Cameron chuckled. “Remember, Charlie. Your duties as a royal aren’t as important as your family. Your mother isn’t here today, and I’m sure, like all of us, that you regret that she isn’t. Because you can’t get time with your loved ones back once they’re gone.”
It really hurt when he brought up my mom, more than anything else he’d said. I wished he’d stop. It wasn’t like it was her choice not to come to this wedding. She was dead… because she’d died for me. My dad had made sure to remind me of that on my wedding day.
I gripped Ava’s hand so tightly I was sure I was restricting circulation, but she didn’t let go. Unexpectedly, I felt another hand slip into mine. Marcus held tight to show his support.
I grasped his fingers back and didn’t pull away. I was a pretty masculine guy, but all that bravado was walking out the door right now, and I needed him to help me at the moment. I was grateful as hell for him, because besides the comfort, his hand in mine prevented me from getting up from his chair and socking my old man, which Ivery muchwanted to do. I’d rather get in the boxing ring with six vampires, because that couldn’t be more painful than this speech.
Cameron’s voice got high-pitched. Man, he really was wasted. “His best friend, Martin, he seems like a nice guy. And that Katrina girl he hangs around with is really swell. And my daughter-in-law, Ava… well, I’m proud of her, too. I’ve heard she has a beautiful voice, and she plays piano in every one of her videos. She’s written three whole songs!”
Ava had certainly written more than three songs. She had whole albums she’d finished before she’d even left high school. We’d written dozens of songs together at the Institute alone, and I was the one who always played the piano, not her.
My dad didn’t know us at all, and this was the proof.
A chair scraped backward, and I justknewmy grandfather was interrupting. He had to be embarrassed, too. I was surprised he’d let it go on for as long as he did.
“That’s enough, my son. I believe our other guests would like to speak,” Cassiel said gracefully, smoothly saving the situation.
Cameron hiccupped. “Oh. Okay. I’ll wrap it up. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m proud of the man you’ve become, Charlie. Cheers to the happy couple.”
“Cheers,” the guests echoed, though their response sounded really awkward. Cameron had none of the qualities my grandfather had as a leader, and damn, it showed now.
Cameron sat back down, and I could finally breathe. I wasn’t sure I believed him when he said he was proud of me, or if that’s just what he wassupposedto say, but I’d take it, so long as that awful speech was finally fucking over.
Marcus hurried to move things along. “I guess that means it’s our turn.”
Kallie stood and clinked her glass, getting people’s attention. “For those of you who don’t know me, I am PrincessKalinaNowak of Malovia, and I’m the maid-of-honor.”
“Yeah— and I’m the best man. My name’s Marcus, not Martin,” Marcus said.
Ava and I were already laughing. We couldn’t hold it in, not after that ridiculous speech from my dad. It sounded like the two of them had rehearsed this already.
Marcus continued for Kallie. “Of course, it would be traditional for the two of us to give a big speech, but Ava and Charlie are anythingbuttraditional.”
“Just look at their wedding— they did the whole thing backwards,” Kallie cracked. “You’re supposed to hold the ceremonybeforeyou get married.”
“I couldn’t wait!” Ava joked. The crowd laughed along with us.
“And so, in true Ava and Charlie fashion, Kalina and I have decided to go untraditional and put on a play, rather than a speech,” Marcus announced. “We present to you thetruestory of Ava-Marie and Charlie’s marriage.”
He clapped his hands loudly. “Places, everyone!”
All along the head table, chairs squeaked as our friends stood to make their way to the center of the ballroom. Even Oberi hopped down and followed behind the rest of the wedding party. Ava and I were both stunned into silence, because we didn't know they were planning this. I couldn’t imagine what they had in store.
“Oh, ancestors,” Ava whispered. “They havecostumes.”
“Costumes?” I asked.
“Kallie’s in a leather jacket, and Marcus put on a wig,” Ava groaned.
I was intrigued. This was going to be interesting, at the very least.
“Our story begins on a warm summer day in a distant land known as Kinpago,” Alistair narrated dramatically. “The sweet maiden Ava was taking a stroll through the streets of her home when she unexpectedly ran into the tall, dark and handsome Charlie.”
“Who are you calling a sweet maiden?” Ava called out, and the crowd laughed hysterically.
Two pairs of footsteps came from either side of the ballroom before crossing paths.
“Ooph!” Marcus said dramatically as he bumped into Kallie, giving a girlish croon.
