Page 91 of Worth the Fall

"This one," Hector emerges, holding up a white tuxedo jacket with gold trim that looks like it was stolen from a Las Vegas casino. "It screams, 'I'm the main character.'"

"It screams something, alright," I mutter, brushing past him to look at the black jackets. Nice, normal, dignified black jackets that won't make me look like I'm about to perform a magic show.

"Come on," Hector follows me, the offensive jacket still in hand. "You can't wear boring black. What would Felicity say?"

"She'd say I look like a proper groom."

"No," Austin pipes up from where he's leaning against a rack of ties, not even looking up from his phone. "She'd say you look like a penguin. And not the cool kind like Princess Waddles. You could pull it off," Austin continues, finally glancing up. "You know, if you were starring in a Vegas magic show. Which, now that I think about it…"

"Don't even finish that thought," I warn, pulling out a classic black tuxedo jacket. "This is perfectly fine."

"Fine?" Hector sounds personally offended. "You've already done black. This is your second wedding, Miguel. You need something bold. Velvet, maybe. Or red!" His eyes light up dangerously. "Oh, what about a white tuxedo with a black lapel? Very Bond villain."

"I'm not a Bond villain," I say, putting the jacket back on the rack before he can snatch it away. "I'm a lawyer getting married. Normally."

"Then why are you acting like one?" Hector teases, waggling his eyebrows. He strikes a dramatic pose with the gold-trimmed monstrosity. "Come to the dark side. We have sequins."

"Because I'm starting to think I need an evil lair to escape the two of you," I shoot back, dodging as he tries to make me try on the jacket.

The elderly tailor watches us with a mix of horror and fascination as Hector prances around with yet another jacket—this one bright blue with paisley embroidery that makes my eyes hurt.

"You're fired," I tell him, but he just grins wider.

"You can't fire me. I'm your best man. It's in the contract."

"What contract?"

"The one I just made up." He holds the paisley jacket against my chest. "Oh yes, this really brings out your eyes."

Austin finally looks up from his phone, smirking. "Should've come alone, man."

"Noted," I say dryly, watching in horror as Hector discovers an entire rack of patterned vests.

"Oh, what about this one?" Hector pulls out a vest covered in sequined flamingos, holding it up to me with a grin that can only be described as evil. "It's perfect for your beach wedding!"

"We're not having a beach wedding," I say through gritted teeth, pushing the vest away. "And even if we were, I wouldn't be wearing that monstrosity."

"But think of the photos!" Hector insists, not deterred in the slightest. "You'll stand out!"

"For all the wrong reasons," I mutter, moving quickly to another rack before he can assault me with any more fashion atrocities.

The snicker from Austin's direction tells me he's enjoying this far too much. Some groomsman he is. Isn't he supposed to be on my side?

"What about a classic white jacket?" I suggest, trying to steer us back to sanity. "Timeless, elegant, won't make me look like I lost a bet with a pack of Skittles."

Hector sighs dramatically, but dutifully puts back the flamingo vest. "Fine, fine. We'll do boring and traditional. But don't come crying to me when Felicity says you look like a stuffy old man."

I roll my eyes, pulling out a crisp white tuxedo jacket. "Felicity has better taste than that."

"I don't know, man," Austin pipes up, finally pocketing his phone. "She did suggest a moat made of chocolate for the cake. Her judgment might be questionable."

I pause, the jacket dangling from my hand. He has a point. My daughter's imagination knows no bounds, especially when it comes to wedding planning. I'm still finding glitter in places I didn't know glitter could reach.

Hector, sensing my moment of weakness, swoops in with a jacket that can only be described as 'disco ball chic.' "Just try it on," he wheedles, thrusting it at me. "For Felicity."

I stare at the jacket, the sequins winking under the shop's bright lights. It's hideous. It's tacky. It's…

It's exactly what Felicity would love.

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