Page 33 of The Best Man

“Of course I am,” Marcus says. “Now, go get her.”

Jared cracks a smile, then heads for his wife.

I’m curious, so I stay watching. When he gets to her and touches her arm, she turns around, surprised. When he turns her to face him, then brings her in and kisses her while his hand wanders down to squeeze her ass, I smile.

They’re both smiling when he pulls back but lingers the way Marcus often does when he kisses me. The way that makes me feel so special, so loved.

It seems to make her feel that way, too.

I glance up at my husband. He’s finished watching his handiwork, so he slides his hand around my waist and hauls me toward the next task on his list.

As we walk, I can’t help thinking maybe this is something we should talk about, though.

I admire his brilliance in advising his brother on his rocky marriage, but I’m slightly unsure of his stance on cheating.

Which is a little scary, considering I just married him.

If we’d dated, we would have talked about this long before any vows were exchanged. All I had with him was one night, and we did very little talking.

And last night I had no ability to speak up or interfere, but he made me do things I would ordinarily never do.

I’m not sure where Marcus stands because last night, he stood on both sides.

On one hand, he called Joey an idiot for cheating on me, but with the other, he placed his married brother’s hand on my ass and tempted him to break his vows.

“If you ever cheated on me, it would shatter my whole heart,” I inform him.

He glances down at me, his brow furrowing faintly. “Where did that come from?”

I gesture back toward his brother and his wife.

His confusion clears and he tugs me closer, almost protectively. “Our relationship isn’t theirs. Jared’s always had a streak of stubbornness in him. He inherited our mother’s temper. He withholds when he gets mad instead of handling it. I’m not like him. I’m morally flexible when the situation calls for it, but also completely certain of what I want. We could never have a relationship like theirs becauseIwould never allow our relationship to deteriorate the way theirs has. I take care of what’s mine. Jared doesn’t, that’s why he’s in this mess to begin with.”

That makes a lot of sense to me. It’s just… “Joey cheated too, and our relationship didn’t deteriorate first.”

“Joey’s an idiot,” he informs me, stopping walking so he can turn me to face him. Sliding his hand up to cup my jaw, he leans his forehead against mine. “I’m not any of my brothers, Jessa. I am my own man. And you are my wife. That means you’re mine to love, not to hurt. I’ve watched the married people in my family make mistakes, and I’ve learned from them so I don’t have torepeat them in my marriage. Loving you is the first thing on my to-do list every day for the rest of my life. There is literally no chance I wouldeverdo that to you.”

My heart lightens with relief. “Okay. I just thought I should… make sure.”

His firm grip is so reassuring as he holds me still and kisses me. “That’s good. I always want you to come to me with any concern you have. We’ll work it out together.”

“Or you’ll work it out for me,” I murmur knowingly.

He smirks. “Or that.”

He gives me one last kiss before releasing me, then we continue through the crowd toward his brother.

James, as it happens, is sitting at a beautifully decorated round table with Matt.

They both grow decidedly more uncomfortable as we approach.

Matt, apparently taking his candidness from his brother, turns directly to me and says, “I cannot believe you married this evil motherfucker.”

My eyes widen and Marcus laughs.

“People keep saying that,” he says lightly.

“Yeah, what a fucking shock,” James says, glaring at his brother. “I told you I didn’t think she wanted it and you made me fucking do it anyway. I was right, and she may be nuts enough to marry you afterward, but the facts haven’t changed. You coaxed me into raping this fucking girl last night.”

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