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"Whatever you think."
I pull Tynleigh against me. I would've been fine with leaving, but I'm going to keep that to myself, because in this very moment the tits on the stage don't draw my attention, the alcohol isn't appealing to me, and the clothes on my body are feeling restrictive. The place I'd rather be—her bed, staring at her tits, and getting drunk between her legs with absolutely no clothes in the way.
I want her . . . without end.
Chapter Seventeen
Tynleigh
Istand with my cell phone ready in front of me, camera on, waiting for Saxton and Kambry to cut the cake, along with the short guest list. I smile, looking at that damn three tier white cake, lightly decorated with pearls and topped with a bundle of red roses to cover the small top tier, matching petals cascading down the cake as if they're falling through the air and landing in various places, sticking to the icing. Then I shake my head, because if I think about that damn cake tasting every time I see cake I'm in trouble.
The two of them stand perfectly poised behind the cake table. They’re lost in each other, big smiles on each of their faces reflecting the way they feel, and making it obvious that this truly is the best day of their lives, despite their age difference. I'm really excited for them. I've never seen my brother this happy, and in turn it makes me happy. He always was the most like my parents out of the two of us when it came to the way he loved. He deserves a girl that is going to make him the center of her world, and that's what Kambry does. I can see it every time she looks at him when she thinks no one is watching. I believe they both need each other in different ways, for different reasons. Even though I lost my belief in 'once in a lifetime love' long ago, I still like to see others find it.
They each take a small piece of cake, readying the slices in the air between the two of them, loving looks aimed at the other. Their hands inch across, moving the cake toward the other, when suddenly, and at the exact same time, shove the pieces against each other's mouths like I did with Bryant and the cupcake, smashing cake everywhere, crumbs falling between them into a mess. I snap the photo in a burst of multiple, capturing back to back shots when Kambry starts laughing aloud, Saxton pulling her in for a kiss, the two lingering for a moment too long to be appropriate for public and an audience consisting of parents, but somehow it always works for them.
I can't believe this week is coming to a close already. It feels like it's flown by, surprisingly. It's hard looking back, knowing so many events have happened in the same week. Everything will change with the end of the weekend. Tonight, I'll say goodbye to my brother and his wife for who knows how long so that they can have a wedding night to themselves and enjoy the beginning of their new marriage. Late tomorrow night I'll see Bryant off so he can pack and Joel can accompany him to the airport hours before sunup—their little ritual when he visits. Tomorrow will be my last chance to spend time with him after breakfast with my parents that morning, and then they'll also return home. Monday is my last day before I return to the real world: work. My weekdays will go back to writing, proofing, meetings, and writing some more. Instead of a hot guy being the highlight of my day and the main thing I have to look at, it'll be my bitch of an editor or my cubicle walls.
Everyone important as of late will be in California by the time I return home from work on Tuesday evening. My apartment will probably seem too quiet and I won't know what to do with myself. I've learned to live with the chaos, and even enjoy it. I've made it without the control. And I've found myself loving the company of people far more than I ever have before. The constant presence of a certain man hasn't been as bad as I've always imagined, even when the sex is on a temporary timeout, which isn't as often as I'm used to. The confusing part—I'm not sure if it'll be a welcome change or a dreaded one if I were honest with myself, no one else listening in on my thoughts.
Today has passed in a bit of a blur since we woke up this morning. Luckily no hangovers were present and no tiredness remained that a few cups of coffee didn't fix. The boys left first thing on strict instructions to stay away while I got Kambry ready. The house was all theirs for as long as they needed it, per Meg, with the exception of one corner of the house that was left for the bridal party. They had their itinerary perfectly mapped out so that we had no worries of the groom showing up late to his own wedding; though I'm pretty sure Saxton was here way ahead of schedule.
As for us girls, we took the more leisurely approach to a schedule. We started with a delicious pancake brunch at my favorite place and ended at the salon, sipping on mimosas and enjoying a little girl chat as each of us were pampered with hair and makeup, then made our way to the house to get dressed for the wedding party photos, in first command by me. I pride myself on the outcome of this wedding. It may have been a fly-by-night engagement and nothing spectacular in the eyes of the media or socialites, but I was able to use a few connections in this city to cover the basics: cake, venue, photographer, dress, alcohol and DJ. I'll always be thankful to a special girl I know that has a knack for decor and staging, also known as Candice—my sidekick at work and party partner when I need a night out and Meg is unavailable or I just need a change in people.
Thank God for good friends, because Meg volunteered to bypass the partying with us and Candice traded in a night of freedom to stay out here last night decorating the patio and working for hours creating a small makeshift reception area while still letting me play hostess. One thing every female understands even if not in a committed relationship is that every woman deserves a dream wedding, whether simple or complex.
"Tynleigh! Heads up," Meg shouts, pulling me out of my head just in time for a bouquet to come flying at me. Reflex takes over and I catch it before it hits me in the head in an embarrassing way.
