Face-Off at the Altar

by Toni Aleo

  “Take this, love!”

  Avery took the sheet of paper and then rushed the stage, probably before Mekena could trip her. Not that she would. What did she expect? He was Avery’s husband’s best friend. They were all close, though Avery did give Markus shit a lot. Still, Mekena wished it could be like it was before. When all four of them would hang out and do things. She missed that, she missed them, she missed…him.

  Damn it.

  “Ready to do this, Sinclair?”

  “Ready,” Avery said, and they shared a smile as “Closer” by the Chainsmokers started. Soon, they had the whole crowd going. Avery was a heavenly angel when she sang, and Markus was good—not as good as Avery, but good. He sang like he owned that stage, though, and as Avery sang the high notes, he did some goofy-ass dance that only Markus could do to get a rise out of people. That was Markus, though. Everyone loved him.

  “I should be jealous of them, but then I remember she sleeps with me.”

  Looking up at Jace, Mekena grinned. “This is true.”

  “God, they’re idiots.”

  Looking back to the stage where Markus and Avery were doing the popular dance move, The Sprinkler, Mekena couldn’t disagree. “They’re something.”

  “Remember that time we went to what we thought was karaoke night, but it was really a swing dancing night?”

  As Mekena snorted with laughter, Jace pulled the chair out and sat down. “I still can’t believe we went out there.”

  “Or that Markus knew what he was doing!”

  “Right? I thought he was bullshitting me.”

  “Nope, he was flinging you all over the place while I stood there looking at Avery like, yeah, I can’t do that.”

  Laughing together as they finished up, Mekena looked back at Jace and shook her head. “It was a good night.”

  “Great night, you mean,” he said with a nod and leaned into her. “I’m glad you came out tonight.”

  “Me too,” she said, and the look on her best friend’s husband’s face told her that he wished they could do this more. As did she, but life…it was a fucker. All of them were so busy and then…there was no her and Markus anymore.

  “Aw, shit!”

  Looking up to the stage, she saw Markus was holding a piece of paper with a look of astonishment on his face. “Guys. Hey! Brooks, shut up. Listen to this!”

  Everyone laughed as Lucas Brooks flipped Markus off. “Do you people, you mere mortals, know what I hold in my hand?”

  Everyone waited as Markus just shook his head. “I almost can’t believe this is in my hand. That this goddess has decided to grace us with her presence and sing for us.”

  “Oh Lord, this guy,” Elli laughed, and Mekena giggled.

  “Guys, Elli Fucking Adler, the amazing, beautiful, and talented wife of the best defenseman of our generation, mother to five awesome kids, and owner of our team, wants to sing for us.”

  “Wow, someone really is sucking some ass to get on the team,” someone yelled from the crowd.

  “Ass-kisser!”

  “Hey, fuck all y’all. I mean this,” he said seriously, but even Mekena knew he was being a dork. “Elli Adler, please come sing for us.”

  With the biggest grin and laughing so hard, Elli made her way up to the stage as everyone cheered her on. When she reached the steps, Markus helped her up and then promptly dropped to his knees, bowing down to her.

  “We’re not worthy! We’re not worthy!” he sang, and Elli just laughed along with everyone else.

  Especially Mekena.

  As Mekena’s face hurt from laughing while Elli took the mic and the music started, Elli proved why she had been a Broadway star. She was amazing, but all Mekena could think about was the fact that she hadn’t laughed this hard in a long time. Since the last time she was with him. Glancing over to where he stood, nodding his head to the popular “Before He Cheats,” she drank him in. The lights were low, which made his skin seem darker and even richer. His shirt was completely untucked, and he had the biggest grin on his face.

  A grin she missed.

  Ugh, her heart hurt.

  She missed him. So much.

  And that made her an even bigger idiot.

  Looking to her best friend who had returned to the table, she said, “Avery, give me that flask.”

  Since she couldn’t be a bitter cat lady, she’d be the second-best thing.

  Drunk.

  The night was going great.

