by Liv Rider
Wedding Dragon
Liv Rider
Wedding Dragon
Liv Rider
Wedding Dragon © 2020 by Liv Rider
Cover design by Camberion
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author, except where permitted by law or for the use of brief quotations in a review.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Created with Vellum
Contents
1. Shaun
2. Mitchell
3. Shaun
4. Mitchell
5. Shaun
6. Mitchell
7. Shaun
8. Mitchell
9. Shaun
10. Mitchell
11. Shaun
12. Mitchell
13. Shaun
14. Mitchell
15. Shaun
16. Mitchell
17. Shaun
Epilogue: Shaun
A note from Liv Rider
Special Sneak Preview!
1
Shaun
You are cordially invited to the wedding of Emily Maxwell and Dale Kennedy.
Shaun had put his sister’s wedding invite up on the fridge when it arrived months ago. Every time he saw it, the jarring realization hit him that his baby sister was a grown-up who was getting married. It felt like only yesterday that she’d begged him for help on a school project.
Oh, sure, he knew Dale, and he knew their relationship was serious. They’d been living together for a few years now. But there was knowing his sister was in a serious long-term relationship and knowing his sister was getting married.
As if turning thirty a few months ago wasn’t enough of a reality check yet. He was getting older, and what did he have to show for it?
“Are you moping again?”
“I’m not moping.” Shaun turned to face his roommate. Shouldn’t he be able to get his own apartment by now?
Chris looked pointedly at the wedding invite. “Did you call her yet to tell her you’re going?”
“Not yet. I only got round to talking to my boss about switching shifts last night.” And shouldn’t he have moved on from a bartending job? He remembered when Emily had called him a few years ago, ecstatic about her new job as an office manager. She’d talked about the amazing career and growth opportunities that job and company offered. What kind of growth opportunities did Shaun have at Orion’s? Shouldn’t he have already figured out the next step in his career?
“And why haven’t you called her? Is she at work?”
Shaun shook his head. “No. It’s a Sunday, so she’ll be at home with Dale to prepare for the wedding.”
“Then what’s the problem?” Chris reached inside the fridge to grab a soda. “Call her.”
“If I call her and tell her I’ll be at the wedding, I’ll have to be at the wedding.”
“Yes, that is how accepting invitations works.” Chris poured himself a drink before screwing the bottle shut. He eyed Shaun. “If you don’t want to be at the wedding, why did you ask to switch shifts? It’s a believable excuse to avoid it.”
“She’d never forgive me.” Shaun wanted to be there. He wanted to see his little sister get married to the love of her life. He was thrilled for her, and Dale was a brilliant guy. “It’s the other wedding guests I don’t want to deal with.” Emily had called him a few times now to ask if he would attend or not, and with every phone call Shaun learned more about the wedding. He hadn’t known wedding planning required so much time and effort.
He’d also learned who Emily had asked to be her bridesmaids, and who from their hometown was planning to attend.
“I mean, there’s a reason I moved from Millersburg to Lewiston,” Shaun said. “Multiple reasons.”
Chris took a sip, waiting for Shaun to explain further. “I’m guessing several of those reasons will be at the wedding.”
Shaun hated talking about why he’d moved here. Chris knew, and luckily it was so long ago that it rarely came up anymore with anyone else. “You guessed it.”
Whereas Emily had been the serious, studious one, Shaun had been the slacker who cut class more often than not. In a small town like Millersburg, where hardly anything happened, people didn’t let you forget that. The grapevine only made things worse. If Shaun smoked weed with some friends in a field on the edge of town, apparently he’d been selling drugs to high schoolers. If he’d gotten into a fight with someone, apparently he’d been the one to start it, and ten times more people were involved than had really been there. There’d been side-eyes and whispers even before he’d dropped out of high school.
Sometimes Shaun wondered how his life would have turned out like if the gang of car thieves had gone somewhere else. The criminals had been acquaintances of friends of friends, and Shaun had stayed out of it. Oh, sure, those friends of friends approached him about it, but he’d immediately said ‘no.’ They’d promised sums of money that were too good to be true. While his parents would disagree, Shaun had common sense back when he’d been twenty-two. The worst he’d done was shoplift in a grocery store once or twice and buy alcohol for some teenagers throwing a party. Those memories still gave him a stab of guilt.
The police questioned him several times over the car thefts and he’d told them what he could, which had been very little. They hadn’t arrested him for anything, but plenty of people in Millersburg thought they knew better. He hadn’t stuck around after that.
Dealing with the police had been a wake-up call. The police had arrested some people he hung out with, and they ended up in jail. He needed to change things to avoid ending up the same way. With everyone in town still assuming he had stolen cars, a clean break was the only way forward.
He had made some calls to old friends who had already left town, and one of them agreed to let him crash on their couch for the first week. Lewiston had been a coincidence, but he hadn’t regretted his choice.
