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“So, of course, you proposed.”
He smirks, the similarity to Aidan’s uncanny. “Not for a couple of years. Not until she accepted it was over between them. We all grew up together. I have no clue how she didn’t realize Aidan doesn’t forgive. He’s one hell of a grudge holder. Aside from cheating on him, dating me is the worst thing she could have done.”
“Why are you telling me all this?”
Jameson’s gaze remains on the dancing couple. “Because this is the happiest I’ve seen Aidan in a long time. He graduated and got a good job. I looked up that company he’s working for in Seattle. Their market capitalization is decent.”
Aidan started working at a marketing firm in June. He seems to enjoy his job, and he’s undoubtedly the most popular employee in the office. I’m just relieved he’s living only an hour away from Somerville. He could have ended up a lot farther away.
“And because…our relationship sucks. It’s always been bad, but it barely even feels like I have a brother any longer. I had no idea he was any good at hockey—I thought it was just a hobby—until we went to that game and thousands of people were screaming his name. I have no idea how to fix things with him, to make it better than this mess it is now. And I figured…having you nothate me might be a decent start. So…I wanted you to know I’m not a prick who went after his little brother’s ex-girlfriend just because he could. If you want to feel bad for a Phillips brother…the woman I just married doesn’t look at me the way you look at Aidan.”
“If we get married, please come up with a better best man speech,” I tell him.
Jameson laughs. “Like Aidan would ever ask me to stand up with him. He’ll ask one of his hockey buddies.”
Probably true. But Jameson looks morose enough, I don’t say so. I guess part of his plan worked, because I do feel a little bad for him.
I take a sip of margarita, not sure what to say.
The music changes to a tempo I recognize. One that’s noticeably different from the dramatic, sweeping melody that was just playing.
“I love this song,” I tell Jameson.
He half-smiles. “Do you want to dance?”
“Oh. Uh…”
“I got it from here, Jameson.” Aidan appears. The look he gives his brother isn’t hostile, but it’s not friendly either.
“Did you do this?” I ask him as he pulls me out onto the dance floor.
“Maybe.” He grins, then spins me.
We dance through “Brown Eyed Girl” and then the music switches to a slower song. He pulls me against his chest, basically just rocking us back and forth.
“What were you and Jameson talking about?” Aidan asks.
“You, mostly.”
“Hmmm.”
“He was nice.”
“He better have been.”
I lean back and interlock my fingers behind his neck. “What did you and Parker talk about?”
“How dry the cake was.”
“I thought the cake was good,” I say.
“So did I. I mostly just nodded along.” His lips brush my cheek. “Were you jealous? Because if you need a reminder of who I belong to, I’d be happy to fuck you for a few hours…”
“Aidan…” I half-moan, half-reprimand as his mouth moves to the side of my neck.
The dance floor isn’t crowded, but it’s not empty either. There’s an older couple five feet from us.
“Let’s go swimming,” he suggests suddenly.
