Gavin looks like he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“Gavin is coming with us, Carina. I owe him a bachelor party.”
“No, no! No. You can’t start playing Best Man after I’ve already made plans. There’s an itinerary. I paid for this wine tasting.”
“She’s right! And you guys can’t leave us here without a ride!” Camila hollers.
“I just texted Jerome to let him know you’re here. He has a driver on the way. They’ll wait outside until you ladies are done.”
“You can’t make plans over my plans,” Carina argues.
“I think he did, though,” Vernon says and falls into a laughing fit. The men are beside themselves. Each of the guys has already reclaimed their seats, ready for the real fun to begin. Until Carina cuts her eyes at Gavin. He bolts upright, practically launching himself out of his seat.
Carina looks like she’s on the verge of tears. Danielle, Lety, and Camila shift their weight from one foot to the other, ready for wine. They clearly don’t care what we do. Marley stares at me like she’s proud.
“Guys, hold on,” Gavin tells us and steps off the bus. He approaches Carina, her eyes doing that thing they do when she wants her way. He grips her waist, pulling her close, and whispers in her ear. Marley beckons me with her finger, and I step from the bus as well, approaching her as Gavin works to calm Carina down.
“You know she’s going to make your life miserable for this, right?” she says under her breath.
“As if she doesn’t already.”
A laugh peels out of her.
“For what it’s worth, I’m glad you did it.”
And then, to my surprise, Marley kisses me on the cheek.
“Damn, whatever I have to do to get kisses, I’m down for.”
She pushes me playfully. “Your aunt would be proud of you. You’re finally out here acting like a real Best Man.”
“I’m trying,” I tell her and pull her in close to me. Her approval means more than she knows, and I bite back a smile.
“Well, have fun,” she says shyly.
“Yo, O! Let’s go!” Vernon yells from the bus.
I kiss Marley, not wanting to leave her, but the hoots and hollers from the bus remind me I have a bachelor party to host.
When I climb back onto the bus, the guys erupt into another round of cheers and applause.
“Kudos to you for making this happen,” Todd says, reaching across the aisle to shake my hand.
I drop into the seat across from him as the bus pulls away from the resort and heads toward our destination.
“This trip was getting way too feminine,” says Vernon. “I hate to say it, bro. But why in the hell would you let Carina plan the entire week?”
“It’s her wedding," he answers matter-of-factly.
Vernon and Todd groan and shake their heads.
“It’s your wedding too!” the rest of us holler in unison. Gavin laughs uncomfortably.
“Come on, you guys know weddings are really for the women.”
“Wrong!” James snaps.
“It’s a union for the manandwoman, G.”
