“Why do I even have to wear this dumb thing?” I mumbled.
“How many times do we need to go over this? Brielle deserves to have a nicely dressed date,” Mom repeated.
“She’s not going to care if I have a jacket on. The shirt and tie are plenty.”
“Joseph, I’m sure I know what a girl wants much better than you do.”
I grunted, thinking how BC wouldn’t even be going if she knew the name of the song. We barely even spoke of the dance. Whenever someone brought it up, she’d either give the shortest response imaginable or wouldn’t say anything at all. The only reason I knew the color of her dress was because our friend, Mindy, asked Alexa. The first and only time I asked BC if she found something to wear, she sighed and grumbled how it wasn’t anything special, then avoided me the rest of the day. Every other girl rambled on about their dresses, how they were doing their hair, and what color they should paint their nails. My friends were sick to death of hearing about it from their dates. It was quite nauseating and, at one point, I thanked BC for not being that way. She proceeded to inform me how lucky I was for going with her instead of one of them, but I already knew that.
Dad stopped the car in front of the Watson’s house and I suddenly felt sick. Why was I forcing her to go if she really didn’t want to? Maybe we should’ve made other plans like BC suggested. What if the night completely ruined our friendship? Why the hell was I so stupid? As my parents walked with me to the door, the ridiculous questions continued popping into my head. Once Barb welcomed us in, I was completely convinced the night would end with BC running out of the gym and never speaking to me again.
And then I saw her.
BC stood next to the fireplace in their living room, fussing with the strap of her pale pink dress. Her tan skin was even darker against the soft color. I heard people talking in the background, but the specific words were incomprehensible. A sudden urge to be next to her compelled me to move across the room. Immediately, I saw why the material was irritating her. Setting the corsage on the mantle, I adjusted the piece folded inside the dress so it lay correctly. She thanked me with a grateful smile.
“I thought you said the dress was no big deal,” I said.
“It’s not.” She looked away, embarrassed. Things didn’t usually get to BC, but when they did, her face would soften and redden ever so slightly.
“Maybe it wasn’t before you put it on.” I cleared the lump in my throat and reached for the corsage I had picked out myself. The roses were pink, a shade darker than her dress, and were held together with silver, sparkly ribbon. BC may have seemed like a tomboy while on the softball field, but she loved glitter and all things shiny.
I probably wasn’t supposed to notice, but her eyes teared up. “I thought we said this wasn’t an actual date. Doesn’t giving me a flower officially make it one?”
Shaking my head, I twisted the truth. “Not really. My mom insisted I let her get this for you.” I lifted her hand and slid the band onto her wrist so the roses sat perfectly. She didn’t need to know I was in the floral shop for almost an hour, trying to pick something just right.
“Well, thank you. It’s perfect.”
“I also put the jacket on just to make her happy. The second she’s not paying attention, I’m taking it off.”
BC grinned. “It’s not bad. Maybe she knows what she’s talking about.”
“Did you just give me a compliment?” I teased.
“Uh, no. Why would I do that?”
“Just checking.”
“Time for pictures,” Barb interrupted, ushering us all outside.
Posing with BC was the only time I didn’t mind standing in front of the camera. She didn’t protest when our mothers positioned us so closely. A few times, I thought about pointing out how natural being with her felt, but decided against it for fear she’d stay home. Nothing was going to make me miss the opportunity to take her out.
Once we were at the dance and out of the car, things became a little awkward. BC kept quiet and continued smoothing the bottom part of her dress to avoid looking elsewhere. I hated the fact she was uncomfortable with me. When we walked into the gymnasium, we were greeted by friends who wondered what took us so long. BC told them it was her mom’s fault for taking so many pictures. The girls wanted her to dance, but she declined. Promising they’d find her in a bit, they ran off.
“I don’t mind if you want to go,” I shouted over the music as we lingered at the edge of the dance floor.
“I could, but I didn’t come here to hang out with them.”
“I’m not going to leave without you.”
