Page 7 of All In

Mom brushes her hands down my lapels. “Now don’t you worry about that. You’ll be just fine.”

Grayson’s lips tilt up at the corners. Leave it to a mom to tell you it’s all gonna be fine. It’s almost like she forgets she raised me and that she doesn’t know I have a tendency to trip over my own feet.

My stomach flips wildly. “It’s going to be okay,” Grayson says, stepping closer.

Reaching up, he picks up a lock of my hair, moving it off my forehead. I stare up at him, keeping my eyes on his. There’s nothing in the world like knowing he’s here for me. If I’m being real honest? He’s the only thing keeping me from freaking the fuck out.

Josh’s brother, Andy, is his best man, and I’m surprised. For most of our relationship, they haven’t even spoken to each other. Family drama, Josh once told me. I was worried about that at first. My family is close-knit and supportive of each other, and we haven’t had any notable issues. Not like that, anyway.

His parents have always been nice to me, though, so I didn’t push when they invited half the damn city to what I wanted to be an intimate gathering. Just the thought of all those people, though… Sheesh.

Even from in here, I can hear the low murmur of the crowd outside, and I know that in a few minutes, I’m gonna have to walk past them all and toward Josh.

The door creaks open, and the noise from the crowd grows louder. Dad pokes his head around the corner. “They’re ready for you.”

I blow out a breath, and then another.

Then one more for good measure. Never can have enough oxygen, you know?

“Stop biting your lip,” Grayson murmurs, carefully pulling it free of my teeth with his thumb. “You ready?”

I nod. “Ready as I’m gonna be, I think.”

I take one last look around, then follow my dad, mom, and Grayson out of the room.

Thankfully, the crowd is quieter now. Only the slight whispers of people instead of the dull roar from before.

We’re waiting for Josh outside the closed double doors of the ballroom when the door to his dressing room opens. My eyes snap in his direction, only to come face to face with Andy. His eyes widen when he sees me. “Hey, Josh still isn’t quite ready. Quick change of plans, alright? I’ll go grab him. You walk first?”

Fuck. I do not do well with changing plans. But I don’t want to be a bother, and especially not today, so I swallow hard and nod. “Okay.”

Relief colors his expression, and he gives me a concise nod. “Be right back. Give me five, then you can walk.”

Mom and Dad follow him with their eyes as he walks away.

“Well, that’s bad manners.”

“Grayson,” I hiss.

He shrugs, staring after Andy. “Well, it is. After all the shit he gave you for being late, the least he could do is get out here on time.”

Well, he’s got me there. “Can one of you set a timer so I know when to walk?”

Grayson looks at his watch, then nods. “I’ve got you.”

It feels like seconds and somehow hours before Gray glances at his watch again and then nods. “Okay. It’s time.”

Fuck. Alright.

He opens the big door just a crack, then peeks his head inside. “Okay. They look like they’re ready. The band just nodded at me, so.”

I stand to the side while he opens the door, Mom on one side of me and Dad on the other, my arms looped through theirs as Grayson fully opens the door and steps through.

We practiced this last week, so when the sounds of violins reach my ears, I start counting in my head.

Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty…

Mom and Dad move with me as I step through the doorway.