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He lifted his own watch, which changed to 7:00. “Hey, I’m right on time.” He was never early, never late. He couldn’t stand waiting around, but also never wanted to keep others waiting, so he’d developed an uncanny ability to arrive exactly when he was meant to. Crystal knew that, even if his own family didn’t.
Crystal brought out red-and-white striped popcorn tubs and began to fill them with the fresh popcorn. It was a nice touch, Damien thought. She was good at her job as a wedding planner, as well as a good friend to his family. She and Erin had gone to school together and, based on the way Jay and Erin were cozied up, Crystal would be planning another wedding before too long.
Arch was already talking to Jay like they were best friends again, even though Jay had an arm slung around Erin’s shoulders. Seeing it made Damien uncomfortable. Everyone was treating Jay as though he was already part of the family. Even Buster and Buzzy had welcomed his dog Nelson into their pack, and the three of them were sitting like three statues watching Crystal, obviously hoping for popcorn.
Crystal wove around the Davenports, handing out the boxes of popcorn, and then they all gathered in front of the enormous flat-screen TV to watch the wedding.
Damien took a seat as far from Jay as he could get, and then squished up next to Mila to make room for Crystal beside him on the couch. It was a squeeze, and he was aware of Crystal’s bare thigh pressing against his. Beneath the smell of popcorn, he caught her scent, spicy and elusive.
Considering the Scottish wedding had been for show after Tessa and Arch had their real wedding at the family home in Carmel, Damien was impressed at how good it was. They’d had so much fun. Howie appeared on screen in his kilt and Finn said, “Dad, until that wedding, I never knew you had such great legs.” And they all laughed.
Tessa looked gorgeous in her cloud of white veil, and Arch so proud that it made Damien smile.
“They are so good together,” Crystal whispered, as though it were a secret.
“My beautiful bride,” Arch said, lifting Tessa’s hand to kiss her knuckles.
In comparison to the beaming Davenports, Tessa’s family all looked snooty, although the niece was very cute in her flowery dress and hairband.
The wedding video had been cut by a professional Crystal had recommended, so they just watched the highlights: the bagpipers, the speeches, a quick shot of the meal. And then there were scenes of the dancing.
Waltzing across the screen were Smith and Valentina Sullivan, Valentina visibly pregnant and glowing with it, and there was Jay close dancing with Erin. The camera caught them looking at each other, a look of intimacy passing between them that was anything but subtle.
And suddenly, Damien saw what he’d been missing all along. His sister was all grown up and when she danced with Jay, there was obvious chemistry. “How did we not see that coming?”
“Your mother did,” Howie announced, looking smug. “Cost me twenty bucks, too.”
Damien had to smile. He loved how his mom and dad placed little bets here and there. His mom always won. No surprise.
He and Crystal were sharing a tub of popcorn that sat on her lap and as he reached into it, his attention back on the screen, she reached in too and their hands touched.
“You did a good job on the wedding,” he told her quietly. “Both of them.”
“I always do,” she told him, laughter in her eyes.
He grabbed a piece of popcorn and tossed it at her. But she opened her mouth and caught it, crunching down.
Next to his family, Crystal was his oldest friend. He hoped she wouldn’t go off and marry some random guy anytime soon, because he couldn’t imagine what his life would be like without her.
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