She smiled. “You’d better not. Come on.” BC grabbed my hand and directed me to the back of the room. There were tables set up with all different kinds of snacks. She went to the one with ice cream, but walked right past the frozen desserts. A bunch of candy toppings sat at the opposite end. I chuckled when she dumped half the contents of one bowl into a paper cup. “Don’t judge me,” she snapped. Then she removed a piece from her cup and held one to my mouth. “Gummy bears. If you don’t like them, we can’t be friends.” I ate it, hoping it wouldn’t be the last one she fed me.
The first slow song came on as we finished eating the candy. I ignored it, offering to refill her cup. She said maybe we should dance first. “Uh, what? I play ball. I don’t dance.” Imagining being so close to her was thrilling and terrifying at the same time.
“It was your brilliant idea to come to this silly thing. Are you going to let me be the only girl who doesn’t get to dance?” There were plenty of girls sitting on the bleachers, but she didn’t need to know that.
Lacing my fingers through hers, I escorted her to the center of the dance floor. I wasn’t sure how to touch her without the situation turning as uncomfortable as it was on our way in. Surprisingly, BC made it easy by wrapping her arms around my neck. Holding her against me felt better than I’d ever imagined.
“Thank you for bringing me tonight, Joey,” she whispered. “Maybe I’ll have you take me to homecoming next year.”
“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go, Buttercup.” Her shy smile did me in. Taking a chance, I gave her a small kiss on the cheek. Luckily, she didn’t punch me in the gut.
When lunch ended, Roni went home to relieve her babysitter, and we went back to Vince and Lex’s house. There were a few things to finish before rehearsal. We offered our assistance, but Lex wanted it done her way, so we left her and BC to it. They had stuff set up in the dining room. One glance in there and I gladly followed Vince outside to relax on the deck. There was a lot of frilly crap spread out all over the table and I wanted no part of it.
All too soon, it was time to pack up and head over to the church. It was hard to believe two of my best friends would be getting married the next day. There were no words to express how excited I was for them. They both deserved every bit of happiness they felt and so much more.
There was enough room in the back of my truck for everything to fit. BC brought out the last box. We adjusted a few things so they wouldn’t fall over. Once they were set, she started to turn away.
“Ride with me.” I sounded desperate. When it all came down to it, I was.
“Are you sure?”
“Why not?” I closed the tailgate. “I’ll beat you in a round of the radio game really quick.”
“Please, Joey. You don’t scare me.”
“Then let’s go, Buttercup.” I held open the passenger door and she climbed in.
“Don’t drive like a lunatic with my stuff!” Lex called out as I walked around the front of my truck.
“It’s your fault for trusting me!” I shouted back.
Waiting for Vince and Rich to back out of the driveway, I flipped through the music on my phone, scrolling until I found one of my favorites. The song started with a few notes, then the lead vocalist quickly started in. She didn’t even need the words. “That’s so easy. The Killers.”
I shifted out of park, grinning. “I swear. Yo
u’re every guy’s wet dream when it comes to this shit.”
As if my statement needed clarification, she said, “Not all guys like the same music, Joey.”
My grin turned into a cocky smirk. “Yeah, I know.”
Shockingly, Veronica and Brian were already in the parking lot when we arrived. Mr. and Mrs. Lyons pulled in less than a minute behind us. With everyone there, Alexa was beyond excited. She just about danced into the building.
“Hello,” an older gentleman welcomed us as we filed into the foyer of the church. Alexa returned his greeting.
The area had stained glass windows, spotless white walls with religious artwork, and an elegant arched entrance to the main room. From where we stood, rows of oak pews were visible, stretching all the way to the altar, separated only by a single aisle down the middle. Lights hung from a cathedral ceiling, adding an ethereal glow.
“Diana is running a tad late. She asked me to apologize and let you know she’ll be here as soon as she can.” I’d heard the name before. She was performing the ceremony. “If you’d like, you may go ahead and decorate. We’ll lock up tight when we finish here tonight and not open again until it’s time for your guests to arrive.”
