Page 3 of Groomsman to Groom

“Brielle,” he says, standing up. “I thought everyone left this morning.”

“Almost everyone.” I try to sound casual. “I’m flying back tomorrow. Wanted one more day of beach time.” I gesture vaguely around us. “Trying to clear my mind. Escape all the romance in the air, you know?”

He laughs. “I get that. Weddings can be intense, especiallythiswedding.”

“I know, right?” I laugh. The bride—no joke—switched grooms during the ceremony of the televised wedding after she was on the reality TV show,Bridesmaid to Bride. She wasn’t really in love with her pick, she just wanted to be on TV. Her true love was a wedding guest she’d set up with her twin sister. But the twin sister didn’t care because she ended up with the guy who was supposed to be the male lead for the next season of this show. Which makes me say, “I guess they have to find a newGroomsman to Groom?”

“They definitely do.”

It was a dumpster inferno, but it all worked out. I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “So, what are you doing? Getting some final shots?”

“Yeah, but also just enjoying the quiet. It’s not often I get beach time without my son building sandcastles all around my equipment.”

“Your son—August, right?” I remember him mentioning his kid during one of our brief conversations at the wedding. “How old is he?”

“Eight going on thirty-eight.” Hayes’s face softens with obvious affection. “He’s way smarter than me already. Chess savant, gifted student, obsessed with quantum physics.”

“Quantum physics? At eight?” Actually, the kid sounds a lot like me when I was his age.

“He asked for Stephen Hawking’sA Brief History of Timefor Christmas last year. I got him the illustrated version, thinking it might be more accessible, but he was insulted. Said he wanted ‘the real one, Dad.’”

I laugh. “He sounds amazing.”

“He is.” Hayes fiddles with his camera strap. “So, I heard your sci-fi series is doing well on Bingeflix.Hallucination AI,right? August would love it.”

I blink in surprise. “You know about it?”

“Zach, the original groom mentioned it. Said you were the next big thing in screenwriting.” Hayes shrugs, looking a little embarrassed. “I might have looked it up after we talked at the rehearsal dinner.”

“Okay. I’m officially flattered.”

“Yeah. The premise sounded incredible—Hallucination AI, a real thing, forcing alternate versions of people to confront each other.” His enthusiasm is palpable. “It reminded me of some of the bestStar Trekepisodes, but with a modern twist.”

I can’t hide my smile. “You’re a Trekkie?”

“Original series, all the way. Though I did enjoyNext Generationtoo.”

“Let me guess—you related to Spock’s struggle with human emotions?”

Hayes looks at me with new interest. “How did you know?”

“Just a hunch,” I say, though it’s more than that. Something about his composed demeanor suggests someone who feels deeply but carefully manages those emotions. “I was always more of a Captain Kirk fan myself.”

“Bold, impulsive, willing to break the rules? Yeah, I can see that.”

We fall into step together, walking along the shoreline. The conversation flows so easily it’s almost disorienting. We dive into debates about things in the Marvel universe, argue good-naturedly about the bestNext Generationepisode—Measure of a Man,but Hayes goes forTapestry,which is just objectively wrong—and discover we share an embarrassing love for sci-fi D-lister movies.

“Wait, you actually sawSharktopus vs. Whalewolf?” Hayes asks, incredulous.

“Not only saw it—I hosted a viewing party… with themed drinks and everything. My boyfriend was on the screenwriting team.”

He throws his head back and laughs, real and unguarded. “I think I’m in the presence of greatness.”

My heart flutters as the setting sun casts a golden glow over everything, including Hayes’s face, highlighting the angles of his cheekbones and the warmth in his eyes. Our conversation shifts to more personal territory as the light softens around us.

“So, a screenwriter boyfriend?” Hayes raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Actually, he was the second of two in a row. When you work as much as I do, that’s the dating pool because it’s the only men you meet. The first hated that I worked all the time, which is rich coming from someone who once forgot my birthday because he was on a deadline. The second couldn’t handle thatHallucination AIdid better thanSharktopus vs. Whalewolf .”

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