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The ice in his eyes thawed a little more. “Family?” He made a gesture for her to sit and she scooted in next to him.
“Yes, family. I know you two have been estranged for some time. And since weddings are a great opportunity to get closure, perhaps even mend fences, I hoped—”
“And funerals,” he interrupted her.
“What?”
“You forgot to mention funerals as a way to find closure. It’s at funerals that people show their real faces and feelings. Either that they loved someone or hated him.”
“That’s quite a morbid way of thinking.”
“I’m a morbid man.”
“Clearly,” she muttered. “But since a wedding is the more preferable of the two occasions, I’ve chosen to invite you to Hector’s wedding instead of his funeral, which hopefully will be on a date far, far away. So, can I tell Hector you’ll be attending tomorrow? It will be held at Gio’s place. Since you already know him, it shouldn’t be too hard to find. It will be a small ceremony, with just close friends and family.”
“I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world. But please, let’s keep my attendance to ourselves. I want it to be a surprise.”
“I can live with that. As long as you show up. If you don’t, I will hunt you down,” she joked.
Apparently the mancouldsmile. “I wouldn’t want that.”
“Good. That’s settled then.”
She didn’t have the money to buy Hector something fancy. Also, she wouldn’t know what to get him. The man didn’t seem to live large, though apparently, he could afford to buy whatever he wanted. The only thing of value he seemed attached to was his Harley. She was hoping that giving him his brother back would be perceived as more valuable than anything she could buy him.
Surely, he was going to love her surprise.
CHAPTER 12
HECTOR
Hector hated surprises. He stared at Tommie standing in the doorway, holding a big bag. It had an Italian name on it. He had a feeling what was in it and dread filled his stomach.
“What’s that?”
Tommie moved past him and put the garment bag on the bed. Jazzy had readied a guest room for him.
“Your tux, of course.”
“No rented tux is going to fit me.” He pointed at the black jeans and dress jacket on the bed. “I was just going to wear that. You tried, but oh well, too bad.”
Tommie’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, I can see you’re really heartbroken. I got your measurements from Jess and placed a last-minute order. Paid five times the price to have it done within a day, but it will fit.”
Hector sighed. Up until a minute ago, he didn’t own dress pants. He had hoped to get away with wearing jeans and a dress jacket, instead of a monkey suit.
“You just live to torture me, don’t you?”
“You can thank me later.” Tommie winked and eyed his hair. “Are you sure you don’t want a trim? I could easily—”
“No one is touching my hair, Smurf.”
“Fine, be that way. See you later.”
Muttering and cursing, Hector hoisted himself in the tuxedo. He’d had to admit that the size was perfect, and the trim looked flawless.
Then, the big moment arrived. Standing in front of the minister in Gio’s living room, waiting for Mary to appear. A strange tightness filled his chest, followed by a twist in his guts. Nerves. He was fucking nervous. The little virgin had him twisted in all sorts of knots, and he wasn’t sure if he liked it.
And then she stood before him, dressed in white. He’d never imagined himself getting married. Never believed he deserved, let alone earned, a woman like Mary. He didn’t know what it was about her that made him want to be a better man. What a contradiction that was; wanting to be a better man by possibly dooming her to a life with him. Who was to tell that he would be a better man than the sperm donor, as his mother used to call his father.