“Small town people, right?” Chris’ words jarred Shaun out of his memories. “You worried about them being homophobic?”
He laughed. “I wasn’t even out back then.” Would that have affected the gossip? “No, they just think I’m some no-good high-school drop-out.”
“Which you are.”
“Yeah, but…” He didn’t mind Chris’ ribbing, since Chris was a drop-out too. They’d met while they were both working on getting their GEDs. “You know about the stolen cars.”
Chris laughed. “C’mon, that was years ago! They’ll have forgotten about you being questioned over it. Something more scandalous will have happened since.”
“I doubt it.” He called his parents and Emily regularly. “There’s the usual gossip about who’s cheating on who, and who got who pregnant, but no gangs of thieves lately.”
“But you seriously think they’re still hung up on that?”
“Yeah.”
“And that they’re gonna bring it up at the wedding?”
“Yeah.”
“They sound like assholes.”
Shaun couldn’t help but laugh. “Another reason I moved!” His smile faded. “And they’ll ask me about what I’ve been up to for the past eight years.”
Chris shrugged. “So? Tell them.”
Shaun let out a snort. “Oh right, I’ll tell them I’m a bartender stuck in a dead-end job. I’ll tell them I’m a thirty-year-old who’s still living with a roommate. I’ll tell them my life has zero prospects.”
Chris frowned. “What the hell, since when do you think you have zero prospects? What’s wrong with livi
ng with a roommate? And what’s wrong with me? Or with being a bartender?”
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Shaun assured him. “It’s just… Come on. At this rate, I’ll be bartending at Orion’s and living with you by the time I’m forty.”
“And what’s wrong with that?” Chris sounded annoyed. “You know how expensive it is to rent an apartment here. Plenty of people our age are living with roommates. Sure, they call ‘em boyfriends or girlfriends, but it’s the same thing. And I thought you liked your bartending job?”
“I do.” The bar, his boss, and his colleagues were great. He liked the regulars and the people-watching. A nine-to-five office job like his sister was the last thing he wanted.
“Then what’s the problem?” Chris gestured with one hand, almost spilling soda all over the kitchen floor. “Is it because of the wedding? Stop caring about what some people from your hometown think. It’s a wedding. They’re supposed to be there for your sister, not to gossip about you.”
Shaun shook his head. That was easy for Chris to say. He wouldn’t have to deal with the sneers for an entire weekend. “I wish I could go to that wedding and shove their faces into how amazing and successful my life is, you know?”
“If you care so much, just lie about it.” Chris shook his head. “Tell ‘em about your amazing job and amazing boyfriend and amazing apartment.”
Shaun considered it. It was easy enough to lie for one weekend, and most of the focus would be on his sister’s wedding.
Chris eyed him. “You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”
Shaun felt a flush of embarrassment. “Just about how easy it would be. Instead of telling them I’m a bartender, I could lie and say I own the bar.”
“And tell them you have an amazing boyfriend who just happens to be busy this weekend? An amazing boyfriend your sister and parents have never heard of either?” Chris raised an eyebrow.
That was an excellent point. “I don’t tell my parents everything, and maybe it’s a new boyfriend.” He would need to convince his sister to go along with it. He’d never been able to lie to her. She’d immediately know something was up.
“That sounds even less convincing. If you want to lie, commit to the lie.”
Shaun laughed. “I thought you didn’t want me to lie at all?”
“I’m just saying that you should lie convincingly. Bring someone along.”
“You make it sound so easy.” Where was he supposed to find a fake boyfriend? If he’d been any good at dating, he wouldn’t still be single. No, he would have to bring someone who could play along. He looked at Chris. “Remember your point about boyfriends being the same as roommates?”
Chris’ eyes widened. “You want to bring me along?”
“You’re the one talking about committing to the lie. Lie a little yourself.”
“A little? You know I’m straight, right?”
“Yeah, but it’d only be for one weekend.” He eyed his friend. “Or would it bother you too much?” He’d shared an apartment with Chris long enough to know he wasn’t even low-key homophobic, but maybe this idea was pushing it. He wouldn’t enjoy lying about his sexuality for a weekend either. “Never mind, you’re right. It would be weird if I brought you along.”
“Oh, so now I’m not good enough for you?” Chris shook his head and laughed. “Sorry, just thinking out loud.” He leaned back against the kitchen counter. “I mean, I am straight, so PDA will be…”
“No.” The thought of anything more than holding hands with Chris made him shudder. He liked his friend, but there were limits. “Let’s keep it casual.”
“All right. But it’s still a terrible idea,” Chris said. “Seriously? Me as the amazing, impressive boyfriend?”
Shaun eyed his roommate critically. Chris wasn’t his type, but the blond was attractive and he could hold an intelligent conversation, which was more than Shaun could say about his last few dates. “I did say you’d have to lie yourself.”
Chris punched him in the shoulder. “Thanks for that.”
“You’re not saying ‘no.’”
