Page 141 of Champagne Fizz

“Too bad, dipwad!” Mason replies, placing himself between the two brothers. “That’snothing compared to how much it’s going to hurt when you fuck up your wedding.”

I gawk at Mason in surprise. Who thought Mason would step up and become groomsman of the century?

“Olivia is about to walk down the aisle,” Mason continues, “and I’d hate for you to not be there.”

“I’ll be there!” Ned hisses. “I just don’t wantherto be there.” He points over Mason’s shoulder at his mother, who bristles with anger.

“I’m insulted,” she snips, righting her mother-in-law dress as if she’d been in the middle of the scuffle a second ago. “How could you possibly not want your mother at your wedding?”

“Oh no, mom!” Ned glares at her with a darkness I didn’t know Ned had in him, and I swear a cloud crawls over the sun. “You don’t get to say bullshit like that. You chose Dad. You stood behind him. You threw both of us under the bus, and there are consequences for abandoning your sons.”

“You’re both grown men,” Mrs. Voss points out. “And you know this tiff with your father will eventually blow over.” She tosses a hand up in a huffy motion. “Plus, you know your father. Once he makes a decision, there’s no reasoning with him.”

“You don’t have to reason with him!” Ned snaps. “You just leave. That’s what you do, Mom.”

“He’s my husband!” she squawks back, stepping forward to school him in the nuances of marriage. “I took a vow. The same vow you’re about to take. For better or for worse, Edwin! You stick by your spouse.”

“Definitely worse!” Ned interjects.

“I never said your father was a saint,” Mrs. Voss replies, “but eventually thiswillblow over and things will be fine.”

“Blow over?” Ned moves so fast he’s in his mother’s face and both Connor and Mason are clutching his arm to hold him back. “Do you mean wait and let it blow over while Connor goes to jail and does time?”

“I didn’t end up doing any time,” Connor jets in.

“No, because I moved you to Hawaii so dad couldcool offandget over it,” Ned says, his eyes pinned on his mother. “Is that what you mean, Mom? Was I supposed to wait on my laurels and stick with dad while you let this blow over and Connor rotted in prison?”

“Your father would never have taken it that far,” Mrs. Voss defends. “He would’ve dropped the charges before trial.”

“You sure about that?” Ned continues. “Because I’m pretty sure dad decided to liquidate my branch of the firm without telling me about it, and all because I helped Connor. Is that what you mean about letting things go back to normal?”

“Your father obviously still needs time,” Mrs. Voss grinds out, standing tall and not bowing to Ned’s anger. “And you’re getting married pretty fast, Edwin. You only met that girl a few months ago.”

“That girlis about to be my wife!” Ned snaps. “And you have no vote on how fast I get married.”

“All I’m saying is your timetable is faster than your father’s.”

“I don’t care!” The palm trees above us rustle with agitation. “And I don’t care if my timetable is too fast for you too, Mom,” Ned growls.

“Um, you guys?” We all turn at the interruption to see Simon briskly striding up to us with a tight look to his face. I step toward Simon, making a cutting motion by my neck to tell himthis really isn’t the time to interrupt.

“Simon,” I squeak out, “this isn’t—”

“I know,” Simon cuts me off. “But we can hear you over there.” He motions to the ceremony that’s out of sight, but maybe not out of earshot.

Oh crap!

“Okay, okay,” I say, jumping in. “Obviously this was a bad idea.” I motion to Connor and Ned’s mother, and my groom glares at me like I’m so far off the mark I ought to be fired. “The guests are waiting so … Connor and Mason, why don’t you take Ned for a short walk to clear his head, and I’ll escort Mrs. Voss—”

“You’re still my son!” Mrs. Voss cuts in, not interested in letting me finish. “And I’mherenow. I flew across an ocean to be at your wedding, so—”

Ned’s eyes turn livid. “So—what? You feel entitled to come? Because you’re here now?” Ned practically spits. “Why don’t you go crash someone else’s wedding instead!”

“Edwin, that’s uncalled for,” Mrs. Voss scolds.

“And you choosing our father was uncalled for,” Ned throws back. “If you haven’t figured it out yet, I don’t want to look into the crowd and see your face!”

“Edwin?”

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