  People were having a blast, Elli Adler was singing her heart out, and the drinks were flowing. It was becoming one of those nights Markus would forever hold in his heart. This was what he needed. A night with his boys, his friends, and his family.

  “You know, Markus,” Benji said, leaning on the table as he pointed to Markus. They were seated by the stage, Markus’s duties as DJ to the DJ over, unfortunately. “I forgive you for sleeping with my wife.”

  Everyone started to hoot with laughter as Markus shook his head. “Thank you, Benji, for forgiving me for something that isn’t forgivable since it happened years before you came along.”

  “Still, I was a thought!” Benji accused, and Markus nodded.

  “You’re right. As we were making love, she did say your name.”

  “Stop talking about me!” Lucy called from the next table over, and he grinned back at her.

  “You’re the bride. We’re all passing around stories about you. Two of them have been naked ones and about that birthmark on your ass.”

  Another round of chortles came as Lucy flicked him off. “I hate you.”

  “Love you too,” Markus called back as he took a long pull of his beer. He wasn’t drunk by any means, but he was feeling good. Everyone was, well, except for the non-drinkers and the pregnant women. Jace had brought a flask, so he was spiking his, Avery’s, and apparently, Mekena’s drinks. Which was good. Everyone needed to cut loose, even the children of the bunch.

  “So you think you’ll make the cut, Reeves?” Lucas Brooks asked, and Markus shrugged.

  “I’m faster than you, for sure,” he teased, and Lucas chuckled.

  “You wish.”

  “Oh, I know. And because of that, I challenge you,” Markus said, standing and putting his foot on the chair, “my good man, to a race!”

  Lucas stood, matching his stance as they shook hands firmly. “It’s on, brother.”

  “To the ice rink!” Markus called, but Jace pulled him down, laughing.

  “The ice rink is closed, loser.”

  “Oh,” Markus said, and then he thought for a moment. “This is true. So I shall sing!”

  “Boo,” everyone sang, but he ignored them, getting up and turning right into Mekena.

  She bounced off him with flair, but he stopped her from falling, steadying her in front of him. Her eyes met his, and he hissed out a breath at her close proximity. If he thought she was beautiful from afar, up close, she was majestic. She had some eye makeup on that made her eyes appear bigger and brighter. His insides went to goo, and all he wanted was to wrap her up in his arms and never let go.

  But, he refrained. Unfortunately. “My bad.”

  “No, my bad,” she mumbled, trying to get around him, but he went the same way, and they ended up back in front of each other. As they held each other’s gaze, he felt his hands twitch to touch her. To tuck the piece of hair that was escaping back into her ponytail. To feel her skin once more, to whisper how gorgeous he thought she was, but her eyes were full of flight-mode.

  “I’m going that way,” she said, pointing to the left, her speech a little garbled. She had been drinking; he could smell it.

  “Then I’ll go this way,” he said, going to the right, but he almost didn’t move. Her perfume was intoxicating, causing him to want to smother his face in her neck. But somewhere, he found the willpower and went to the stage, requesting his song. He wasn’t sure why he picked this song, but he had to pick it. Reaching for the mic, he sucked in a deep breath as “Ruin” by Shawn Mendes filled the roo
m and he started singing.

  From his soul.

  As he opened his eyes, it was like he was on a real stage, a spotlight on him and a spotlight on Mekena—because she was all he saw. Standing by the bar, she held a cup in her hand as she watched him. Her eyes were narrowed, her lips pressed together, and it was easy to say she didn’t seem impressed, but he had to sing this song. He hadn’t realized how much this song reminded him of her or how much shit he was going to get for singing it, but in a way, he didn’t care. He had to reach her. He had to get her to hear him.

  As the song ended and he sang the last note like he had been singing his whole life, he threw his hands up. “Thank you, thank you, your applause is truly appreciated!”

  Everyone laughed at that, while Johansson yelled out, “If you don’t make the cut, Reeves, you’ve got washed-up boy band member down for sure!”

