“I do, but I also saw the way you watched her leave.” I picked up the football and tossed it back to him. “Rules are made to be broken, my friend.”
“Ha!” He laughed out loud. “Says the all-American boy who just got engaged to the all-American girl who comes built-in with the most perfect all-American family ever. Congratulations, ass wipe.”
“Thank you. I think.”
“Have you set a date yet?”
“Not even close.” I got up and walked over to the bar area of his office and grabbed a water bottle out of his fridge. “Other than telling the girls yesterday, we’ve barely even talked about it. Want one?” I held up the bottle.
“Sure.” I tossed the bottle to him. “Thanks. What do you mean you’ve barely talked about it?”
Walking back to the couch, I groaned. “You know, Alexa said the same thing to Kacie yesterday. Why is everyone thinking we should’ve had this planned already?”
“I don’t know, but you weren’t kidding when you said everyone. Once that newspaper hit the street this morning and the article went online, I got three e-mails from banquet hall owners offering their services.” He cracked his water bottle open and took a swing.
“You did?”
“Yep. Apparently they think I’m your wedding planner, not your agent.”
“Actually, funny you should mention that, I do need your help with something.” I shifted uncomfortably on the couch. Andy had been my best friend as far back as I could remember, but I was nervous about asking him to be my best man. Viper was easy. I knew he’d be all over it. While I didn’t necessarily think Andy would say no, I knew he had a lot of shit going on. Part of me felt like no matter what, he would always be the figurative older brother I would constantly seek validation from.
“So, I know life is crazy for you right now, and I don’t want to add to that,”—I rubbed my sweaty palms on the thighs of my jeans—“but I would be honored if you would stand up next to me and be my best man.”
Andy sat in his chair like the boss that he was, completely confident and relaxed as he rubbed his top lip with his thumb and stared back at me, making me wait longer than I was comfortable with for his response.
“Brody, you’re right. My life is crazy. The phones are ringing off the hook since you signed that huge-ass contract the other day. Blaire is as obnoxious as ever, dragging me in and out of court for money every ten minutes, and being a single dad is way harder than anything I do inside this office.”
Oh shit. I’m going to have to beg Viper, aren’t I?
“But… that all being said, do you honestly think for one minute I’d pass up standing shoulder to shoulder with my best friend when he gets married?” He stood up and offered his hand to me. “And I’m the one that’s honored, friend.”
It was late when Brody got back to my house. He’d gone to the city for the day to talk to Viper and Andy, and though I told him he didn’t have to come back for the night since it was going to be so late, he insisted, and I didn’t argue.
Mom, Fred, and I were sitting on the couch when we heard the front door open. I hopped up and tried not to jog up front.
“Hey,” I welcomed, throwing my arms around his neck. His big arms wrapped around me, squeezing so hard it made my chest ache, but I didn’t dare tell him for fear that he’d quit hugging me like that every time.
“Hey, babe. How was your day?” He loosened the hug but didn’t let go.
“Good. How was yours? How did everything go?”
I squirmed out of his arms and we walked hand in hand to the living room.
“Hi, Brody!” Mom called out when we got to the kitchen, Fred offering a silent wave.
“Hey,” Brody responded, sounding exhausted.
“You okay?” I gently rubbed the side of his face as he sat down at the island. “Can I get you something?”
“No, thanks. I’m good, just tired. It was a long day.” He smiled. “But everything went well. Viper said he’d be in the wedding, then proceeded to book every illegal activity in Minnesota for a bachelor party.”
“Oh boy.” I laughed nervously, setting a glass of ice water in front of him.
“Thanks, and don’t worry. I told him to chill out. I will definitely have a say in what we do.” He paused and took a long drink of the water he said he didn’t need. “Then I went to Andy’s. We ended up talking longer than I’d planned on, and he asked me to go have a burger and a beer with him, so I did.”
“I’m glad you had such a good day.”
“All right, you crazy kids.” Mom walked over to us with Fred following right behind. “Us old folks are heading to bed. Turn the lights off when you’re done?”
“Got it, Mom.” I yawned, suddenly feeling just as tired as Brody looked.
She leaned over and kissed my forehead before she and Fred disappeared down the hall.
Brody rested his chin on his fist and smiled lazily at me, his beautiful green eyes sparkling. “You look tired too.”
“I wasn’t until you got home.” I yawned again. “Suddenly I’m ready for bed.”
Brody cocked an eyebrow at me as the corner of his mouth pulled up in a sexy smirk. “Ready for bed, or ready for Brody?”
“Well, I meant bed, but I could possibly be persuaded into something else.” I giggled.
“No, if you’re really tired, we’ll just go to bed.”
“I’m tired. I’m stressed. I’m just… blah.”
“Wanna talk about it?” He reached over and squeezed my hand.
I shrugged halfheartedly.
“Come on.” Pulling me to a stand, he held on to my hand and led me to the living room, where we both sat on the couch. He lifted my feet into his lap and started massaging them as he looked at me. “What’s going on? Talk to me.”
“I think Alexa’s comments yesterday are bothering me more than I initially thought.”
“How so?”
“I don’t know. I just feel like a slacker because we haven’t picked the wedding date and location and a dress and everything else, all within forty-eight hours of being engaged.” I sighed.
“Ah.” He nodded. “Those comments. Yeah, I kinda got the same thing from Andy today.”
“You did?”
Who knew guys talked about wedding planning too?
“Yeah, he actually said he got a few e-mails this morning from different places offering to host our reception.”
“Holy shit, seriously? I don’t get it. Why do so many people care where we get married?”
Brody shrugged and shook his head as he continued the best foot massage ever given by any human ever. “Publicity, probably. Then they can forever say they held Brody and Kacie’s wedding there.”
I tilted my head to the side and narrowed my eyes at him skeptically. “Gimmie a break. They don’t care about the Kacie part. They just want to be able to say Brody Murphy got married there. Who you’re marrying is irrelevant.”
“Not to me,” he said sweetly, trying to make me feel better.
“Oh, I know and it’s okay. I couldn’t care less what the public or whoever thinks of our wedding. It’s for us, you and me, and that’s all that matters.”