Page 19

Chapter Sixteen

Alex

“Smile, Alex. It’s not the end of the world,” Britt says, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Easy for you to say; you don’t have to do shit. You just get to show up to the damn wedding and avoid all the drama,” I bite as I grab the two carriers of coffee orders, while Britt grabs the four boxes of donuts.

“What drama? Spill,” she says with a grin, and I shoot her a sarcastic glare.

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” I say as I make sure to get a handful of straws and sugars, shoving them in the carrier between all the drinks. Britt and I are close. I trust her, but not enough to betray Mack.

“Bullshit. I’ll just ask you later when you're drunk off champagne. ”

I cast her a glare, but she only bats her eyelashes at me innocently.

“Is that all I am to you? A magnet for small-town gossip and free coffee?”

She rolls her eyes at me. “Alex…”

“Brittany,” I say, a little too sharply. Britt’s used to my moods, so she doesn’t say shit.

I sigh as I head for the door, holding it for her and the towering boxes of donuts. When we get to her car, I expertly shift my carriers and open the back door for her to set the boxes down on the backseat.

I slept like shit last night, woke up a half hour later than I wanted to, and flew out of bed when I heard Britt pounding on the door.

I open her driver side door, and she smiles as I round the bend and get into the passenger seat.

Once I’m seated and buckled in with my carriers arranged perfectly, she starts the car as I check my phone for the fiftieth time this morning, waiting for the shoe to drop, for shit to hit the fan.

Cam didn’t show up at the rehearsal dinner last night, which is concerning.

In all the years I’ve known the guy, he and Austen have been attached at the hip.

But ever since Vegas, there’s been a black cloud where Cameron Scott should be .

Austen puts on a good front, and I guess I can’t blame him. It’s not like anyone knows what happened. I don’t even know what the fuck happened, but I have my theory.

I debate if I should tell her about that, since I was up all night trying to figure out a game plan if Cameron doesn’t show up.

I mean, he is the best man. Thankfully, he doesn’t have the rings, so if one of us needs to step up in case of a wedding emergency, we’ve got what we need. That’s why I made the trip all the way up to Brighton last night. My stupid brother forgot the damn wedding bands.

What kind of husband-to-be forgets the most important thing?

I settle my hand in my pocket, double checking that they are still there when Britt starts to drive off.

I pull the box out of my pocket, opening it for the hundredth time this morning to make sure I see with my own eyes they are there.

Two shimmering gold bands. Savannah’s has a channel of chocolate diamonds while Austen’s is simple and classic without any embellishment.

I stare at them for a minute before snapping the box shut.

“Thanks for coming with me today,” I say softly as I slide the box back into my pocket. “I know things have been… complicated.”

She chuckles. “Just because we’re not together anymore doesn’t mean I’m not your ride or die, Alex. ”

I breathe out a heavy sigh.

“I know, I just…”

“Besides, I wouldn’t miss the wedding of the year for anything,” she says sweetly.

Her car slows to a stop at the curb, the driveway packed full of cars, and the house looks busy as hell even from outside. She turns the car off, but neither of us get out.

“You know, I’m always here if you need me.” She gives me a half smile.

Despite the way our relationship has gone over the years, I know she has my back. She always has.

“Same,” I say, offering her a soft smile.

I stare out the window, noticing the crowd that is filing out onto the lawn. A photographer lines some folks up in front of my mother’s prized rhododendron. That’s when I see him.

Standing off to the side, hands in his pockets, looking handsome as hell. His dark hair is slicked back, and from the side it draws attention to his sharp features. His perfect jaw, his serious gaze.

The suits Austen picked out are pale gray to accent his charcoal one. Of course, we all have Tiffany blue vests and black ties to match the bridesmaids’ short blue dresses.

I sigh, opening the door, shoving down all my insecurities. I keep trying to tell myself Jordan is being an ass because of him and not because of me, but when people constantly leave me the way they do, it’s hard to believe.

Britt grabs the boxes from the backseat. Within seconds she’s beside me, nudging me.

“If no one else tells you today, you look like a million bucks, Alex.”

I smile and it is genuine. “And you look like Lady Gaga launched a line at Animal Kingdom, but…”

She rolls her eyes. “Asshole.”

The endearment in her voice makes me feel a fraction better, until my mother comes waltzing across the lawn, champagne flute in hand.

“Alexander,” she scoffs. “You’re late.”

Shit, she’s full-naming me. She must really be pissed.

