“Why wouldIbe nervous?” I push off the counter slightly so I’m not slouching. “I’m not the one getting married.”
Ethan flips me off from across the room. “I give it a year before you propose to Sienna for real.”
“Fuck off,” I grumble, taking another swig of beer.
Ryan leans back on the couch, stretching his arms along the backrest. “Remember when we were all single in college and the biggest decision was which bar to hit? Now look at us. One of you is about to be tied down for life, and the other…” He points at me with his bottle. “Within a year, I bet.”
The guys chuckle, and Jax leans forward. “I still can’t believe the day is almost here. You’ve been talking about marrying Aria since you bumped into her at that coffee shop. I remember you texting the group chat saying you found the woman you’re going to marry.”
Ethan laughs, but there’s a nervous edge to it. “I know. It’s crazy how much time has passed since then. One accidental coffee spill, and Iknewshe was it for me. I’m nervous?—”
“Why are you nervous?” Ryan cuts in, raising a brow. “You’ve been together foryears.”
“Not helping.”
Tom suddenly stands and moves behind the couch, resting his hands on Ethan’s shoulders, giving a light, fatherly squeeze. “You’re a good man, son. Did I ever tell you how nervous I was on my wedding day? I puked minutes before your mom walked down the aisle. Nerves are good. It just proves how much you love her.”
Ethan leans his head back against the couch, letting out a slow breath. “Yeah… I just don’t want to screw it up. What if she looks at me tomorrow and suddenly realizes she could do better?”
Ryan snorts and shakes his head. “If she hasn’t already realized that yet, I think you’re safe, dude.”
Ethan runs both hands through his hair. “What if I spill something on my suit? What if I trip? What if I forget my vows?—”
“Stop,” I say, setting my beer down, then walking over and gripping his shoulders firmly. “Everything is going to be perfect. You’ve been planning this for years. Aria loves you. You’re not going to trip. If you do, we’ll all laugh about it for the rest of our lives. Just breathe, man.”
Ethan stares at me for a second, then lets out a shaky laugh. “You’re right. I’m losing it.”
“You’re not losing it,” Gregory says warmly. “You’re going to be fine, son. The second you see her tomorrow, everything else will disappear. I promise.”
Ethan nods, visibly relaxing. “I just want the day to be perfect for her. She’s been going out of her mind planning it, so I don’t want to be the one to ruin it for her.”
“It will be,” I say, giving his shoulder one last squeeze. “Because she’s marryingyou, not the perfect ceremony. Just you.”
The room quiets for a beat, then Ethan stands like he wasn’t spiraling seconds ago. “Okay, enough of this sappy shit. Who wants another beer before we all start crying?”
Laughter erupts again as the tension dissolves instantly. Ethan grabs several beers from the fridge, brings them back, and passes them out to everyone.
Ryan raises his bottle. “To Ethan not tripping tomorrow.”
“Oh,come on,” Ethan groans, rolling his eyes. “You could’ve toasted toanythingbut that. Now I’m going to trip. You’ve jinxed it.”
“To Ethan not tripping.” We all echo, clinking bottles.
Hours later,when the guys are deep in a loud debate about the best way to survive married life, I step out onto the deck for some fresh air.
The ocean is dark and endless, the moon casting silver light across the water. I lean on the railing, beer bottle dangling from my fingers, letting the cool breeze settle over me.
Footsteps sound behind me. I turn to see Gregory step out, two fresh beers in hand. He hands me one and leans on the railing beside me.
“Mind if I join you?” he asks.
“Not at all.” I shake my head.
We stand in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the waves roll in.
“I’ve always worried about Sienna,” he says quietly. “She’s always been… everywhere at once. Restless. Chaotic in the best way. She never could sit still. Aria was always the tame one, the planner, the one who followed rules. Sienna? She was our wild one from the start.”
“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” I laugh.
