Page 1 of The Longest Wait

Prologue

ALEX GRABBED HIS tie and yanked on it for some relief, needing to give himself some room to breathe. Most people would lovebeing at a wedding, but he was suffocating. Weddings had thateffect on him and this one didn’t even start for another hour. Alexdecided a long time ago he wasn’t one to settle down and get married, so attending a wedding made him uneasy.

Regardless of his comfort level, he plastered a smile on hisface for this particular union. Lucy Copeland, his baby sister, wasgetting married. Not that she was a baby anymore since she wasthirty-one, but to him, she would always his kid sister.

Weddings weren’t at the top of his list of things he enjoyedattending, but he would do anything his sister. Which apparentlyincluded sweating his ass off waiting for the ceremony to start.

Desperate to relax, Alex took a swig of his beer and returned tothe conversation surrounding him about the Philadelphia Eagles.It was the beginning of preseason for football, and he was gratefulthe hotel in Hawaii was airing the games.

That’s right. His baby sister chose a destination beach wedding.It wasn’t one night he had to get through, but a whole four-dayexcursion.He already had a speech prepared for when the questionscame of why he wasn’t married. The incessant questioning to whowas walking down the aisle next didn’t only happen to women atweddings. His family has been waiting for him to fine ‘the one’ foras long as he could remember. He doubted little Grandma wantedto hear the truth, outside of sex, most woman bored him and hisjob was too demanding to settle down.

“It’s hard to focus on football with so many hot chicks at thisresort,” Dominic, another groomsman in the wedding, carelesslysaid as he eyed the women walking around the hotel bar. “Thisis ideal for me. Sex and no possibility I will run into them againonce we get back home. I don’t know why I never thought ofthis before.”

“You never saw Wedding Crashers?” Alex joked.

“I was too busy ogling Rachel McAdams, man. Today though,this is a win for me.”

While Alex was opposed to marriage, Dominic took it toanother level. He was the poster boy for one-night stands and zerocommitment. Alex was surprised his friend hasn’t broken out inhives yet for being at wedding.

Jack lightly smacked his friend in the back of the head. “I’mabout to get married. Any chance you can focus on somethingother than your dick? You should be thanking me I was able to getyou and Connor off of work to come to the wedding during soccerseason. Taking time off is next to impossible in the summer.”

Alex chuckled.

Jack Anderson was his soon-to-be brother-in-law, and his nononsense attitude was the perfect match for his sarcastic sister. Jackdidn’t take shit from anyone, let alone his friends from work. Lucyand Jack made each other happy, whether sitting on the couchtogether working—they both were workaholics—or escaping fora long weekend where they could wind down. They balanced oneanother. If anyone would make marriage work, it was them.

What actually surprised Alex was both Dominic and Jackwere entertaining the idea of having a conversation about football instead of soccer. Jack and his two friends worked for theWarriors, a professional soccer club in West Chester, that wastrending toward a move to Major League Soccer. Ever since hestarted hanging out with them, soccer was constantly in discussion.Which didn’t bother Alex. To him, it was a change of pace fromhis work as a photographer.

“You want to talk about something else?” Dominic goadedJack, not commenting on the vacation time from work. KnowingDominic, he would’ve found a way to be there, regardless of Jack’shelp. “I saw Lucy and, damn, she looks good. I guess I could buyinto the whole marriage bullshit if I knew I could sleep a beautifulwoman like her every day.”

Alex turned to look at Jack. “Should I beat the shit out of himor do you want to do it?”

Jack tossed an eyeroll to Dominic. “And risk Lucy gettingpissed because I strangled a groomsman, I’d rather not.”

Dominic waggled his eyebrows. “But imagine the makeup sex.”

“How hard is it to remember she’s my sister?” Alex groaned.

Jack shot Dominic a look. “And that she’s about to be my wife.”

Dominic shrugged unapologetically. “Sorry, man, all I meantwas she’s beautiful. Connor and I made a bet you’ll cry when yousee her.”

“Where is Connor?” Jack asked.

“Probably doing a cost analysis on the wedding. You knowwhat a weirdo he is when it comes to numbers.” Dominic pokedfun at the absent Connor. “Yesterday, I heard him mumbling aboutall-inclusive versus group packages. If there is a possibility he canfind a way to get you some money back, he will. Look what he didfor the last player we signed.”

All of this was probably true, the guy did love numbers. Hisobsession with statistics was why he was successful at his career asChief Financial Officer for the Warriors. Connor was often teasedfor his fixation with the bottom line and finances.

The slightest mention of a new player and conversationreturned to soccer. Alex listened to their projections for the season,and they both believed they would have a winning year. It wasone of the stipulations to moving to the MLS, so they went nutsextending contracts on star players as well as spending money onnew team members. They drank beer and Alex noticed Jack keptlooking at his watch, as if he couldn’t wait any longer to marryLucy. Alex liked him and welcomed him to the family. Seeing Jack’sexcitement to marry Lucy also cemented that he was the one forher. It was great, if not a little sickening at times, to see his sisterhead over heels in love.

Connor strolled into the bar, relaxed and not worried he wentmissing for an hour. Jack was quick to ask about his whereabouts.“Where were you?”

“With Sofia,” Connor responded simply.

Which it wasn’t simple.

Sofia Winton was Lucy’s best friend and nothing about her wassimple. If she was included in a plan, either someone was up to nogood or under arrest. Possibly both. Sofia had trouble written allover her. She had ever since Alex met her when he helped his sistermove into the dorms their freshmen year.

“What fiasco did she drag you into?” Jack handed Connor abeer. Apparently, he also knew Sofia was nothing but a problem.