Page 145 of Raise Me Up

I sniffle and pat a hand over his stomach. “You deserve it, Hail.”

He drags Beau into a full-on hug, and my throat tightens with emotion at the acceptance surrounding us.

“Still on for later?” Hail asks.

Beau grins. “Still on.”

I peek up at Beau in question. He simply pecks a kiss to my cheek. “Patience, sweetheart.”

He’s lucky I became distracted by the staff appearing with trays of appetizers, or I’d hound him for answers.

The food is eclectic, a mix of fancy brunch items and dishes Hail and Z experienced while touring together.

Really, everything is mismatched in the best way possible. My brother wanted Z to be happy, and Z isn’t one to ever vocalize his wants. So it was up to me and Hail to make the best decisions possible.

Judging by the smiles and laughter filling the venue, everyone is enjoying themselves.

After all of our low moments and disappointments growing up in a toxic home, this is more than I could have ever asked for to celebrate my brother’s big day.

I can’t say I’ve ever seen love. Smitten kids in high school and college, yeah. Marriages of convenience, yes. But as we file into the rows of chairs for the ceremony and I watch Z walk down the aisle toward my antsy twin brother, I can see the overwhelming love flowing between them.Hail won’t stop smiling like a goober. It has tears welling in my eyes, threatening to spill. I purposely went light on the make-up, knowing I would most likely ruin it.

I sense dark, intense eyes on me, but I refuse to meet them. I can’t look at Liam. I’ll be found out in an instant. It’s not that I need marriage, but Idowant forever with someone.

Two someones.

A whispered apology from behind has me turning to catch Max dropping into an empty chair, his daughter in one arm and a giant diaper bag in the other. He looks flustered. Almost as if he sprinted here on foot.

Beau interlocks our fingers and gives my hand a squeeze. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” I swipe at the rogue tear dangling from my chin.

“Let ‘em fall, baby. I got you.”

When I glance up at Beau, tears glisten in his eyes, too. “Beau…”

“Ah fuck. Something about those words ‘in sickness and in health’…”

The tremble of his chin nearly has me crumbling. He glances down at me, those mesmerizing eyes swirled through with contentment, love, and a little fear I think we’ll all carry into every MRI scan coming our way.

After the ceremony ends, the married couple sneaks off for pictures. Their metalhead friends are set loose on the open bar, but nothing really picks up until Hail and Z return.

I’m pretty sure Z’s cheeks will remain flushed the entire reception.

Max joins in the dancing with Felicity in his arms. She’s all giggles and spastic arm movements, and his eyes are brighter than I’ve ever seen them. He looks at her like he’s holding the entire world in his arms.

Hard times are coming for him, but it’s evident he’s going to rock this single dad thing, regardless.

Malek and Griff are nonstop energy. They spend the evening wrestling and piling their plates with an ungodly amount of food.

Maria slips into more Spanish with every cocktail she downs. We all nod like we understand her passionate words.

A woman named Selma flew in from London. She’s perched at the bar with Atonement’s band manager, Sondra. They’re not related, though their names are similar and they both seem to have dominating personalities.

Before I can slip off the dance floor to rest my feet, Liam catches me around the waist and spins me around to face the DJ.

Only, it’s Beau standing front and center, holding the guitar Liam bought him. His eyes fall on me, and a warm smile spreads on his beautiful face. My knees just about buckle.

I settle my weight against Liam behind me as we watch our man perform. His song is slower than anything I’ve ever heard him play, but I recognize pieces he’s been tinkering with over the last few months, fighting through therapy, headaches, sleepiness, and depression. The harmony is so beautiful. I feel like I’m breaking apart. Splitting at the seams to spill out too many emotions all at once.