Page 123 of Messing With My Brother's Best Friends

We all stepped forward as one, but as we followed the celebrant down the hall, I hung back slightly with Gage.

“Did you let Kendall know about ‘her’ decision?” I hissed.

“She knows.”

I wasn’t sure if that was because he’d had an actual conversation with her or some kind of Vulcan mind meld this dude seemed capable of, and I wasn’t going to get a chance to clarify. We stepped out into the church and saw all of everyone’s hard work.

Damn.

Beautiful, pastel flowers that I was pretty sure were called ranunculus covered the ends of each pew and instead of a big cross with JC on it, there was another massive display of flowers. The place smelled so pretty, like Kendall’s floral perfume and green grass just after it was cut. And there were big, satin bows and other decorations, the pews on both sides chock-a-block full of our family, even Connor’s. His granddad, a spry old bastard, picked his hands up from the cane he was holding and waved.

“Alight everyone.” The celebrant had this posh voice, a bit like an English schoolmaster in a period film. “It’s go time.”

Alice went first, then both sets of Kendall’s grandparents and they took their seats in the front row.

“Now you, gentlemen,” the celebrant prompted.

I felt like a complete twit, every eye in the place on us as we passed by, even my second or third cousin, who seemed to be whispering fiercely about something. We went and stood by what used to be the altar, the celebrant standing beside us. Barbie appeared in the doorway clasping a big bunch of flowers, and she shot us an impish grin before taking the slow measured steps required by the chamber music pumping through the speakers, but it wasn’t until she stood on the other side that she whispered a quick aside.

“Just go with it when it happens.”

“What?” Connor wasn’t the only one freaking out right now, but if we wanted clarification, we weren’t going to get it. She just shrugged and then looked serenely down the aisle.

Fuck…

Was it worse than we thought? Had she decided not to choose any of us? Was she having second thoughts? Kendall seemed so chill about everything, but maybe that was the problem. She wasn’t excited about getting married. I searched the doorway, my heart lightening when I saw a female figure, then feeling like it crashed through the floor when Cheryl walked through. She was looking gorgeous, but she wasn’t the girl I needed to see. Benny ran down the aisle at full tilt and then flung the ring at us, but when everyone started to chuckle, I wondered.

Our relationship was insane. Most women would’ve baulked at this scenario. Would everyone else be laughing when Kendall inevitably didn’t show? I searched the crowd for familiar faces, looking for clues. Alice nodded and smiled, Mum just grabbed a hankie and dabbed at her eyes, but then Katie flung the rest of her flower petals and took a seat in the pews next to her Dad. Connor rotated the ring between his fingers, over and over until I just wanted to—

Fuck, Kendall was here.

I knew she’d look beautiful, but the sight of her in that dress damn near took my breath away. Sun shone through her hair, turning it into pure fire as she walked into the church on Bruce’s arms. The bridal march was playing far too slowly. She needed to quick step, run towards us. Choose us, baby, I prayed fervently. Choose…

Me.

I glanced down at that ring, wanting to be the one to push it on her finger now. Me. Me. It was savagely selfish, and where the hell did that come from? One look at Gage, his eyes wide, made it clear he was feeling the same way. Some men get cold feet, but I had hot ones. They sweated in these uncomfortable shoes, making me want to toe them off and run towards her.

And as if she had heard that thought, Kendall stopped.

“I’m sorry.”

No. No, no, no, no.

“Start things as you mean to go on, that’s what they say.” She popped a hip. “Well, I’m about to do just that. If you’ll follow me.”

Follow… me?

I’d said that aloud without meaning to, and the others stared at me. No, just make that Gage and Van, because every one of our guests got up in that moment and followed Kendall. Down the steps and out into the courtyard to—

“Come along, gentlemen,” the celebrant said. “Your lovely partner is waiting.”

“What the fuck is going on?” Connor asked him in a harsh undertone, but the man just sailed past, his grey suit jacket flapping in the wind. We rushed down the aisle, out of the church, and right into…

The last prank Kendall was going to pull.

“Surprise!” everyone shouted.

“The bastards…” I looked around and saw cheesy grins on the faces of everyone I knew, my family included. “You… You…”

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