  Laughing, Markus rolled his eyes as he went offstage while the DJ announced, “Well, after that, let’s slow things down. Who wants to dance?”

  Everyone cheered as Markus made his way to where Jace was sitting with Avery, Mekena, Shea, and Elli. He could have gone back to the table with the boys, but he wanted to be where Mekena was. Even if she wouldn’t talk to him, at least he could stare at her.

  Because that wasn’t creepy or anything.

  Sitting down next to Avery, he leaned on the table into her and she giggled happily. “Tell me I wasn’t amazing.”

  “You weren’t amazing,” she said simply with a wink, and he laughed.

  “Whatever, I made you wish you could sing like me.”

  “You’re right. I sat here watching as you crooned, thinking, wow, I wish I was Markus Reeves.”

  He nodded. “Happens a lot.”

  Jace laughed along with Elli and Shea, while Mekena found something very interesting on her phone.

  “You sang very passionately,” Elli slurred, and Markus winked at her.

  “Thank you very much.”

  “I don’t think that was a compliment,” Jace said, and Markus looked back at him, offended.

  “Yes, it was.”

  Rolling his eyes, Jace took a long pull of his flask as Elli asked, “Markus, probably not the best time to ask this since we are all drinking, and more than likely I’ll ask again tomorrow—”

  “Then why don’t you wait until tomorrow?” Shea asked, and she shot him a look.

  “Because I’ve already started talking,” she said with a glare. “Anyway, do I need to get some extra tickets for your family?”

  Markus paused before looking back to Jace. “River and Autumn have season tickets, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  Looking back to his boss, he shook his head. “Nope, I’m good.”

  Elli looked at Shea and then back to Markus. “You don’t want to invite your parents? It’s your first NHL game.”

  Markus tried to smile, though, it looked more like a grimace. “River and Autumn will be there.”

  “Ooh! I love this song. Come on, Jace, let’s dance,” Avery said, thankfully changing the subject as some slow song started. Jace agreed, standing up and taking her hand to lead her to the dance floor.

  “Yes, let’s dance!” Elli said, shaking Shea to the point that he had no choice but to get up and take his beautiful wife to the floor. Looking across the table, Markus tapped his fingers to the beat, but Mekena wasn’t moving. She was looking at her phone as she pressed hard with her fingers on something. Glancing out at the floor where almost everyone was with their spouses, Markus smiled.

  “Did you wanna dance?”

  Mekena’s brows pulled together before she looked up at him. “Me?”

  “Yeah, do you wanna dance?”

  She just looked at him as if another head was coming up from his neck. Then she dropped her phone to the table, her brows touching even more. “Why aren’t you inviting your parents? It’s your first game. They’d love to go.”

  He shrugged, confused by her subject change. “Because I don’t talk to them.”

  “What?”

  “What? It isn’t that hard to understand. I haven’t talked to them in over a year.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because they told me to choose you or them, and I chose you,” he said simply, and her eyes widened.

  He knew she hadn’t forgotten that night. Hell, he would never forget it. How his parents had looked at her like she was filth off the street. All because she wasn’t African American like they were. He didn’t see color; he saw a beautiful girl, and he thought his parents would see the same. But apparently, they didn’t. He hadn’t wanted to fight with them, and he sure as hell didn’t want to lose contact with them, but he refused to allow them to treat Mekena how they did. They were rude and disrespectful, calling her “that damn white girl” instead of her name. They wanted their son to marry a nice black girl from church, which wouldn’t have been a problem if there was one there who made his heart palpitate like it did when he was around Mekena. Like it was at the moment. That hard pound that felt as if his heart was going to come straight out of his chest. Breaking ribs, ripping skin, only to flop there on the table. No one made him feel like that.

  But his parents didn’t care.

  When they left that night after dinner with his parents, Mekena was in tears and Markus was embarrassed. He promised never to subject her to that again, and when his mother called, saying she didn’t want him bringing Mekena back, he said that was fine because he wouldn’t be coming back either. But days later, the shit with Skylar happened, and then he found himself without his parents or Mekena.

