I roll my eyes. “I don’t know why I bothered talking about this with you.”
“Okay, okay,” he says, holding up both hands. “I’ll stop. Go on.”
“She’s a wedding planner. We invested together in a property. The woman who sold it to us is elderly and has nobody to leave her money to, and she said she’d return ourinvestment to us if we’re the first couple to get married at the estate after it switched ownership.”
“To the tune of…” He trails off as he waits for me to fill in the blank.
“Five million dollars.”
He lets out another low whistle. “Fuck, man. I can see why you’d fast-track it. But isn’t that messy with your brother and your feelings for her?”
I nod. “Incredibly messy.”
“And not like you at all.”
I shake my head. “Zero percent like me. But I’ve loved her since I was a teenager, and I’m not passing up the opportunity to have everything I’ve ever wanted.”
“Damn, bro. I didn’t peg you for a romantic.”
“Make no mistake, I’ll still kick your ass.”
He laughs. “Right. Text me when and where, and I’ll be there. Oh! Should I wear my tux?”
I tilt my head. “I have no idea. I’ll get back to you on all of that.”
He laughs. “You’re an idiot.”
“Thanks,” I mumble, and then I text the actual boss to get all the details.
* * *
I glance through my schedule one more time for the rest of this week. We have practice tomorrow morning that gets out in the early afternoon, I’ll get married, and then we have a late start on Friday since we’ve already secured our wild card spot and it’s the morning after a night when we’ll all be up later than usual.
Tatum informed me that we have a rehearsal on Wednesday evening, so Cole and I head outof practice together and drive toward the Winston Manor so I can show him around.
When I walk in, I find Tatum chatting with Ms. Winston, and a perky blonde woman stands beside Tatum.
“Oh, you’re here,” Tatum says, and she beelines for me. She presses a kiss to my lips, and her eyes edge over to Cole, who’s eyeing the blonde woman up and down like he’s never seen a woman in the flesh before.
“This is Cole, my best man,” I say, elbowing him in the ribs to get his attention. I’m pretending to introduce him to Ms. Winston, not Tatum, since I don’t particularly want to raise Ms. Winston’s suspicions, and learning that my best man is just meeting my bride might just do that.
“Nice to meet you,” he says to Tatum. I elbow him again.
Tatum plays it smoothly, though. “Oh, stop, Cole. Good to see you again. You remember Kenzie, right, Cole?” She’s playing that we’ve all met and hung out before. Well done, future bride. “My best friend from Vegas. She’s my matron of honor.”
I’m trying to remember ifmatronversusmaidmeans married or single when I spot the giveaway on her left-hand ring finger, and I hope Cole notices it, too.
That’s when a dude walks through the kitchen doors and straight up to Kenzie, slipping his arm around her waist. He must be in the know, too, because he nods at me. “Ford, man, great to see you again.” He holds out a hand, and I slap it first, and then we fist bump as if we’re old friends. Bro code for the win.
“What did you think of the kitchen, Cody?” Tatum asks, clearly so we can figure out this dude’s name.
“It’s incredible.” He does the hand-slap, fist-bump thing with Cole, too, pretending to know him as well, and Ms. Winston seems fooled enough.
We run through the ceremony. It’ll take place at sunset, and Cody is going to officiate. We’ll share a small catered dinner afterward, and provided all goes to plan, I’ll be home fucking my wife when the clock strikes midnight.
Jesus.
I can’t fucking wait.
