“God, I’ve missed you.” The voice next to me makes me go completely rigid, as do Billy and Joey who turn around quickly. “Oh, um, sorry I didn’t… fuck.” My eyes meet his briefly and before I can even think of a reaction to that, the doors swing open and the DJ begins announcing the wedding party. Brooke and Trent, followed by Joey and Billy are sent through as Reese and I move up and he slips my hand through his arm. My breathing is irregular, I’m nervous as hell, and he can sense it. “Dylan, relax. I’ve got you.” I open my mouth to tell him to stop getting me when the DJ comes through the speaker system.
“And now please give a warm welcome to our lovely maid of honor, Dylan Sparks and her handsome escort, the best man, Reese Carroll.”
Cheers and whistles fill the room as I’m practically dragged behind Reese. We pass a table of women who hoot and holler at him and he gives them his perfect smile as we walk towards the dance floor. “Jesus Christ,” I mutter under my breath at them and feel his soft laugh shake against my body. We stand next to Joey and Billy and watch as Ian and Juls are announced, my hand removed from his arm to allow me to clap along with the crowd of people as they walk joyously into the hall. They stop in the center of the dance floor and begin their first dance as husband and wife. The wedding party moves about, talking amongst themselves and I glance over and see Reese make his way towards a table where a dark headed woman is sitting, her eyes beaming at him. She stands and practically hurls herself up into his arms and he wraps her up, planting kisses into her hair and I immediately turn away. Shit. Are you serious right now? He brought a f**king date? The sound of the song is blurred out around me as I move towards Joey and yank him away from Billy, pulling him towards the opposite end of the dance floor.
“Jesus, what?” he asks as I finally let go of his jacket. I’m shaking and he eyes up my appearance, his hand coming up to grab my bare shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“He brought a date. A f**king date, Joey. I was not expecting that.” My chest is rising and falling rapidly and I feel like I might just pass out right here in the middle of this thing. I see his eyes search across the dance floor and spot Reese, who is talking closely with the young and very attractive woman.
“Fuck. That’s so not cool. Want me to say something? I can throw his ass out of here. Or hers if you want.”
“Oh please, like you would stand a chance against Reese. But her, maybe.” He narrows his eyes at me and makes a face. “Fuck, this is awful. He’s all over her. I figured Brooke would be the only bitch I’d be fighting today.” The soft song dies down and everyone is told to take their seats so that the meal can be served. I make an obscene gesture in the direction of Reese who is none the wiser as I walk up to the bridal party table and take my seat next to Juls.
I’m quiet during the meal, my only words to Juls being that I’m so happy for her and that she looks radiant. I pick at the food on my plate and keep finding myself glancing over at the table that Reese had been hovering over during the first dance. The woman is young, probably close to my age and has dark brown curly hair that falls just above her shoulders. She’s talking amongst the other guests at her table and having a blast, while my mind is eyeing up my utensils and deciding which weapon of choice I’d like to use on her if I get the chance. But really, is it her fault that he asked her here as his date? She probably doesn’t know about me, let alone the history we share. She’s an innocent bystander that he’s dragged into this mess like a complete f**king ass**le. I’m gripping my knife tightly in my fist and feel Joey pry it out of my grasp, quickly putting it far away from me.
“Relax please. I’d really rather not have the cops called at Juls’ wedding reception,” he says under his breath as I let out a forceful one. The DJ softens the music and talks through the speakers as I try and calm down.
“And now I will ask that the wedding party make their way out onto the dance floor for a special number.”
“Oh great. Give me my knife back,” I growl at Joey as we all stand up and he shoves it farther down the table. He grabs my waist and directs me down the stairs, the rest of the wedding party meeting us out on the dance floor and finally letting go of me when he plants me directly in front of Reese. I cross my arms over my chest and refuse to look up and into his eyes. Bastard. I hear a small sound of amusement from above me as he steps into me and pries them down; wrapping his hand around my back while his other holds mine against his chest. A song that guts me begins playing overhead and I flick my eyes up to his and see his soft smile. Of all songs the DJ could have picked for this stupid moment, he picks “Look after You?” Perfect.
“What the f**k is this? Did you ask for him to play this song?” I ask angrily as I try to wiggle free. His grip around me tightens.
“So what if I did? It doesn’t mean anything to you anyway so what’s the problem?”
“Oh you’re so right, Reese. It means nothing to me. You’re a f**king ass**le you know that? I can’t believe you brought a date to this thing and had the nerve to accuse me of flirting with Juls’ cousin.” I glare up at him as he moves me around the dance floor, my anger level rising at the realization that he’s also good at slow dancing. Really f**king good at it.
“What date? What the f**k are you talking about?”
I tilt my head towards the direction of the pretty brunette who is staring at us, smiling for some weird ass reason. “That date. I saw you with her. Kissing her and talking all close and intimate. Fuck you. I would never do that in front of you.”