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“Welcome to the family,” I tell Deacon, slapping a hand to his back.
He holds up his left hand where his wedding ring now resides. “It’s official.” He grins. “Ramsey Setty.”
“I thought Brooks was bad when he married Palmer, but I think you might beat him. You’re going to walk around calling her Ramsey Setty all the time, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know. I’ll probably use Mrs. Setty just to break it up a little.” He laughs. “She’s my wife, man.” There’s awe in his voice.
“You’re good for her.”
“She changed my entire fucking life, Sterling.”
I nod. I’ve come to realize what that feels like. Sure, Alyssa and I have been friends for years, but it wasn’t until I admitted that I was in love with her that I felt the shift. Speaking of my best friend, I catch her eyes from across the room and smile at her. She waves and holds my stare until Piper says something that pulls her attention from me.
“How’s that going?” Deacon asks.
“It’s not. Not really.”
“You been thinking?” he asks.
“Yeah.” I laugh. “You could say that.”
“Consumes you, right?” He nods. “I’d love to tell you that it gets better once you make it official, but it doesn’t. She’s always going to consume you. It’s just better because you get to come home to her, fall asleep next to her, and wake up the same way. It’s… the fucking best,” he confesses.
“All the single ladies!” the DJ calls out. “I need all the single ladies in the center of the dance floor.”
I watch as Piper grabs Alyssa’s and Jordyn’s hands. The three of them are the only single women in attendance. Deacon and Ramsey wanted a small intimate wedding and reception, but she still wanted all the traditions.
I watch as the three ladies stand in the center of the floor laughing, and it hits me that I wish, with everything inside me, that Alyssa wasn’t in the singles category. I wish she was attached to me.
“On the count of three. Mrs. Setty, are you ready?” the DJ asks.
“My wife!” Deacon calls out from his spot next to me, and the room erupts in laughter. Ramsey turns to look over her shoulder at him and blows him a kiss.
“One. Two. Three!” the DJ shouts.
Ramsey’s arms fly into the air, and her bouquet goes soaring. I watch as Piper and Jordyn both jump out of the way, letting the bouquet fall into Alyssa’s arms. I stand up a little straighter, my eyes following her as she laughs and holds the bouquet in the air.
“I was set up,” she calls out, her laughter filling the bar and my heart.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ramsey grins and pulls Alyssa into a hug.
“Can we get the groom out on the floor?” the DJ asks.
“That’s me.” Deacon grins, hands me his glass of beer, and moves toward his wife. As soon as he reaches her, he pulls her into his arms and kisses the hell out of her.
I keep my eyes on Alyssa as she steps off to the side with Piper and Jordyn. The three of them are laughing and cutting up. She holds up the bouquet, and even though I can’t hear her, I know without a doubt that she’s giving them shit about abandoning her. There’s no guarantee she would have caught it if they’d been out there putting in some effort.
“All right, Deacon,” the DJ calls out. “We need that garter.”
We all start hollering and encouraging him while a Marvin Gaye song fills the room. Deacon hams it up, making a big deal of dropping to his knees in front of the chair that Ramsey is sitting on and climbing under her dress. I don’t want to know what he’s doing under there, but I’m a man. My imagination, I’m sure, is spot on when I think about what he’s doing while hidden beneath Ramsey’s dress.
She laughs, her smile radiant. A few seconds later, Deacon appears with the garter in his mouth. He thrusts his arm in the air, and we all cheer and clap for his job well done.
“Success!” the DJ announces. “Now, I’m going to need all of the single men to the dance floor. Come on, fellas. I’m told there are more of you singles than we had with the ladies. Maybe one of you will be lucky enough to take the lovely lady who caught the bouquet home with you tonight.”
I fist my hands and realize I’m still holding Deacon’s beer. Placing it on the table, I make my way out to the center of the floor.
“Come on, pretty lady. Give them some encouragement.”
