably reckless, that he’d put his own future, his own plans, his own happiness, at stake. Without pause, without question. Because this is a love so deep, so powerful, he would sacrifice everything if it meant getting Quinton a shot at chasinghisdream.”
I glance at my brother again, finding tears barely held back by his lashes, and the sight has my throat constricting a bit. But it’s watching as Quinton subtlety reaches over to take Oakley’s hand and whisper to him softly that nearly does me in.
“I didn’t put it together until recently, but I know now, that was the moment my brother taught me what it is to love unconditionally. What it means to truly sacrifice something for the person you love, regardless if it makes sense. And even if it goes against everything you thought you knew or everything you thought you wanted, it would be worth the sacrifice.
“Of course, Oakley failed to realize the love of his life is as stubborn as he is, and made a side deal of his own, refusing to go after his dream at the cost of Oakley’s, but that’s beside the point. Or maybe that’s exactly the reason Quinton makes such aperfect addition to the Reed family legacy.”
With a smile at the two of them, I grab my glass of champagne and lift it in a toast, declaring, “To Quinton and Oakley, and to a love worth sacrificing for.”
It’s only after everyone raises their glass, toasting along with me, that I finally allow my gaze to slide back to Camden. Only the second I do, I wish I hadn’t.
Because the smile he was wearing earlier is gone now, and he can’t even look at me.
“I didn’t have a chance to tell you earlier, but it’s incredibly rude of you to look this good in a suit.”
Cam turns from where he’s just ordered a drink at the bar, and amusement lights up his eyes when he spots me. Leaning against the wooden top, he cocks his head and muses, “What would you have me wear instead? A paper bag? Or a potato sack?”
“As far as I’m concerned, I’d rather you not wear anything at all.”
His lips roll inward, and his gaze drops to the floor as a soft chuckle spills from him. “You know, sometimes I forget just how quick you are with those dirty thoughts.”
