Page 21 of One Wild Wedding Weekend

They walked back to the hotel in silence.

Partway, Daley stopped in the path. “Do I look okay?” she asked. “I don’t want anybody to guess what we’ve been doing.”

He touched her cheek with a gentle finger. “You look great. If you want, I can stay here and let you go back alone.”

She nodded. “I think that would be best. I’ll see you at three.”

Tristan had just experienced some of the best sex of his adult life. Why then did he feel so let down? He’d like to think it was from breaking a promise to his brother, but that didn’t even make the list.

Daley liked having sex with him, but she’d been very clear about her expectations. This little wedding weekend interlude had a definite expiration date. Despite the natural chemistry between them, she didn’t expect to see him again once they parted company tomorrow. With some women, that would be a relief.

Unfortunately, Daley was in a class by herself.

He gave her half an hour to get situated in her room before strolling back to the hotel. Showering and shaving took no time at all. After that, he downed a beer and brooded. It was impossible not to think about Daley, but he tried.

Despite the fact this was a small wedding, it was still very traditional. The men’s formal wear was expensive and classic. Tristan owned a tux that had been hand-tailored to fit his large frame. But he had rented one for this occasion to match the other groomsmen.

He slept for half an hour and then watched TV. At half past two he got dressed and checked the mirror. He wanted to make his brother proud.

Tonight was important. Tristan wasn’t discounting that. Seeing John and Tabby get married was going to be a powerful moment.

But even so, Tristan was caught up in his own dilemma. What to do about Daley...

Or maybe there was no dilemma at all. If they could pretend for the rest of today—pretend they were nothing more than friendly acquaintances—Tristan would only see her a handful of times a year.

It’s possible he could find valid excuses to miss a few family gatherings here and there. It wasn’t an ideal plan. He had always been an integral part of his brother’s life and vice versa. But his choices were few.

He couldn’t date Daley and break up with her. That was out of the question. And since he wasn’t in the market for a long-term relationship, he couldn’t date her period.

The reluctant introspection left him feeling frustrated and grumpy.

It was almost a relief to realize it was time for the wedding photos. He donned his sunglasses, pocketed his room key and headed for the pool area.

He knew Tabby and John had met earlier for pictures of the groom’s first-time-to-see-the-bride shots. Neither Tabby nor John was superstitious, but they had wanted to catch that moment before the rest of the pictures.

When Tristan arrived, the photographer had just finished taking pictures of the grandparents with the bride and groom. Next up were the parents. Then separate group pics of the Hamilton family and the Martins. Everything went smoothly.

After that, Tabby dismissed everyone but the immediate wedding party.

Tristan had to work not to stare at Daley. She was stunning. The bridesmaids wore slim strapless navy dresses and carried bouquets of yellow and white daisies.

The photographer was a skinny guy with a shock of red hair and an expensive-looking camera. He and Tabby worked together well. Both had a vision for what Tabby wanted. The bride beamed. “We’re going to have fun with this,” she said. “I’m thanking you in advance for your patience.”

The groomsmen sprawled in folding chairs while the bridesmaids were photographed in a dozen different configurations. Because the weather had held, the ceremony would be outdoors. A white satin runner marked the aisle for the bride’s entrance later.

When the women were done, Tristan and his fellow groomsmen followed orders as they were posed and prodded, all the while trying not to sweat. The group was in a good mood. It was a great day.

Tristan assumed they were done then. But he was wrong.

Tabby had asked the photographer to document the actual wedding while it was in progress—unobtrusively from the back—but she wanted shots of the wedding party posed now...just in case guests blocked the view later.

The twelve men and women, plus Daley and Tristan, took their positions with the groom. Tabby walked down the aisle, and then she and John held hands, grinning at each other. The only shot required later would be one with the minister and also Tabby’s dad giving her away.

The photographer waved his hand. “Everything looks great. Now I want to try something just for fun.”

The area set aside for the ceremony was shaded by enormous mature oaks whose branches met overhead. A couple of groomsmen, when asked, snagged two chairs and positioned them in front of a bank of forsythia.

The photographer seated the bride and groom and fussed with their pose. Then he had each duo of attendants stand in a semicircle around the two chairs.

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