Page 26 of Wild Ever After
“Trying to get me drunk?” I ask, as Jack sets down three pitchers of beer and Maverick follows with a dozen shots.
“A little truth serum,” Leo states, resting both elbows on the table.
“I already told you guys everything.” Or everything I’m going to tell them.
“What I don’t understand is why she would ask you instead of me?” Ash asks, sounding genuinely miffed.
Laughing, I grab one of the shots and toss it back.
“I think it’s dope,” Maverick says. “I can see you two together.”
“Sure, Jade’s great,” Jack says. “But you don’t need to marry her. Date, talk, hook up, whatever. Marriage is forever, or at least the paperwork is.”
“How’s this going to work when you two part ways?” Tyler asks. “Piper and Scarlett are tight with Jade. You’re my teammate. It’s a tangled web.”
“I appreciate the concern, but it’s misguided. I’m helping her out, that’s all.”
The guys stare at me in disbelief.
I don’t owe them an explanation, but I give them one anyway. “I understand her and the situation. I’ve been where she is. When I was playing in the minor league, I worked two side jobs to keep myself afloat, all while busting my ass to get the call up. Times were tough, and like Jade, I didn’t have family that could help me out if things went sideways.”
Silence falls over the table.
“Fuck, man. I’m sorry,” Leo says.
“I understand her, and it feels good to help someone now that everything is solid in my life.” I finally feel like I’m getting some acceptance and understanding out of them.
A grin takes over Ash’s face. “Okay, but what about sex?”
“Oh yeah. How’s that gonna work? Are you going to consummate the marriage or work out some other system?” Mav’s eyes light up. “Or do you put a sock on the front door when you bring a chick back?”
In truth, I hadn’t thought about sex, or the possible lack thereof, with this arrangement. So I say, “It’s just one year.”
* * *
The next day, I get up early, go for a run, and then decide to rip out the vanity in the upstairs guest bathroom. I already took out the huge jet-tub that was taking up a huge section of the room. It’s a big space but the setup is awkward and all the finishings are seriously dated.
I carry everything out to the construction dumpster in the driveway. The neighborhood is quiet. I stare over at Leo and Scarlett’s house, but can’t detect any movement. The girls are probably already at the resort.
Back inside, I glance at the time and then curse under my breath. Showing up late today would be very bad.
After a shower, I pack and hit the road. The wedding is at a resort about twenty minutes away on the lake. As I drive up, there’s a big wooden sign with the word WEDDING and an arrow pointing off to the right.
I park my car and watch as two women carry floral arrangements into the barn, where we’re holding the ceremony and reception. The nerves finally hit. I’m getting married today. Never really thought it’d happen for me. And even as unconventional as this situation is, it’s not all unease I feel as I step out of my car.
The guys are waiting for me in the dressing room, which is really just a suite in the resort. Leo and Tyler are standing up with me today, but Jack and Ash are here too.
“The man of the day,” Ash says, and claps me on the shoulder.
Someone pops champagne, and while I get dressed in the tux Jade sent over, it’s all smiles and laughs. They may not completely understand my reasons for going through with this, but they’re here and that means more than they know.
Thirty minutes before the ceremony is supposed to start, a blonde with a headset comes by to tell us it’s time to head down to the barn.
For the first time since I volunteered for this, I have a moment of indecision. A million what-ifs race through my mind. What if we’re both miserable? What if it impacts my career somehow? What if, what if, what if.
The guys file out of the room. Leo is the last one, and he holds the door open for me. “Ready?”
When I hesitate, his expression almost seems relieved that I may not go through with this.