Before I can answer, the deep rumble of his voice pulls my attention.

“Need some help, Alex?” Mack asks, making me turn around and nearly sloshing the coffees. Fuck!

“Uhhh…”

“Absolutely,” Britt says with a grin, shoving the boxes at Mack’s chest. “Thanks, babe,” she says, casting me a grin. One I know all too well.

“I’m going to head out to the church to check on the girls. I’ll see you later, Alex!”

Britt, you cheeky little cheetah, you. I want to be pissed at her for bailing on me, but how can I when she’s only doing it to give me a chance to hang out with Mack. Alone.

Well, not alone alone. The house is crawling with people, but there’s no one in the house.

I brush past him, heading to take the lead and set my carriers down on the kitchen island. He settles the boxes of donuts beside them.

“Any word from Cameron yet?” I ask as I pop open a box and fish out one covered in pink icing and topped with an array of sprinkles.

“No,” Mack drawls, raising an eyebrow at me.

“What?”

“Pink sprinkles, Alex. Really?”

“Fuck yeah. Sprinkles are the shit.”

Mack shakes his head, reaching gingerly for a Boston cream, and I have to stifle my giggle.

Of course this asshole would go for the cream filled one. What are the fucking odds?

My giggle ceases because as he extends his hand to grab his donut, his cufflinks catch the light, glittering like stars in the night sky.

He wore them.

Regardless of what he says, or his bitterness towards me, his insistence that I forget about what happened between us, he fucking wore them. And that itself is a victory. But that victory is short-lived as he tears into his cream filled donut with a deep groan that goes straight to my cock.

Fucking hell.

I watch as he licks the cream off his lips, noting some of it spreads past the corner of his mouth. I swear he’s doing it on purpose.

I clear my throat. “You, uh, made a little bit of a mess,” I say with a smirk.

“Huh?”

I don’t think twice as I reach out, swiping the smallest bit of cream from the side of his mouth.

His gaze shifts to something harsh and sharp as he shoves my arm away.

“Fuck off with that shit,” he says, but his words are weak. Just like that morning he told me I wouldn’t like the outcome if I pushed too hard. If I didn’t forget.

I make a show of slipping my finger into my mouth, slowly wrapping my tongue around it as his gaze burns into me. I swear his eyes heat just a fraction, but I can work with that.

“There, all clean,” I say with a grin before I take another sip of my coffee.

“So, Cameron?” I change the subject, knowing I can only push Mack in small increments.

If I go too hard, too fast, he’ll run away, but he’ll tolerate small amounts.

And hopefully, those small amounts will eventually grow and grow until he can’t resist my charm .

“What about him?” Mack asks, shoving the last bit of donut into his mouth.

“If he doesn’t show up today?”

“He’ll be here. Austen said he would.”

I purse my lips. “I know that, but in case he doesn’t…”

I sigh, pulling out the box with the rings, feeling a strange swell in my chest. I look at the simple black box in my hand as my heart races.

I look up at Mack and panic hits me. The box in my hand, the sight of him looking fine as hell in his suit…

I must’ve committed some serious sins in a past life to get this kind of torture.

I hold the box out to him. “I think it should be you. If he doesn’t show up, I mean.”

Mack stares at the box like it’s made of fire, his face pale.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” he barks.

“If something happens—”“Nothing’s going to happen, Alex,” he says, reaching for another donut. This one is glazed. I’ll give him something glazed. “And if it does, you’re his brother. You should be the one to hold onto… those.”

“Yeah, but I’m not close with him like you are,” I argue, and the minute I say the words, all victories disappear because it’s a truth I’ve never said out loud before.

“I’m not—” Mack stares at the box, then flashes his gaze to me.

“Fine,” he says, swiping the box from my hand.

“But only because you’re pissing me off right now—as usual.

” He grabs an iced coffee, shoving the box into his pocket and heading towards the door, only to be met by Austen. He stops dead in his tracks.

“You good?” Jordan asks. I hear the sincerity in his voice as he speaks to my brother. Austen smiles, but it’s fake as shit.

“Yeah. I’m great.” I watch as he feigns excitement. “I’m getting married today; what could be better?”

I lean against the island, eating the rest of my donut as I watch their exchange.

“Good,” Mack grunts.

“The limo will be here in twenty minutes.”

Mack nods. “Cool.” Then he grabs my brother and hugs him. Like really hugs him. It’s not one of those fast bro hugs or a pat on the back. It's a moment between two friends, and it’s genuine.