Page 94 of That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump
Natalie’s gaze moves up and down, from my dress shoes to the swoop of my hair. With each inch of her appraisal, she’s bringing me to life. Then her eyes flick to my mouth and stop there.
Oh, man.
I’d do just about anything to back this woman up against the wall and kiss her senseless.
While we’re both just standing there, staring at one another, everything else disappears. Everyoneelse. Then she parts her lips. “Hi.” Her voice is low and throaty.
“Hello.” Under the circumstances, I’m surprised I can manage any speech at all.
Her head tips just an inch. “Did you say you have something for Kasey?”
I nod, otherwise silent and motionless. Natalie Slater is the world’s most beautiful Medusa turning me to stone. Kasey moves across the room, her eyes shining beneath the arch of a veil. In the background, other women take up space. But I’m too dazzled by Natalie to see anything but her.
Nat takes a step backward, inviting me into the room, and I lumber toward her like we’re attached by wires. Like I’m sucked into her wake. Like wherever she goes, I’ll be dragged along behind her. Forget the lighthouse and the light. Natalie’s the siren, and I’m the sailor.
“So?” Kasey cocks her head, and her smile takes on a slant too. “I know I look good, but come on, Brady. You act like you’ve never seen me with makeup on before.”
“Yeah. No.” I shake my head. “You’re gorgeous, Kase. Really. Very lovely.”
Natalie’s eyes lock on mine, but my heart’s already banging in my chest. I don’t think I’ve got any more adrenaline to give. So I splay my hands, sweeping both arms around the room to indicate the rest of the bridesmaids. I can’t seem to come up with a single woman’s name. All my cousins. And the pregnant one.
What’s-her-face.
“Everybody looks… so… pretty,” I manage to grumble.
The ambassador to Breckenridge—you know, the triplet who dyed her hair blonde—cranes her neck, looking over my shoulder. “Is Hawk with you?”
“No. Uh. Sorry, Liv,” I stammer. Olivia. Right. I totally knew that. “I’m actually here on a best man mission to give this to Kasey.” I pull Beau’s envelope out of my pocket. “From the groom.”
My sister reaches out and takes the envelope from me. “What is this?”
“Beau’s wedding vows.” I square my shoulders and keep my focus off Nat or else I won’t be able to talk. “In case he forgets what he’s saying in the middle of the ceremony. Or if he messes up. He just wants you to have one perfect version of his words. I guess he worked pretty hard on them. He has everything memorized.”
The women in the room all take turns sighing and ooh-ing and ahh-ing.
“That’s so sweet,” Amber gushes. “You’ve got the second-best man in the world, Kasey.” She shrugs. “I’ve gotta give the top spot to James. Any man stuck home alone with twins gets first place.”
Kasey stares down at the envelope, her lips moving just a little. Then her eyes slowly begin to widen. “Oh, no,” she groans.
“What?” Natalie asks.
“I can’t remembermyvows.” Kasey jerks her chin up to me. “Not a single word. I had them memorized, Brady. I swear I did.” She glances at Nat, her expression growing wild. “I knew them by heart, remember?”
“Of course you know them.”
Kasey comes toward me, grasping the lapels of my tuxedo. “Why did you let me forget my vows?” she shrieks.
“Umm. I didn’t?”
“It’s okay,” Natalie chirps. Her smile is warm. Bright. Steady. Man. I’m getting burned by her light all over again. “You’re going to be fine.” She rests a hand on Kasey’s shoulder. “I’ll bet your vows are still in your head, you’re just freaking out a little right now.”
“Performance anxiety,” I mumble. “Beau’s got it too.”
“What?” Kasey shakes her head. “No, no, no, no, no!” The tulle of her veil swishes around her face. “My mind’s a total blank. All of it’s gone. Every single word. I can’t remember any of them.”
“Just breathe.” Natalie rubs gentle circles along Kasey’s back. “It’s going to be all right. And either way, I still have that copy of the vows you gave me at the beach. You can tuck them in your bouquet in case you need them during the ceremony. Believe me. No one will care if you have to read off some squares of pink stationery. They’ll be like cue cards!”
“You’re right!” Kasey’s hands fly to her cheeks. “I forgot I gave you the only copy so Beau couldn’t sneak a peek.” She drops a hand to her chest, pressing the spot over her heart. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
