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From the opposite corner, the bridesmaids surveyed them. Brendan recognized two of Diana’s high school friends: Marissa, who had long, blue-streaked hair, and Janelle, who was twirling her braid while taking selfies of the bridesmaids. There were a couple of girls from Yale whom he also remembered — Kate and Eleanor.
Brendan glanced in Sonia’s direction, but she was pretending not to notice him. Right then, his mother reached him and gave him a hug.
“You look great, Mom.” Brendan put his arm around her. “I like what you did with your hair.”
She patted her blonde-streaked bob distractedly. Her usual calm demeanor seemed ruffled. “You’re exactly who we need. Your brother’s late, and he’s not answering his phone. We can’t reach Diana either. We only have this room until five-thirty. If Ian will pick up for anyone, it’s you.”
Across the room, Brendan finally caught Sonia’s eye. She smirked at him, toying with a single long earring that dangled from her left ear. He knew she was thinking exactly what he was.
They probably pulled over to fuck somewhere.
“I’ll call Ian,” Brendan said reassuringly.
“Brendan will get this under control, won’t you, son?” His dad appeared on his other side, clapping a hand on his shoulder.
“Absolutely.” Brendan pulled up Ian’s number, just as Diana’s mother scurried over, her arms spread wide.
“Brendan!” she exclaimed. “So lovely to see you.”
Mrs. Cooper shared her daughter’s dark hair and blue eyes, but she was slim, with quick, clipped movements. Ian had joked for years that if he could just share a joint with his girlfriend’s mom, get her to calm down a little, they’d get along fine.
And maybe she’d stop wishing Diana was with you instead of me, B.
“Great to see you too, Mrs. Cooper.” Brendan flashed her a smile and gave her a quick hug.
“Did you bring a date? Any special girl in your life right now?” Mrs. Cooper looked around expectantly, like an appropriately wonderful girlfriend would materialize. A secret fiancée, for a surprise double wedding.
“No date for me, unfortunately, Mrs. Cooper.” Brendan’s eyes seized on Sonia’s across the room. She quickly looked away. “Unless you’re interested, of course.” He gave Diana’s mom a wink.
“Oh,you.Please, call me Julie. We’re going to be family now.” She heaved a sigh, gazing around at the assembled wedding party. “Isn’t this just like Ian? Late to his own wedding.”
“It’s only the rehearsal,” Mrs. O’Brian protested. “Ian is completely on top of his life now.”
“I’m sure they just hit traffic,” Mr. O’Brian added.
Diana’s father approached, peering at his phone. “If it were up to Diana, she would have been here before anyone else.”
His wife nodded, hands on her hips. “That girl was early to her own birth. She’s not the late type. Now, Ian—”
Brendan figured, after all these years, that the Coopers would have warmed up to Ian, but apparently, they were still ready to seize any excuse to criticize his brother.
“Ian’s doing great, Mrs. Cooper,” he said quickly. “He has his act together. Trust me, this wedding is his top priority.”
He patted his mother’s shoulder, which had gone tense somewhere during Mrs. Cooper’s rant. She pulled his head down to whisper.
“I’m going to scream. I love Julie, and I know she’s come around to Ian, but she’s in full mother-of-the-bride mode and she needs to cut him a break.”
“It’s going to be okay, Mom.”
“Please help. Please calm everyone down.”
“Mom, I can’t call Ian and calm everyone down at the same time.”
Where the fuck was the wedding planner? There she was, with her clipboard and phone.
“I’ve called each of them five times!” she exclaimed, waving the phone in the air. Even she was looking at him hopefully, as if he could make everything right.
“Okay, everyone,” Brendan said to the group in his most authoritative voice. “I’ll call Ian. Mrs. Cooper — Julie, I should say — why don’t you go chat up the bridesmaids and see if Diana’s reached out. Dad, you’d better help Uncle Andy with the girls because, by the looks of it, one of them is covered in chocolate. Mom, you look beautiful, take a load off. Maybe go have a sip from that flask Hunter’s passing around.”
