Page 136 of Hits Different

His cheeks are flushed. “I was wondering, could I get a selfie? Me and my friends”, he gestures to the dancefloor where a group of thirteen-year-olds stand gawping, “Have got bets on where you’re gonna sign. I think it’s gonna be with Mercury, but Max thinks you’ll get picked up by the Premier League”.

This is a big part of what I’d hoped soccer would be like, and what I was worried being openly gay might deny me. But, so far, so good. All people wanna talk about is where I’m gonna sign. But the truth is, I haven’t decided yet. It’s a decision I want to make with Parker. When I finish posing for selfies, I hear a familiar voice.

“Corrupting young minds again, Carter?” Freddie tosses an arm around my shoulders. Sabrina is just behind, looking stunning in a simple silk white gown. “Come and have a drink. You’ve been non-stop all day”.

“All in a day’s work for the Best Fan”. I straighten his tie, “See what I did there?”

“Who knew my boy was such a wordsmith?” Freddie hands me a champagne flute. “Your speech was beautiful. You have a terrifyingly good memory for someone who can match me drink for drink. Thanks for not embarrassing me too much. And, for the other stuff you said”.

“You’re welcome”, I scuff my shoe awkwardly. Normally I enjoy positive reinforcement, or, let’s be honest, any kind of praise at all, but there’s something about it from Freddie that means so much more. “I meant it. And I haven’t forgotten what you said to me after my accident. You changed my life”.

From the hug he gives me, I guess he hasn’t forgotten either. “You deserve it, Carter”, he whispers in my ear. He breaks off as Sabrina leans forward and kisses my cheek, then gives her new husband a light nudge in the ribs. “Honey, wasn’t there something you needed Brandon to do?”

“What?” Freddie stares at her blankly for a moment, then jumps like he’s been electrocuted. “Oh shit. Yes! Sorry. I did. Brandon!” He turns to me brightly, like we haven’t just been talking to each other. “Could you do me a favour?”

What in the See You At The Altar is going on here?

He thrusts his phone at me, “Could you check that my great-uncle made it back to the hotel safely please?”

“Sure. What’s his name?”

There’s a long pause before Freddie replies, “Freddie”.

I swear I see Sabrina roll her eyes.

“I’ve literally never once heard you mention a Great Uncle Freddie”.

“We’ve been estranged. He cut me out of his will, actually”. Freddie loosens his tie. “But we’ve made up now. And I’d be very grateful if you could check in on him”. Sabrina starts to pull him towards the dancefloor. “Thanks, Bran!”

I take an empty seat at a table overlooking the dancefloor, and scroll through Freddie’s contact list. Suddenly, his phone starts to ring. “Hello?”

“Could I speak to the Best Man please?”Parker’s voice makes my heart leap out of my chest.

“Di Rossi”. My whole body relaxes, knowing he’s just a phone line away. “What have you done with Great Uncle Freddie?”

“That’s between him and I”. His familiar teasing tone is music to my ears. “I wouldn’t normally resort to such shenanigans, except my boyfriend forgot his international plug adaptor and his phone has been uncharged for the last 24 hours. How’s the wedding?”

“Very wedding-y”, I shiver slightly. It’s cool, even for late summer. I’m regretting not grabbing my suit jacket. “Nobody objected during the vows section”.

“I told you they wouldn’t”.

“I still maintain literally asking people to object is an unnecessary risk”, I share a smile with Sabrina’s grandmother. She hasn’t touched her slice of wedding cake. My mouth waters just looking at it. “I’m heading back to the hotel soon. All the important bits are pretty much ticked off now”.

“By which you mean you’ve already smashed through your slice of wedding cake?”

In about three seconds flat. Caramel frosting and the softest sponge in the world. “How did you know?”

“You’re forgetting I know you better than anyone, Carter”, he says teasingly. “I’d be willing to bet money on the fact that you’ve spent the day running around after everyone else”.

I need to get out of these shoes. My feet are killing me. “You’d win that bet”.

“Delivering a humorous yet moving speech…”

“I was robbed of being Valedictorian.Robbed”.

“And now you’re hanging out by yourself. The main character in your own movie. Debating whether you’d get away with swiping a slice of cake from the vulnerable elderly relative sitting next to you”.

“I wasn’t!” I say indignantly, although that’s absolutely what I was about to do. “If I had a date here, I’d like to think he’d have secured me a second slice already. Lovers make those kinds of sacrifices for each other”.

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