I blink, staring at it for a moment, realizing what's in my hand. I hold it out, eyes wide, aiming it at Meg as if it's burning my hand. "Take this! I thought we were skipping this part. There aren't enough single, wedding-crazed, love-seeking women here to fight over this. I don't want it."
Everyone just stares at me, no one offering to take this damn bouquet that marks those who capture it with a curse. "This is lovely, Tynleigh," Mom says, her hands clapping together, staring at me with a happy expression I don't like. "You know what this means . . ."
"I think your mom is plotting your wedding already." The recognition of Bryant's voice in a low, sexy tone sounds in my ear from behind. I turn, eying a lace garter freely spinning around his index finger as he turns his beer up, taking a sip.
"Where did you get that?" I ask, the smirk he's wearing on his face suspicious. There is no way I missed all this shit in the matter of a two second checkout into my own head. This was not part of the itinerary. You need at least a hundred guests for this kind of wedding nonsense. That way those like me can hang back and pretend we're participating even though we aren't. There are always a few girls fiending for love at weddings. The single guys only come to get laid by said girls looking for love. It's an easy fuck when 'love' is in the air. Girls like me sit back and laugh as we watch it play out.
He shrugs his shoulders, and then shoves it into his pants pocket. "Saxton pulled it off Kambry's thigh like he was starving to cop a feel and sling shot it into the air with his fingers. I didn't think Meredith would be too happy if Ben caught it, since they're a couple and all. I'd say I saved your ass from a catfight. You really owe me a good dick sucking later."
I narrow my eyes. He continues, his expression not falling at all. He points his head in the direction of where I was watching Saxton and Kambry with the cake. "You want to announce a fake engagement for fun just to see the looks on their faces? I'm pretty sure Hell would freeze over before it would actually happen. It'd probably be good video material for YouTube."
I hit him with the bouquet on his shoulder. "I don't believe in this shit. And don't you dare give my mom those kinds of ideas. This one is likely going to be the child that breaks her heart. She doesn't need any false hope."
"I think they already have it," he whispers. "All of them. Should we tell them it's just really fucking good sex and wait for the pen to drop?"
I glance up, realizing everyone is standing around staring happily, drunk on wedding love, and sipping on their champagne or beer as if they're waiting for us to go public about some relationship that doesn't exist—all except Saxton, who is holding Kambry in front of his body with a curious expression as he studies the two of us. Quizzical, smart bastard. He reads into too much shit. I feel like I'm waiting on the zombie apocalypse to happen, where everyone normal turns into raging lunatics and begin trying to eat me alive. "What?" I yell, disturbing the peaceful silence, causing the air to electrify. "It'll make a good paperweight. Get back to the party. I'm going to see where that damn DJ is. I'm not paying him for smoke breaks," I say, walking away to gather myself away from the staring eyes; far away from said hot man that turns my insides into mass destruction with one spoken word, one soulful look, or one cock of that beautiful beard-outlined mouth that can wreak havoc between a girl’s legs. Sappy fucking shit. When will some people learn that not everyone needs a damn matchmaker . . .
Bryant
I stand here, just as every other guest, watching Saxton and Kambry take on the dance floor in the first dance as 'man and wife.' The difference in me and everyone else—I'm the only one standingalone.My date disappeared.She walked away and has yet to returnsince she caught the bouquet. The funny part is Kambry pretty much aimed it right at her but Tynleigh wasn't paying attention to dodge or move positions before she turned around, preparing to toss. She was lost in her head—that I could see. I can't help but wonder what she was thinking so hard about.
I continue to nurse my beer, leaned against a pillar off to the side, watching her near the DJ booth with her flute of champagne, hiding behind it every time her eyes meet mine. I smile, drawing the faintest in return from her even though she is trying to mask it. She's stunning like this—all dressed up, conservatively covered yet still showing just enough skin to drive my imagination wild.
The song comes to an end and the DJ announces for everyone to join for the next song. I start to move toward her, but halt and return to my place when her dad beats me to her, watching as she sets down her glass and places her hand in his, following him out on the dance floor with a natural smile on her face. He pulls her into his arms and begins slowly moving along to the music as if they've done this a hundred times before. She's happy. And she belongs.
This is her place.
And California is mine.
That truth slams against my chest and I exhale. One more day and I'll head back to my life. The life I was forced into. The one that will forever be mine. And the one that I can't just back out of. My dad is depending on me. One day he will get better, once his mind accepts what he did, and he'll finally move on. I have to keep things going until then. I'm all he's got. Maybe in another lifetime I could have been the man to want to try the whole relationship thing like Joel did with Karleigh. The guy to throw everything to the wind and move across the country to feel out a new life. But I'm not that guy, and I never will be. I need to stop letting this week seep into the crevices of my brain that nurses on it and wants to keep it.