Chris walked over to the fridge to grab the invitation. “I’ll check my shifts for that weekend.”
Shaun grinned. “Still not a ‘no’.”
Chris put the card back on the fridge. “What’s in it for me, though? It is an entire weekend.”
“There’s an open bar. And I’ll pay for the hotel room, obviously. I’ll take the couch.” He’d have to hope one was available.
His friend smiled. “Tempting….”
“C’mon, what else do you want?” What else motivated Chris? What else could he afford? “How about I pay takeout for the next month?” They usually took turns and ordered something once a week. Even if Chris suddenly decided to order in twice a week, Shaun could afford it.
Chris stroked his chin. “And no arguing which place I want to order from? Tip included?”
“Yes, to both.” Shaun knew what Chris’ taste in takeout was. At most, Chris would order a slightly more expensive pizza to rub it in.
Chris nodded and held out his hand. “Deal, assuming it works out with my shifts.”
Shaun shook his hand. “Awesome. I’ll have to remember how easily you’re bribed with food.”
Chris shrugged. “From how you described it, they sound like assholes, and what kind of friend would I be if I let you deal with that by yourself? The food’s a bonus.”
“Thanks.” He knew he could count on Chris.
“And you know me.” Chris grinned. “It’s a terrible idea, but I love a good, terrible idea. Especially if I get to watch it blow up in someone else’s face.”
“It won’t blow up in anyone’s face.” His stomach squirmed nervously at that. “It’ll be fine.”
“I’m still bringing popcorn along.”
He called Emily a few hours later, after Chris had checked his own schedule and given him the okay. Shaun smiled when his sister whooped into his ear. “I can make it down for the entire weekend, including the rehearsal.” He listened to her turn away from her phone to yell the news to Dale.
“That’s great!” she said, when she got back on the phone. He could hear her grin. “It wouldn’t have been right without you there.”
“There’s just one thing.” His stomach squirmed again. “I’m, um, bringing someone along. A plus one.”
“You are? You haven’t mentioned dating anyone.”
How did he even explain this to her? “You’ll think this is ridiculous.”
“I will if you don’t tell me what’s going on.”
It didn’t help that, as he explained to Emily why he was bringing Chris, Chris was sitting on the couch and fluttering his eyelashes at Shaun. He turned his back to his friend.
“You’re right,” Emily replied after a lengthy pause. “I do think this is ridiculous. Shaun, you don’t need to lie to impress anyone. If anyone at that wedding spends more time gossiping about you than about how great I look in my wedding dress, I’ve done something wrong.”
Shaun heard Dale shout something, and Emily laughed.
“Oh, and they should talk about how good Dale looks in his suit.”
Shaun smiled. “Yes, the wedding should be about you and Dale. I want to make sure it is. No gossip or snide remarks. No one talking about me behind my back or stirring up drama.”
“I bet everyone will have forgotten about that by now. It’s been years.”
“Has your Maid of Honor gotten over her precious Audi getting stolen?”
Emily was silent for a long time. “She may have mentioned it once or twice over the past few months.”
That didn’t surprise him. “How long was it before her dad got her a new one? Two weeks?” It had been a month at the most. Natalie’s parents were among the richest in Millersburg, and Natalie was an only child.
“Something like that.” There was a hint of frustration to her voice. “Look, I’ve asked her and Caroline to let it go.”
Caroline was one of
the bridesmaids, and another high school friend of Emily’s. Shaun snorted. “Right.”
“Besides, if they’re still stuck on something that happened so long ago, screw them.”
His sister’s support was heartening. The constant comparisons between the two of them had annoyed her as much as Shaun. Where Shaun had got a lot of ‘why can’t you be more like your sister?’, Emily had to deal with ‘thank goodness you’re nothing like your brother.’ Shaun didn’t understand how his parents ended up with two children who were so different from each other, but he was glad the two of them got along so well. He’d never resented her for being better in school. He’d saved that for his parents and teachers since they were the ones doing the comparing. “Don’t let Mom hear you say that. She’ll blame it on me.”
“No way, your language is way worse than ‘screw them.’ Not enough F-bombs.”
He laughed at that. “I’ll keep that in check for the wedding.”
“Good! But I’ll play along with your terrible plan, if you’re sure that’s what you want.”
Shaun considered it. Was bringing Chris along and pretending to be a successful bar owner what he wanted for that weekend? Did he really want to lie to everyone? He considered who Emily had invited, along with Natalie, Caroline, and their husbands. They wouldn’t be nice to him either way, but hopefully if they thought he wasn’t a complete loser, it wouldn’t be much worse than a cold shoulder. Besides, he could do with someone on his side apart from Emily. “Yes. I’m sure.”
“All right.” Emily’s tone was still skeptical. “Then there’s something else I need to talk to you about. I’ve been talking with Dale about how to make sure you’re a part of the wedding, but you’re late confirming that you’ll be there, so—”