“That sounds great. Thank you so much,” Alexa happily responded. I doubted anything could’ve dampened her mood.
“I’ll be in the office if anyone needs anything.”
Lex got right to work, emptying boxes faster than we carried them in. Within twenty minutes, everything was how she envisioned it, minus the fresh flowers that would be delivered in the morning. Candles were strategically placed so they would be visible in photographs. A basket filled with personalized pamphlets sat by the entrance. Lex’s handmade bows hung at the ends of each pew, lining the aisle. I was never one for fancy things, but she did an amazing job. The church transformed perfectly with her small touches.
When Diana arrived, she took Lex, Vince, and their parents to the front, verifying a few things with them before we ran through the ceremony. While they talked, Roni and Brian’s girls played with the dolls they brought along, and Liam was sound asleep in his car seat. As with Vince’s sister and brother-in-law, Lex wanted her nieces and nephew to be part of the wedding, so Vanessa and Tori would be pulling their baby brother down the aisle in a wooden wagon. Of course, Lex had gotten her creative hands on it and dressed it up a bit.
To keep herself busy, BC saw to it that each bow was fluffed and properly positioned. One in particular gave her trouble, so she removed and practically reworked the entire ribbon until it was to her liking. Finally satisfied, she rehung it, then moved on.
Her back was to the main entryway, so she didn’t notice a guy entering the building. Without an introduction, I realized who he was. Besides the dress shirt and tie he wore, his face lit up as soon as he saw BC standing there. It was a feeling I knew all too well. Unlike at the restaurant with me, she wasn’t aware of him until he walked over and placed a hand on her side. She jumped and glanced over her shoulder, giving him a small smile. The doctor wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.
I wasn’t sure if it was the fact BC seemed uncomfortable or because my hatred for him happened instantly, but a rage I’d never felt before took control of me. My fists clenched at my sides when he spun her around to hold her tighter. She didn’t back away from the hug, but she didn’t fall into the embrace, either. My body started shaking. I could tell he was talking, but couldn’t see BC’s face to gage her reaction, which further irritated me. Since I had fallen for her, no one had dared get that close. Everybody knew to keep a safe distance. That guy, though, had already pushed too far.
“Sullivan.” Vince’s tone was a warning to calm down. His hand on my upper arm was just in case. “Go take a walk.” I stepped toward BC, but he moved to block my path. “The other way.”
“I can’t.”
“Joe…”
I clenched my teeth. “He has his fucking hands on my girl and you expect me to do nothing?” Vince’s mouth opened, but I stopped him before he said anything. “Don’t fucking say it, man. No matter what, BC will always be mine.”
In the most contained voice she could muster, Lex asked if I’d mind readjusting the bows to make sure they were properly and evenly hung. Dad had tried placing them as neatly as he could, but many were randomly draped over the pews. He had to realize she’d be checking the position of every last one, along with everything anybody else had done. The simple task proved rather complicated because I could feel Joey staring. Regardless of which direction I moved, his eyes left a tingling sensation over my skin. The feeling was a mystery beyond any comprehension. Since the day we met, an attraction unlike anything I’d ever experienced claimed control of me whenever Joey Sullivan was in the vicinity. The fact we’d been apart for such an extended period of time had absolutely no influence on the pull between us. It was just as strong and overwhelming as all those years ago. Usually, the distraction from my surroundings was welcomed, but not realizing Aidan had snuck in made it troublesome.
I jumped as a hand skimmed my ribs, stopping just above my hip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” Aidan chuckled, tucking me against him and kissing my cheek. Somehow, I managed to smile.
“Hey,” I whispered as he turned me around until we faced each other. Aidan had one of the most infectious grins, and his eyes gleamed with happiness. It seemed like an eternity since we were in my bedroom only a week before. I took in his handsome face, remembering how wonderful he had treated me the last couple years, in spite of our agreement to keep things private.
“I don’t care what I have to do. You aren’t ever allowed to leave me again.” He pulled me in closer. Although I allowed it, my arms stayed at his chest. “I swear that time stood still.”
