Page 5 of Accidentally Marrying the Best Man

NICK

T wo days later, I push through the door at Lola’s to meet up with Jay. After moving most of Charlotte’s clothes and other personal items to my place, we had another amazing night together. And then a lazy Sunday in bed. Actually, not that lazy and I get hard thinking about it, so I stop.

I’m in a foul mood because I want to be back in bed with my wife, but I can’t because I have to meet up with my idiot brother. And also, my wife is at work.

The bar is quiet this Monday afternoon. A nod to a few regulars sitting at the bar.

Technically, half of this place belongs to me, but I’ve always been a silent partner.

Jay runs this place without bothering me with the details.

And I run our other co-owned business, Crossed Arrow Security.

After we left the Special Forces, we put the skills we’d gained to use by starting a company specializing in data and people retrieval.

Often, we contract with branches of the armed forces when they need to run missions off the books.

We also work with several corporations. It's amazing how often business travelers get kidnapped and need quiet extractions that don’t come to the attention of shareholders or board of directors.

Speaking of kidnappings, I scan the place for my unhinged brother. I owe him a punch in the face.

Lamps cast long shadows over polished wooden tabletops. Barry Manilow paraphernalia adorn the walls. Grandmother was a big fan, and the name of the place is a nod to her favorite song.

Jay comes out of the office in the back and nods toward a booth. I join him, sliding into the seat across from his.

“You’re late,” he says as the vinyl squeaks under my weight.

“Not as late as you. You’re like, missing-the-wedding late.” I exhale, pissed beyond words but holding it back, mostly. “You left Charlotte standing there, Jay. That’s not just shitty. It’s the kind of crap that breaks people.”

“I’m sorry about that,” he says, voice flat, finally meeting my eyes. “I’ll apologize to her.”

“This isn’t something you can fix by saying you’re sorry.” I jab a finger against the table. “You really hurt her. And I’m fucking done cleaning up your messes.”

Jay’s jaw twitches, like he wants to say something but the words get tangled halfway out. “Look, it’s not what you think.”

“Oh, it’s not?” I laugh bitterly. “You didn’t let your best friend down? After you’d begged her to do you a favor?”

He hesitates. For a long moment, the only sounds are the soft clink of glass and the drone of a country song playing low on the speakers.

“I really couldn’t help it,” Jay says. “I didn’t mean to abandon the wedding. I didn’t mean to leave Charlotte like that.”

“You always have brilliant excuses for screwing up,” I mutter.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? You’re acting like I’m the family fuck-up who you constantly have to clean up after.”

He has a point, because he’s not really a fuck-up.

And he usually cleans up after himself when shit happens.

But he’s impulsive and often leaves me to be the responsible one, even though I’m the younger brother by five minutes.

But I’m pissed off about what he did to Charlotte and not in the mood to be realistic about the situation. “Once is enough,” I growl.

Jay rubs the back of his neck. “Give me a break, I was kidnapped.” Anger laces his voice.

“Oh really? Then how come you’re here now, without me getting as much as a ransom call?”

“I know how it sounds.” He takes a deep breath, then leans over the table like he’s about to confess a sin that will level us both. “Look, before the wedding, I went for a walk, like you told me.”

“Because you were driving me fucking crazy with your surly mood and constant complaining.” I’d been pissed off on behalf of Charlotte, even then, before he stood her up. “Don’t make this into my fault.”

“Yeah, well there was a reason for my mood.” He bristles. “And I didn’t say it was your fault. Let me fucking finish the story.”

“Fine.” I cross my arms and lean back in the booth.

He gives me a look, but doesn’t address my belligerent tone. “So, I’m in the wedding tux, without a coat, and it’s too fucking cold for a walk. But there’s this open catering van outside the chapel and I decide to shelter in there while I have a think on stuff.”

I roll my eyes. “’A think on stuff.’ When did you become Irish? And what fucking stuff?”

“If you would just keep your trap shut, I’ll tell you,” he shouts. The regulars at the bar turn around to look at us. Jay raises his hand. “All good,” he says.

I smirk. “Is it, though? I mean, you just survived a kidnapping.”

Jay sighs. “Do you want me to tell you, or not?” I lean back again, gesturing with my hand for him to continue. “Okay, so I’m in the van, with the doors closed because it’s fucking cold, and then it starts moving. I fall over and knock myself out.”

I open my mouth to tell him how unbelievable this story already sounds, but he gives me a look, so I close it again.

“When I come to, I’m tied up in a chair in a cabin up in the mountains. And April, you know the bartender, she’s?—”

“Who?”

“April, she’s worked here for six months.” I shake my head. I have no recollection of meeting someone named April. “Whatever,” Jay continues. “She’s the one who drove the van and the one who tied me up. I told you on the phone that I need you to run checks on her.”

“Right,” I fib. I’ve already forgotten the woman he mentioned. But I wrote it down, and I have every intention of checking up on her. “Didn’t you run a check on her when you hired her?”

“I did, but just a basic employment check. But you’re missing the point?—”

“Okay, yes. Why did she tie you up?”

“She thought I’d be mad that she kidnapped me.”

“Were you?” Pretty much anyone would be irate in that situation. If he’s telling the truth. Jay doesn’t lie, but he sometimes embellishes, or withholds details.

“Furious, but then she explained why she had to get out of town so quickly. And that her car broke down so she had to borrow the van.”

I stare at him for a minute. Jay’s not usually this thick. “She stole the van.”

He scratches his chin. “Well, yes technically. But we gave it back to the catering company.”

“So, she eventually released you? But not in time for the wedding?”

“She did, and well no, we got snowed in. I didn’t get back into town until this morning.”

“And you found the time to call me, but not Charlotte?”

He has the decency to look embarrassed. “I thought she deserved an apology in person. I’ll find her tonight and let her know how sorry I am.”

“Not tonight,” I blurt. “She’s got a lot on her plate with work. There’s a big case or something.”

“Okay,” he drawls, frowning at me. “I’ll apologize tomorrow.”

“Also not a good time. There’s a work function she has to go to in the evening and it’s a fancy event, so she needs time to get ready.

Jay leans back in the booth. “Suddenly, you’re awfully familiar with Charlotte’s schedule.”

I wave a hand in the air. “She needed a date to the work thing, so I offered to go.” I give him a pointed look. “Her fiancée was nowhere to be found, so I stepped. in.” In more ways than just as her date, which he’ll find out eventually.

“I will apologize to her, many times over.” He slumps in his seat. “Can you please just check into April’s background?”

“Sure,” I say, checking my cell phone. It’s almost time for Charlotte to be done at the office. “I got to go.” Sliding out of the booth, I pocket my phone and stride toward the door.

“Call me as soon as you have that info,” Jay calls after me.

“Will do,” I answer, thinking about what to pick up for dinner so I can feed my lovely wife. She’ll need calories to build up stamina for the evening activities I have planned.