Page 66 of Vodka And Virtue

Almost every customer in the bar stood and clapped for them, and my uncle stepped forward, snapping pictures of them with his phone. In the distance, the bell rang again, and tears ran down my cheeks. They were happy tears, just like Ryan’s. My ‘big’ brother was growing up and getting married to a great guy, and I was truly overjoyed for them.

I left them to their happiness and returned to the bar. Just three hours and forty-seven minutes to go.

21

EPILOGUE

Carlisle

My brotherand Ryan had been engaged for two weeks already, and yet every time I glanced at Ryan, he was staring at his ring, turning it to catch the sun’s rays.

“Baby, you’re gonna blind yourself with that rock if you keep staring at it,” my brother teased him.

“It’s just so pretty,” he gushed.

It was. My brother was a total sap. Gooier than the icing on the cinnamon buns Ryan made for his bakery cart. He found a stone the exact shade of green of his eye color. He claimed that way, Ryan could stare into his eyes all day.

Ridiculously nauseating.

The emerald was flanked by diamonds that burned like white fire. It was gorgeous and fit Ryan perfectly. A tiny, silent, unvoiced part of my brain wondered what my hand would look like with Rory‘s ring on it. I didn’t want anything flashy like Ryan’s. Just a simple band would do. Maybe I would surprise him one day and do the asking myself.

“Baby, come swallow my sausage.” Rory held out a perfectly charred piece of sausage on his fork, inviting me to taste it. I laughed when my uncle punched him in the arm and obligingly opened my mouth to accept his meat.

The barbecue to celebrate my brother’s engagement was in full swing. Both my cousins, Gordy’s mother, and mine, were all here. Ryan’s mother was also in attendance, sitting beside my mother, keeping her company. The ladies seemed to be getting along great.

My uncle had a gorgeous backyard. His swimming pool was considered small, but it was large enough to fit my cousins, my brother and me. We used to ride our bikes here after school sometimes and jump in to cool off, avoiding doing our homework as long as possible.

The perimeter of the yard was fenced and lined with flowering bushes and trees for privacy and shade. A few years ago, my uncle had installed an outdoor kitchen that he built himself, and it was gorgeous.

He and Rory were working the grill. The smell of cooked meat and grilled vegetables permeated the warm air. Shannon was in the pool, and Gordy sat hunched on a lounge chair in the shade, watching him splash around with a black scowl on his face. I grabbed the plate Rory offered me and decided to sit next to Kelley, who was all by himself. I joined him at the big table, shaded by an umbrella.

“Enjoying the party? I know the Carrick clan can be a lot sometimes.”

Kelley looked beautiful in a blue bikini top that I was positive he bought in the women’s section. He covered his bottom half with white linen lounge pants that flowed loosely around his legs and accentuated his tight waist, and a long, sheer white robe that fell to his knees in a graceful swirl of chiffon. His large straw sunhat and oversized sunglasses finished off the look, lending him a classic diva air. The man had style and grace in spades.

“You have a wonderful family. So accepting and…”

He seemed to search for the right word, and I helpfully supplied, “Entertaining?”

Kelley laughed, the sound like tinkling wind chimes, and placed his hand on my arm. “Yes, entertaining. But only if you mean that in a good way. I love your family. You’re all very lucky to have each other.”

I followed the direction of his gaze as he said that, and interestingly, it landed on my uncle. Kelley was still staying in his house until his attacker was caught.

“How’s it going here at Club Med?” I joked. My uncle had a large house, and it was decorated beautifully. Much larger than he actually needed for just one man. It had always been the center of our families’ gatherings because it was the only house large enough to accommodate all of us.

“Very different from where I live. It’s a lovely vacation, if only I wasn’t so stressed.”

I covered his hand with mine, smiling inwardly at his sparkly purple nail polish. “Any news?”

He shook his head, looking dejected.

“They’ll catch him soon, and then you can return home and things will begin to feel normal again. I believe that. Just stay positive.”

He gave me a polite smile. “Thank you, Carlisle. I’m really trying. Enough about me. Tell me all about your new home.”

Our conversation carried on for another twenty minutes until Rory snatched me up over his shoulder.

“Excuse us,” he said to Kelley before jumping into the pool while still holding onto me. I hit the water like a sack of potatoes being dropped on the hard ground, making a huge splash that burned my skin and soaked my cousin. My brother jumped in behind us, quick to join the fray. I climbed on Rory’s shoulders, my brother on Shannon’s, and faced off against them in a game of chicken.

---