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“As I’ll ever be.”
* * *
The wedding is stunning. Nash and I sit on the groom's side, and even though they seem close, I wonder why Nash’s brother has seven groomsmen, but none of them are Nash. His mother’s doing, if I had to guess.
When the bride walks by, I turn to see Huston’s face. He looks mesmerized by his woman in white. She’s absolutely stunning, and as she passes, she smiles at Nash. I turn to look at him, and when he pulls me into him, I don’t stop him.
After the ceremony, we’re all directed to the reception area. Nash gets us drinks while I head to find our seats.
The first thing I notice is his mother is at our table. The second thing I notice is the sour ass expression on her face as she glares at someone at another table. An older woman. She’s stunning, and it’s not hard to see her resemblance to the bride.
I take a deep breath, straighten my spine, and lift my chin. As I take my seat, Nash’s mother turns to assess me. Her husband looks half asleep in his chair, and when she sniffs loudly, he straightens up. I bite back my scoff. This lady.
“I trust you’re no longer ill?” she says instead of a greeting, and I nod.
“Nice to see you this evening as well. I’m doing well, thank you. How’s your night going? Good, I assume, since it is your son's wedding night?” I hold in as much snark as I can. I really try.
“Nashville,” she looks away from me without acknowledging my words and looks Nash over. “Gray?” she tisks, and I take a deep breath.
Three more hours. I tell myself. That's it. Then we can flee.
“Gray brings out his eyes, don’t you think? You have a very handsome son,” I say as my date takes his seat beside me and hands me my Sprite.
“Drinking already?” His mother starts with the chastising, and I click my tongue.
“Sorry, do you not like soda? We thought it was better to remain sober tonight. Better to enjoy such a beautiful occasion.”And keep our guards up.But I don’t add that last part. She sniffs again as I sip my harmless bubbly drink.
Nash got a Sprite too. Alcohol-free.
Mean old hag.
Nash’s father, however, is already sipping a dark liquid, and I wonder if that's his first. From the looks of him, not likely.
The next hour passes in blissful peace. The happy couple makes their entrance, and the night gets moving with a father-daughter dance, mother-son dance, and the couple's first dance.
It’s all very cute, and when Huston and his new wife make their way over to our table to thank everyone for coming, Nash hugs his brother in that manly back-slapping way.
“I’m happy for you, man. She’s gorgeous. Don’t fuck it up,” Nash teases, winking at his new sister-in-law, Sarah, who giggles.
As the newlyweds walk away, Nash’s mother scoffs. “As if your brother would ever disappoint us.”
I can’t stop the purse in my lips from happening, any less than I can stop my rapid blinks or narrowed eyes.
She doesn’t notice, all her focus on Nash. The silence that descends on us is awkward as Nash just bears the brunt of her venom.
The other three guests at our table have already wandered off, so it’s just Nash and me alone with his parents. Nancy is a bridesmaid, sitting at the wedding party’s table, so no buffer there.
What I don’t understand is why she thinks Huston’s loyalty to his new wife has anything to do with her approval.
I realize my knee is bouncing when Nash reaches over and stills my movement.
“You’ve always been like this,” his mother says, shaking her head. “Such a disappointment–”
“Let's dance!” I cut her off, grab Nash’s wrist, and drag him away. “Why don’t you tell her to stop?” I ask, and Nash shrugs.
“It just makes her worse when I fight back.” His personality is so muted here, and I hate it. Nash is the life of the party. Center of attention. But not here.
Here, surrounded by his family, where he should be most himself, he tries his best to disappear.
