Page 8 of Any Cowboy of Mine
“That’s beside the point. She’s Chris’s problem now. What’re you gonna do about the invitation?”
“Besides burn it in effigy?”
“Yeah, besides that. Are you gonna go?”
“I was kinda hoping you could talk me through that. I tried the pros and cons, but they came up pretty even. I need your unbiased perspective.”
“You mean my infinite wisdom? I’m happy to share. Whaddaya got?”
Brad took a deep breath. What did he have? It’s not like it was a high school reunion where he might run into an ex-girlfriend. This was the first love of his life’s wedding, barely a year after they broke up, on the day they had deemed their anniversary. Going would set the record straight about how he was doing. He was sick of the questions, no matter how well meaning they were, so he’d faked being late for a deadline the past three weeks, something he wouldn’t have to fake soon enough if he didn’t get back to the last novel and send his agent the manuscript. He was how he was, and no amount of needling was going to change it.
On the other hand, his mom was of the opinion he’d treated Julia unfairly in print, and Brad couldn’t hide behind the “Jewel’s just a fictitious character” defense with her. She knew every gory detail of his and Julia’s split, except the “why” of course; that was information his mom said she didn’t need, despite it being the reason for everything. She’d once asked Brad how he thought Julia would feel to see her whole life’s mistakes written for the world to read.
Truthfully, he hadn’t cared—only those in his small town knew about Julia and could make the connection between her and Jewel. He only felt moderately guilty that his and Julia’s destruction had led to his fame and fortune. Moderately.
Oh well, she’d get over it. They both would.
“What do I got? Well, not much, truth be told. I know it might lend to some closure, seal the relationship in the past for me. Maybe help me move on.”
“You don’t think the wedding will do that whether or not you’re there for it?”
“See, this is why I need you. But actually, no, I don’t. I think seeing her happy with him is what I need more than just knowing she’s hitched, you know?”
Steve nodded. “I get it, man, I do, but there’s one thing you haven’t told me that might change whether I even let you consider going to this wedding.”
“What’s that?”
“Is there an open bar?”
Brad gave a throaty, deep laugh that echoed off the courtyard walls and broke the thaw inside him for the first time that day.
“There is. Why, you wanna go as my date?” Brad chided his friend.
“That’s not a bad idea, but we’ll come back to that. No, I mean the open bar might be the deal breaker. You and Julia and Chris and booze? Not a good mix.”
“I thought that, too. But, shit. What if I don’t go? Do I look like a sucker, like I’m tucking tail and hiding out?”
“No, you look like a guy who got the raw end of a deal in love, who’s taking some time to regroup, though he wishes the lovely couple a lifetime of happiness.”
“Do I, though?” Brad asked, laughing. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed this much. It felt good, like he was still alive in there somewhere.
“Hell no. But you’ll write that in the card, and your folks’ll spread the sentiment like wildfire. Meanwhile, you’ll be cuddled up, sucking your thumb, or a cold one, or both, none the wiser.”
“Not a bad plan. I’m still not sure, though. It kinda feels like I have to go. This town is too damn small. People talk, and I don’t want them talking about me if I’m not there.”
“Okay, now you just sound like you’re in kindergarten. Who cares what people have to say, especially in this small corner of the world? So, let’s get back to me and that open bar. If you decide to tempt fate and go to the damn wedding, why don’t you bring me? I can take your seat at that bar, save you the embarrassment.”
“Now you’re kidding.”
“Maybe. But you have to admit it could serve a couple purposes, chiefly, giving you a dedicated wingman. Seriously, though, I’d be happy to go with you, keep you straight, deflect when you need deflection, that sort of thing. I can also take advantage of that open bar on your behalf.”
Brad stared at Steve. The man had lost his mind.
Or maybe he was just crazy enough. Could this work? Brad wouldn’t mind the companionship, and not just to deflect from Julia. Having Steve there would show the town that Brad was functioning on normal levels, and maybe as an added bonus, it would keep his mom off his back.
“Unless I get a call from Natalie Portman begging me to take her, that doesn’t sound half bad. You sure you’d want to do that? It’s gonna be a long night of babysitting.”
“I know. But I figure on the conservative side I owe you one, most likely a lot more than that after Katy. You stuck by me, which was, from the stories you told me, the drunken version of herding cats for two months. I can do one night. Honestly, I don’t think you’ll be as bad as you think you will. You’ve handled this breakup with class, buddy.”
