Page 86 of Father of the Bride

Mark’s jaw flexed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She went to pull her hand away, but he wouldn’t let her go. “I…I guess I didn’t know that I owed you that kind of truth so soon. I didn’t know what this was yet.”

She could see in his eyes that her words hurt him deep.

“But…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “I thought this was a continuation, not something new. I thought webothfelt that.”

He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, a reassurance in the midst of his anger. “Why the hell did you have to lie to me? It’sus.”

“I’m sorry. I guess…” she trailed off.

Before she could finish, Orion sauntered over, still tipsy, his eyes flickering dangerously over them.

“Everything good over here?” he asked, eyeing Mark. “He bothering you?”

Mark dropped Sunny’s hand, stepping forward, putting himself between them. “Nah, nigga. You don’t check on her.Ido that.”

Orion laughed. “You sound crazy. She don’t know you like that, man. Watch out.”

He went to step around Mark, but Mark shut that down with a move in the same direction.

“Fuck off,” he warned. “This ain’t got shit to do with you.”

Orion made the mistake of laughing again. “Square ass nigga think he doin’ somethin’,” he said to nobody. “Nigga, move out my way, lemme holler at my wife.”

That was the one that did it.

When the words came out, it sounded like a growl. To Sunny, it sounded just like the Kez she used to know.

“Wife, huh? Alright then, muhfucka. Ask her whoreallyhad her first. Ask her whoreallyhad her last.”

Sunny gasped, reflexively reaching up and slapping Mark across the face.

His eyes met hers, wild and pink.

“Jokes on you,” he said. “I like that rough shit.”

She shook her head as tears filled her eyes. “How dare you embarrass me like this.”

“Hold up,” Orion said. “Back back. Fuck you tryna say?”

Mark stared at Sunny. “Tell him. Truth gotta come out now.”

She shook her head, her eyes darting between them. Davion walked up, Brooklyn on his heels.

“What’s going on?”

But nobody paid him any mind. Orion stepped closer to Sunny, his hands spread.

“What’s he talking about, Sunny?”

“Ugh.” She fidgeted, kicking at the sand as her nerves buzzed with energy. “Fine. I knew…we knew each other back in college. Kez was my first.”

“And?” Mark demanded.

“And last! There. Now everybody knows my fucking business.”

The bridesmaids were slowly trickling over when, without warning, Orion charged at Mark. Sunny jumped out of the way just in time, but Luke, who tried to jump between them, wasn’t so lucky. He got knocked over into the sand.

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