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Neal puts up a photo on the screen of Damon and I taken up close after our swim, with our bleached hair that’s turned a beautiful shade of lime green. Our hair is awful, but it’s a great photo of the two of us, so young at thirteen, forgetting our worries for a while and laughing at Neal, who’s taking the photo.
“Surprisingly,” I continue, “the two girls we had our eye on were not interested in becoming groupies for the Antarctic Coyotes.”
I glance down at Missie, who’s chuckling away. Then I look at Damon, who’s smiling at me. “Damon’s been my best mate since the age of twelve,” I say. “He’s helped me through some tough times, and he’s still the guy I turn to whenever I need someone I can rely on. He’s smart, resourceful, and he’s incredibly good-looking, which is really annoying.” Everyone laughs, and I smile back at him. “He’s an amazing best friend, and even though I once told him I’d kill him if he touched my sister, Damon, I’m thrilled you’re going to be my brother-in-law.”
He laughs and gets up, and the two of us exchange a bearhug.
“Thanks, man,” he says in my ear, holding me there. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Always,” I tell him. “I’m glad she’s got you.”
He tightens his arms, then releases me, and I give him the mic and sit down.
I reach out to hold Missie’s hand, pleased when her fingers close around mine.
“Like Alex said,” Damon begins, “we’ll keep the main speeches for tomorrow. But I have a few things to say today. I want to thank my parents for all their support over the years. How the two of you have put up not just with the twins but with me and Alex as well, I’ll never know, but I’m so glad you were there for us, and I know I’m speaking for all of us when I say how much we appreciate you and what you’ve done for us.”
I get to my feet, and so do Kip and Saxon, and the four of us clap Neal and Mae. Neal puts his arm around his wife, and Mae presses her fingers to her lips, clearly touched.
“Next I want to thank Kip and Saxon,” Damon says. “You guys have always been great brothers. I know everyone says twins have a special connection, but I can honestly say you’ve never made me feel awkward or on the outside because of that. We’re guys, so we don’t get to say it often enough, but I love you both.”
They get up and exchange bearhugs, while everyone else goesAwwww!
“Alex,” Damon says once the twins have sat. He looks down at me and smiles. “We met on the first day of high school, when we were placed in the same form class. We all had to stand up and tell the rest of the class something about ourselves that we were proud of. And Alex stood up and said he had a level eighty paladin on World of Warcraft, and I thought, ‘I want to be friends with that guy.’” He grins as everyone cheers, and I chuckle.
“I know you said your sister was off limits,” Damon continues. “I’m sorry about that, bro.” He gives an embarrassed grin as everyone laughs. “We did fight our affection, for several years, but I think it was always going to end this way. And I’m glad, because it means I get to have you not just as a best mate, but as a brother-in-law. You’re a fantastic guy, and I couldn’t ask for anyone better for that role.”
We have another hug as everyone cheers. Wow, this is turning into a soppy evening, but I guess if you can’t say these things at a wedding, when can you say them?
“Lastly,” Damon says as I sit, “I want to thank my beautiful bride-to-be. She was only six when I first called her Belle, and the word is as apt now as it was back then. Sweetheart, I’m crazy about you, and although I think you’re more than aware of that, I’m hoping this’ll convince you even more.” He nods to his father, who starts up some music. I laugh. It’s the Beatles’Michelle, and as McCartney’s voice rings out across the terrace, Damon joins in and sings the words to her.
I watch her blush and laugh, then stand and dance with him as he sings, while everyone around us claps and fights against shedding tears. Then I look at Missie, not surprised to see her also trying not to cry.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Missie
After the food, there’s music and dancing, although it’s all a little more sedate than it was last night. Both Alex and I have only had the one glass of champagne, and I know he wants to have his wits about him for Damon’s sake.
I watch him doing his best man duties—making sure Damon and Belle have whatever they want, keeping an eye on our friends so they’re never without a drink, getting wraps for the girls when it gets cold, handing out cushions for the old aunts, welcoming and entertaining all the time, bewitching everyone with his gentle wit and his warm smile.
If I wasn’t in love with him before this, I’d have fallen for him tonight. I thought he was sexy last night, dancing with the other guys and doing his comedy routine, but there’s something about a man who’s a good host, who’s genial and capable, and who genuinely cares about the people around him. He’s smiled more tonight than in all the time I’ve known him. Am I anything to do with that? I hope so.
In between his errands, he’s always at my side, and he often takes my hand and brings me with him to introduce me to someone he’s known a long time—often, I have to say, Damon’s relatives rather than his own. It’s clear that he’s very fond of the Chevalier family, and from the way the favorite uncles and second cousins react to him, I can see they think of him more as Damon’s brother than his friend, and certainly someone they’re very fond of.
There is someone that I haven’t had a chance to talk to yet. The sun has now set, and the terrace has been lit by fairy lights that sparkle against the darkening sky. When Alex is off helping Mae organize something, I spot Kaitlyn Cross on her own, sipping a glass of water and studying her phone. Henry’s been looking after her for most of the day, but he’s currently talking to Mack and Saxon by the bar, so I go over to her.
She looks up in surprise, as if she’s unused to people approaching her, although surely it must happen all the time. She’s very beautiful, far too thin, but her makeup is immaculate, and her clothes are obviously expensive.
“Hello,” I say. “We haven’t really had a chance to talk yet. Do you mind if I sit with you for a bit?”
“No, of course.”
“Tell me if you’d rather be alone,” I say, “but I was hoping to wheedle some secrets about Alex from you.”
She scans my face as if suspicious that I’m mocking her. “I think you should talk to Sherry or Mae if you’re looking for information about Alex.”
“Aw,” I say, “they’re both lovely, but it’s not the same as talking to his mum.”
