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“Yeah,” Tyler said, almost like a question, and oh, shit, how transparent had Tyler been the last time Dempsey’s adoptive mother, Carleen, had insisted he come over for Sunday dinner and sit right smack next to Chloe for a full ninety minutes?
Dempsey continued. “We work together. I trust you more than anyone other than Addison. You’re practically my brother. So, I was wondering…hoping, I guess…that you would be my best man.”
Tyler’s jaw hit the concrete. “At your wedding?”
“Well, yeah.” Dempsey laughed. “That’s typically where one has a best man.”
Tyler tried to wade through his shock to form a semi-intelligent response, but yeeeeeah, not gonna fucking happen. “Okay, but you have, like, actual brothers.” As tight as Tyler and Dempsey were, he would never step on Jack or Miguel’s toes.
“I do,” Dempsey said, nodding. “Three of them, if you count Grace’s husband, Patrick.” Grace was Ryan’s older sister, rounding out the five Dempsey children. “But I don’t want to choose between them, and they’ll all be in the wedding party, along with Hawk and Faurier and Maxwell.”
Tyler couldn’t imagine Addison getting married without her detective partner, Shawn Maxwell, standing somewhere at her side, even though the thought of the huge, inked up guy in a formal suit was a little wild.
“Anyway,” Dempsey said, “Through thick and thin, when actual life and death shit hits the fan, you’ve always got my back. You’re the best person I know. Of course I want you to be my best man, Tyler. I know we’re getting kind of close,” he added. “The wedding is only a few months away. But I’ve given this a lot of thought, and it’s literally going to be the most important moment of my fucking life. It would mean everything to have you right there next to me.”
Tyler didn’t even blink. “God, Dempsey. Yes. Of course. I’d be honored to be your best man,” he said, breaking into a grin that matched Dempsey’s and reaching out to shake his hand, which turned into a hug pretty damn fast.
“Thanks, man. I knew I could count on you.”
“Always, brother,” Tyler said, and he meant it. He was going to be the best goddamn best man in the history of nuptials.
Speaking of which… “So, I’ve never been a best man before. You might have to give me a list of things I’m supposed to take care of.” Wasn’t the best man supposed to deal with the bride’s ring, or something? And maybe make a toast somewhere along the line? That didn’t sound so bad.
“Ah, I can do you one better than that,” Dempsey said. “You’re going to have your very own partner in crime.”
The words had no sooner left Dempsey’s mouth than a very familiar white MINI Cooper pulled into the parking area in front of the fire house, and averyvery familiar redhead got out of the driver’s seat.
Oh, no. No, no, no, no…
“Perfect timing,” Dempsey called out, waving to his sister as she started heading their way, then turning toward Tyler. “You won’t have to worry about anything. Chloe’s our maid of honor, and she volunteered to help you out with everything you need to know.”
Chloe walked up to them, her long legs encased in white skinny jeans and her flowy sky-blue tank top swishing perfectly around her body as she moved. Her red-gold hair was up in a twist on top of her head, a few pieces spiraling out to frame her face, which was dialed in to its very prettiest smile, and oh, God, Tyler was absolutely hosed.
“Hey, Ry. Hi, Tyler,” she said from a handful of paces away, waving at both of them.
“Before you even bug me,yes,I asked him,” Dempsey said, hugging his sister in greeting as she reached the entrance to the engine bay, a.k.a. the spot where Tyler was currently praying for a fault in the earth to swallow him alive. “And yes, he said yes.”
“Oh, yay!” Chloe said, pulling back from Dempsey to throw her arms around Tyler to hug him next. “I mean, I knew you’d say yes, since you’re practically family, but still. I just know we’re going to have the best time.”
Tyler used all his power to jam down thewant-want-wantmessage pumping through his body and brain at the feel of Chloe’s body plastered to his. He was a good guy. Adependableguy, who his best friend was relying on to partner up with his little sister to help plan a few details of his wedding. Tyler could do that. No matter how much self-control it took, he would do that.
Even if it fucking killed him to be this close to Chloe for the next couple of months. And with how badly he wanted her, and how much he absolutelycould nothave her?
It just might.
