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"You guess? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
I shrugged. I didn't know how to get what I was feeling across in words. Everything leading up to today had been wonderful, until I woke up this morning and something just hit. "Honestly, I don't know. Maybe I just woke up on the wrong side this morning." I looked over at my best friend who stood there smirking.
"Are you nervous?"
"No. I guess I’m just second-guessing if she is the one."
Zach was just about to reach for his shirt and stopped as the words left my mouth. "You're joking, right? Dude, you are getting married in less than an hour. Come on, she's a great girl. It’s probably just cold feet. It will be fine."
I grabbed the perfectly pressed white shirt off the hanger and slid my arms into it. "I hope you’re right."
Zach got up off the bed, walked over to the mirror, and tied his tie. "What do you mean you hope I'm right? You've been with her for fifteen years, man. Of course, it’s going to be fine."
"Yeah, but I should be ecstatic, happy, excited to start this journey with her, but instead I'm second-guessing everything. It's just a little unnerving."
"Seriously, man, it’s just nerves. Breathe. It will be okay. You'll see her walk down that aisle looking absolutely stunning and you'll forget all about second-guessing."
I silently prayed Zach was right. However, he hadn’t seen Laura's face when I dropped her off at her parents’ last night. The way she hung onto me as she hugged me good-bye, or the tears in her eyes as she looked back over to me before I had left. I let out a breath and wrapped my tie around my neck when the other three guys came in carrying ten shots on a tray.
"Party time is here!" Ben yelled out, setting the tray down on the table in the middle of the room.
"What is that?" I asked as I finished tying my tie and adjusting my collar, adding the cufflinks to my sleeves.
"Tequila! Open up, motherfucker. You need to chill the fuck out!"
"Fuck, guys, Laura will kill me if she smells this on me. I can't. You guys go ahead. We made a promise to one another that there would be no alcohol before the ceremony."
"Already letting her control everything, are you? Don't be such a pussy!" Evan said, handing me the shot. "It’s your fucking wedding, man. Drink it."
I chuckled at my seriousness and took the shot, praying that the smell would wear off before I stood across from her and said my vows.
"On three." Zach called one...two...and down went the shot. The hot, nasty-tasting liquid seared a path down my throat and heated my chest.
There was a constant murmur of voices that I soon blocked out as we continued to get ready. By the second shot, I noticed Zach looking over at me a couple of times, making eye contact, checking in to make sure I was indeed okay, but like the best friend he was, he never said a single word in front of the other guys. No one other than us knew how I was feeling.
A knock on the door quieted the guys down, and Zach quickly answered it. "Hey, Drew, boutonnieres are here!" I heard Zach yell as I stepped out of the bathroom.
I walked over, taking them from the guy at the door, and set them on the table. I stared down at the single red rose that Laura wanted us all to wear on our lapels and was overcome with that funny feeling again. I swallowed hard. Where was the damn wedding coordinator? She was supposed to be here already, and I feared if she didn't show up soon I was going to change my mind. Just as that thought ran through my mind, she appeared, almost as if she were the genie and I had just rubbed the magic lamp.
She came rushing in the door, grabbing everyone's attention. "Okay, boys, let’s get these on, shall we." She grabbed one of the boutonnieres and began pinning it onto Zach.
I watched as she took turns pinning the flowers onto my three other friends before she turned to me. "All right, Drew, here we go. Are you ready?" she asked, carefully pinning the flower to my suit.
I nodded, swallowing my nerves down. "I just came from your bride's room. She looks stunning. Just wait until you see her." Once she had finished securing my boutonniere to my jacket, she quickly brushed a piece of lint away that had been sitting on my suit jacket and placed her hands on my chest. "All right, we should get down there."
I nodded, swallowing hard.
Minutes later, we were lined up at the alter, Drew on my left followed by the other three guys. I stood looking out at the guests, all 500 of them, and I started to sweat. I pulled at my collar, clearing my throat. "Did you remember the ring?" I whispered to Zach, who was busy making eyes at his girl, Ann Marie.
"Do you honestly think I would forget?" he, asked tapping his breast pocket. "Calm down, man, everything’s going to be okay."
Seconds later, I saw the wedding coordinator peek her head through the doors at the back of the church and the “Wedding March” started to play as a deathly hush fell over the crowd and people stood. My nerves kicked into high gear as I waited for my bride to emerge through those doors.
Chapter 3
Alexa - December
I grabbeda large peppermint mocha from Starbucks and began walking toward my gate. I was so excited to be going home this year for Christmas. It seemed everyone was just as excited as I watched all the families getting ready for their flights to their holiday destinations. I took my time. I was at the airport early and took this opportunity to wander through all the overpriced shops, something I rarely had the time to do.