“It hasn’t been that long,” I softly laughed.
“Yes, it has,” he sighed. “From now on, I go where you go. Okay?” My smile slipped as I nodded. Why did I agree? “Anyway, I apologize for being late. Luckily, Laney helped me out and I escaped the office earlier than expected, going straight to the hotel for check-in. I wasn’t sure how long we’d be out tonight.”
“Hotel? You aren’t staying at the house with us?” And why was he at the office? Didn’t he take the day off?
The corners of his mouth turned up into a smirk as his voice lowered. “Brielle, there’s no chance in hell the first night we stay together is going to be in a bedroom at your parents’ house.”
Panic set in, the color draining from my face. Sleeping arrangements hadn’t really dawned on me. The only thing I thought was he could have Lex’s room because there was no doubt she’d be curled up next to me. “But I have to sleep there tonight. My sister needs me.”
“I figured, but she won’t want anything to do with you tomorrow night,” he mockingly responded, then kissed my lips.
The bolt of lightning scorching the entire back of my body became too much to take. Joey. I stole a quick peek behind me to find Vince standing in front of him. A moment ago, Joey was alone. Intuitively, I backed away from Aidan who, thankfully, didn’t question the movement. He did, however, reach for my hand. Wishing I were anywhere other than there, I led Aidan to the front of the church.
My sister stepped out of the crowd. “Hello, Aidan,” she said, coming over to hug him.
“Nice to see you again, Alexa,” he replied, returning her gesture with one arm, keeping a tight grip on my hand. “I can’t believe your big day is finally here. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” She motioned to Vince. “This is my fiancé, Vince.”
“Nice to meet you,” Aidan politely responded as they shook hands. When my parents and Lex came to visit at Christmas, Vince had spent the morning with his sister, her family, and their parents, then arrived in Connecticut for dinner later that night. Aidan had left long before then.
“Same here,” Vince said. “Over there is my sister Veronica, her husband, Brian, and their three kids.” They waved from their seats. Then he
pointed to his mom and dad. “My parents.” Vince stepped sideways. “This is my best friend, Joe Sullivan.” Joey stayed where he was, slightly dipping his chin in a nod. Seeing his jaw tense, I knew that was all he could offer at the moment. My already heavy heart sank further, thankful when my mom and dad intervened.
“Thank you for coming, Aidan. I hope the drive wasn’t too much trouble,” my mom said.
“Not at all, Mrs. Watson. Thanks for having me.”
“Aidan.” Dad didn’t have much to say. He did shake his hand, though.
The awkwardness ended when Diana announced she was getting started. Focus shifted back to Lex and Vince. The wedding party was asked to follow Diana to the altar. Aidan reluctantly released me, taking a seat in the third pew. Joey’s stiff posture held steady until I reached him. He put his arm around my shoulders, leaned in, and whispered, “It’s going to be a long couple days, Buttercup.”
“You’ll be used to it before you know it.” He’d never seen me with anyone else. We were pretty much together from the second we met.
“Yeah. That might happen.”
Diana quickly explained where she wanted us to stand and the few things we’d do during the ceremony. Lex had opted for the sweet and short version, so there wasn’t much to go through. Vince, Joey, and Brian had it easy. They’d walk out from the side room at the front of the church just before Vanessa and Tori pulled Liam down the aisle. Roni would follow. Once she made it to a certain spot down the aisle, I’d go next. Lex and Dad received detailed instructions on their grand entrance, but no one had to direct my sister when it came to being the main attraction. That was something she perfected long before she spoke her first word.
While they repeated their vows a second time, a rustling sound came from behind us. I glanced back to see Aidan heading out of the room, his phone to his ear. It wasn’t surprising he brought work with him. Unfortunately, it was unavoidable for somebody in his occupation. As I turned back, I saw Joey stick his tongue out. For whatever reason, I found it funny and a chuckle escaped. When Diana reprimanded us by clearing her throat, I shot him a nasty look for getting me in trouble. He feigned innocence and, somehow, I suppressed the desire to flip him off.
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