Page 7 of Wife Number One

I followed suit, sitting as the room quieted. The ballroom was windowless, positioned in the middle of a government building, overhead lights the only reason we could see. They dimmed so the stage could be spotlit.

It was a relief. At least in the dark my wardrobe faux pas wouldn’t be as noticeable.

With heels that clip-clopped across the stage, the mayor took to the podium. “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I’d like to welcome you all to today’s ceremony, and thank you for coming out to support your friends and family who have earned these awards. What an honor and privilege it is for me to be invited to hand these out, and I’m sure you feel the same. These award recipients are the most outstanding members of our community. Their tireless efforts in the areas of sport, health, finance, law, and community service are overdue in being recognized.”

She paused for a breath, but the people around me took it as a sign for applause. I joined in, clapping my hands.

The mayor waited for the applause to die down, then leaned into the microphone. “Please keep that applause going for our first recipient. This award is presented to Liam Banks, for his tireless efforts in the area of law. Liam’s work in representing underprivileged and low-income earners in the Saint View area has not gone unnoticed by those in his field. After speaking with him backstage, it’s clear to me how much this man truly cares about giving each and every person a fair trial, no matter what they can afford to pay. On top of working at Simonson Lawyers and Partners, Liam volunteers at the local homeless shelter on a weekly basis, not only providing those in need with clothes and a safe place to sleep, but with free legal counsel. He’s a dad to three, and despite all he does for the community, I’m told he still manages to volunteer at the school bake sales.”

The mayor turned to the side of the stage. “Without further ado, I’d like to ask Liam to join me and accept this award.”

Across the table, Heath let out a wolf whistle. Rowe cheered while clapping loudly, and Mae smiled, the pride in her eyes so bright it rivaled her diamonds.

Ripley and I joined in, clapping and cheering for my brother who strode across the stage, a big grin stretching his mouth wide. His dark-blond hair was slicked neatly to the side, and his suit was immaculate. There was zero trace of the jam-smeared dad I knew he could also be, except when he gazed down at his family around me and beamed like their cheers were worth more than the twenty thousand dollar check his award came with.

My brother took the award and the check from the mayor and then took her place at the microphone. “I’d like to thank…”

Liam’s words washed over me, déjà vu sinking in. How many times had I sat in the audience, watching my brother receive awards? I couldn’t count that high.

Liam excelled at everything he did. From sports to business. Hell, the man had even somehow made his polyamorous relationship such a nonevent that no one batted an eye when he walked off stage to the woman, two men, and the little tribe of kids he called family. I let them all hug him and stood behind my mom and QB, waiting for them to finish congratulating him before they sat to give me a turn.

Liam’s grin widened, and he took my offered hand and drew me in for a hug. “What the hell are you doing here?” He stepped back. “I didn’t know you were coming!”

I shrugged, but it was with a proud smile. “Mae invited me. Of course I came.”

Up on stage, the mayor was moving on to the next award, but Liam jerked his head toward the bar, a question in his eyes.

I nodded, figuring it was after twelve and this was a special occasion, so a drink was warranted. I followed him to the back of the room and the empty bar. I pulled out a stool, Liam did the same, and we settled there, Liam ordering us both a glass of whiskey.

The bartender got busy making our drinks, and Liam set his award and check down on the bar top before turning to me.

Laughing, he punched me in the arm. “You look stupid. Where’s your leather jacket and—” He leaned in and made a show of sniffing me. “Is that shampoo I smell?”

I punched him back. “At least I’m not in a suit. And fuck off. I wash my hair regularly. You’re just jealous I have so much more of it than you do.”

Liam reached around and tugged on the short ponytail I’d tied up at the nape of my neck. “Hey, I could grow mine out if I wanted to. Don’t start rumors I’m going bald.”

I sniggered as the bartender pushed our glasses toward us. “I don’t know, I think that hairline is receding.”

It wasn’t, but it was part of the brother code to give each other shit every time we saw each other.

Liam took a sip of his drink. “You keeping yours long so no one accidentally thinks you’re a fine, young, upstanding member of the community? Or just so women can pull it when you’re going down on them?”

I snorted. “Don’t say that too loud. You have all these people fooled, thinking you’re a classy lawyer and respectable father.”

“I am!”

“Pfft,” I sniggered. “Hardly.”

Except we both knew he was. He was a good guy through and through. He was the successful one. The smart one. The one who had settled down and given my mom grandchildren. He was the man who ran a successful law firm but still volunteered to sew on Ripley’s Boy Scout patches.

Once upon a time, I’d resented Liam. I’d been jealous as hell of everything he’d been given. It all seemed to come so damn easily to him. While he’d been excelling at school and earning degrees, I’d been busy doing the opposite, hell-bent on rebelling. For every award Liam got, I would go out and get drunk. Or high. When Liam had been accepted to an Ivy League college, I’d gone out and joined a street gang, just as a fuck you.

I couldn’t compete so I hadn’t even bothered trying.

But things changed.

People grew up.

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