Page 33 of On the Ropes

Cassie shook her head and pointed to something on the front of the bottle. “It’s engraved with our names and today’s date.”

Jake studied what Cassie was pointing to and the fight in him disappeared. He looked at Luke and nodded. “All right, Luke. You win. Thank you.”

Luke smiled warmly at Jake. “I’m not trying to win. Just trying to do something special for my big brother and his new bride on their wedding day. Stop making it so difficult.”

“I’ll stop. You have my word,” Jake conceded.

“Now that everyone’s glasses are filled, the best man and maid of honor can come on up for the toasts. Then dinner service will start,” the DJ announced.

Luke stood up, grabbed his champagne-filled glass, and held out a hand to Abbey. She looked at it, hesitating. Secrets.

“Princess,” Luke warned.

Abbey sighed, picked up her own glass, stood up, and took Luke’s hand. The guests and head table applauded as Luke led her to the DJ’s table. They both placed their glasses on the DJ’s table. The DJ, a dark-haired man in his early thirties, wearing a white dress shirt, black slacks, and welcoming smile, shook Luke’s hand and give him a microphone.

“Strike ’em out Luke!”

“Go Cobras! All the way!”

“World Series for sure this year!”

Luke smiled graciously, nodding his head. Abbey felt for him, regardless of Jake’s cryptic mention of secrets. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like for him now. All the press, attention, the constant demands that went along with being a successful professional athlete. Regardless of what happened between them before or now, she hoped he was happy.

She couldn’t deny it still stung that Luke felt he couldn’t be happy with her, but Abbey didn’t wish him ill will. She just wanted to know what the hell he was trying to do regarding her this weekend—what game he was playing. What the secrets were that Jake alluded to.Luke held her hand tightly and cleared his throat.

“Thank you. Your support means the world to me and the team. The Cobras are off to a great start so far this season, but today isn’t about me or the team. It’s about Jake and Cassie.”

Abbey looked at Jake and Cassie across the room. Both of them beaming with love and happiness. Don’t be jealous. You love them both. Don’t let Luke distract you from your reboot weekend. Luke squeezed her hand and continued.

“Normally, the best man speech would start with some embarrassing childhood stories, but unfortunately I can’t tell you any.”

Abbey laughed as guests booed.

“Come on, Luke! Don’t hold out on us.”

“Yeah, come on!”

Luke retrieved a slip of paper from his pants pocket and held it up for everyone to see. “Sorry everyone, but my top secret mission request clearly states I can’t.”

“Mine too!” Heath held up a note and waved it for everyone to see.

“Jake, you’re a spoilsport!”

Luke put his mission request back in his pocket. “Moving on … Jake and I met when I was two years old and Jake was four. My folks had moved us into the house that was in between Jake’s and Heath’s here in Elmhurst. Right from the start, Jake treated me like his little brother instead of his little kid neighbor. Heath did too.”

Abbey smiled when Heath raised his glass. “That’s right, little brother,” Heath said.

“Most of the time, when you’re friends with someone and you’re that young, as you get older and your lives change, you begin to grow apart, see each other less and less until finally that friend becomes just someone you knew a long time ago. That didn’t happen between Jake and me though. No, when Jake decides something or someone is important to him, he doesn’t give up on it or them.”

“Over the years our lives did change—a lot. Mine especially.” Some guests laughed. Abbey didn’t though. She knew not all the changes in Luke’s life had been positive ones, especially the death of his parents when he was ten years old.

“Some of life’s changes don’t always have us being our best. That certainly has been the case for me. But that didn’t matter to Jake. He never gave up on me. When I’ve been at my best, he’s been there. That’s easy though, right? But more importantly, when I’ve been at my absolute worst, Jake was still there. That’s what I want you to understand, Cassie. No matter how your lives will change after today. And they will. Whether you’re at your very best or your very worst, Jake will be there. That won’t ever change. I love you both and wish you nothing butthe very best.”

Abbey looked at Cassie and Jake, both appearing moved by Luke’s speech. Jake wiped a tear from Cassie’s face and smiled at Luke, nodding his head slightly. Abbey laughed and felt a little misty herself.

Luke squeezed her hand, her body feeling the warmth of his. Or maybe it was the alcohol, she wasn’t sure. He held the microphone out to her. “Your turn, princess.” The guests “awwed” and Abbey felt her cheeks burn. She wondered what they all thought of Luke’s PDA. Everyone was looking at her expectantly, so she grabbed the microphone from Luke and took a deep breath. She’d worry about them later.

“You would think that since Cassie and I are only a year apart that we’ve probably always been close. I can tell you that is not the case. When we were younger, she and I didn’t get along very well at all.”

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