  With a bewildered expression on her face, she said, “But we aren’t together.”

  “So?”

  “So you should reach out to them.”

  “But I won’t. ’Cause if they can’t accept who I date, then I want nothing to do with them.”

  “That’s insane,” she said, standing up and slamming her chair in. “You’re insane. And…yeah…” she said, turning on her heel and rushing out of the place. He knew he should stay, he should give her some space, but he couldn’t. He got up, following her outside where she was standing, looking at the sky.

  Glaring back at him, she spat, “Why are you following me?”

  “I want to make sure you get back to the cabin okay.”

  “Maybe I wanted to get some air.”

  “Then I want to make sure no one hurts you.”

  Shaking her head, she struck her hips. “Why? ’Cause that’s your job?”

  “Mekena—”

  “I don’t matter to you.”

  “That’s not true,” he tried, but she threw her hands up, stomping away. Down the trail she went and he followed, only a few feet behind her.

  Looking back at him, she grumbled. “I’m fine.”

  “You may very well be, but I want to make sure.”

  She was wobbling, obviously a little drunk, which was probably why she was actually speaking to him. “I can’t believe you aren’t talking to your parents because of me.”

  “I can’t believe they treated you like shit.”

  Whipping around, she pointed at him. “If that matters, then why—” She stopped and shook her head. “No, I can’t talk about that!”

  “Okay?” he asked, confused.

  And she wasn’t done. Throwing her hands up once more, her little nose wrinkled as she yelled, “Did you sing that song for me?”

  He smiled. “Did I mean to? No, but then it was there—for you.”

  “Are you crazy? Do you know how crazy that is? You shouldn’t have a chance with me!”

  She whirled around with the force of a tsunami before he could say anything—or point out that she said shouldn’t instead of don’t, which he counted as a win. But before he could mention that, she was on the ground. Face first. He didn’t even see how she fell, but when he reached her, she was crying out, holding her ankle. Dropping to his knees, he tried to help, but she smacked him away, rubbing her ankle. “I’m fine. I jus
t twisted it,” she bit out, trying to hold back her tears. “Just go away.”

  “I can’t.”

  She moaned loudly and then tried to get up, but she couldn’t manage it. Even though he knew she was going to fight him, he picked her up with ease, and her arms came around his neck. “I’m fine.”

  “I know, but let me carry you back.”

  “I don’t need you.”

  “I know.”

  Holding her, he started back to their cabin as her head rested against her arms, but still, she was so close he almost couldn’t stand it. Her arms were warm, her hair tickled his face, and she was so light. So little. He wanted to feed her.

  When the cabin came into view, he wanted to take a detour. Get lost in the woods. But he knew that wouldn’t go over well. Plus, he had a really bad sense of direction, and if he got lost in the woods, good chance they’d both die.

  “Why are you being so nice to me?”

  He felt her staring at him, but he knew if he looked at her, he wouldn’t be able to keep himself from pressing his mouth to hers. “Because I want to.”

  “But I’m mean to you.”

  “Eh, not mean, just hostile,” he said, flashing her a grin before reaching for the knob and opening the door. “With good reason, though.” Pushing the door open, he entered, looking around for the light. “Do you want me to put you in your room or on the couch?”

  “Couch.”

  He slowly laid her down before grabbing a pillow to put under her ankle. “Let me get you some ice.” She didn’t say anything as he got an ice pack out of the freezer and a washrag from the drawer then came back and laid it on her ankle. Taking off her shoes, he set them beside the couch before looking back at her to make sure she was okay. Her face was covered in dirt from her fall, so he wiped it off, fully expecting her to stop him, but she didn’t. She just watched him, her eyes glazed over, and he knew she was drunker than they both realized. When her face was clean, he noticed she was lying funny because of the pillows behind her, so he stood back up, reaching behind her to help her out, but somehow their faces lined up and he was stunned in place. One little movement and their mouths would touch. That’s all it would take.

  Breathless, he said, “Oh, sorry—”