Page 57 of Best Man
“Yup.” Niko knew he was being uncharacteristically tight-lipped—but then again, their projectwasa surprise, so maybe that wasn’t suspicious after all. “You’ll see it tonight, I promise.”
“What is it, anyway? Or are you still not talking?”
“I can’t say, man. I promised Paulina I wouldn’t tell. I can tell you this: it’s something Paulina and Piper enjoyed together as little girls. But, you know, you will enjoy it, too. It’s very heartfelt.”
Jax smiled. “Sounds good.”
Niko yawned.
“Tired?” Jax asked.
“Yeah, late night,” Niko murmured.
“I heard.”
“Huh?” Niko asked, startled.
“Hath said he went out for coffee this morning at seven o’clock, and he saw you rolling up into the parking lot in my truck.”
Fuck.
“Oh,” Niko stammered. “I didn’t see him.”
“Well, he saw you,” Jax said. “Must’ve been a long project, getting home that late, eh?”
Shit, does he suspect something?
“Yeah … well … we were busy until the sun came up …”
“You must’ve gotten to know her pretty well, then,” Jax said. “Paulie’s a cool girl, right?”
Fuck, man! She’s the coolest!was what he wanted to say.
“Yeah, she’s nice,” was what hehadto say.
Thankfully, Jax didn’t press the issue. They made it back to the hotel and, back in Jax’s suite, the boys were happy to see Big Rig looking normal again. With the crisis averted—both of them, Niko thought—the boys played some pump-up music and started dressing.
18
Niko
The groomsmen sat around in Jax’s suite and waited, sipping expensive whiskey on the rocks—except Niko, of course, who nursed a bottle of Dr. Pepper instead. The boys looked dapper in three-piece suits, with neckties and pocket squares in Dallas Devil red. The vibe wasn’t entirely unlike before a game—not a nervous vibe, but an amped-up energy; a masculine desire toget out therealready andget this fucking job done.
Jax especially. As the hour approached, his nerves had calmed and he blossomed into a man who looked ready to enter the next phase of his life. He’d gone from a jittery, nervous mess to a guy who looked like he reallywasliving the happiest day of his life. Hecouldn’t stop smiling. One look at that face, and Niko knew The Big Rig’s fears about crying were overblown—the man had simply been anxious earlier. Who could blame him? Marriage was a big deal, and a wedding was an emotional event.Regardless, Niko knew Jaxwould keep it all together during the ceremony.
Lucky guy,Niko thought. He’d always envied Jax for meeting a woman like Piper … but now Niko had met Paulina … it was impossible not to get his hopes up, although he knew it was way, way too early for that.
Niko glanced at his watch. “Go time,” he said. “You ready, Big Rig?”
Jax jumped to his feet. “Hell yeah.”
The boys fell in line behind him, shouting and hollering to pump him up.
“LET’S FUCKING GOOOO!”
“YOU GOT THIS, BIG RIG!”
The crew piled into the stretch limo waiting outside the hotel and left for the farm.
