“Bed,” I say simply. I’m fucking done with this day.
My eyes are closed, but I still haven’t fallen asleep when Roger comes to bed a half hour later. I’m too busy stewing. There’s a lot that pisses me off about the situation. Roger not even consulting me before he made the decision. The fact that he thought it was okay to bring his mother on our honeymoon. The money. But the thing that angers me the most is that he called me a bridezilla.The nerve…
Stroking my hip, Roger trails soft kisses against my shoulder. “Babe, do you wanna?—”
“Not even a little bit.”
Libido status: stalled.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
A wedding, a pact, and a prediction
Remington
ALMOST THREEYEARSLATER
I watch Phoenix and his bride on the dance floor. It’s been almost seven years since his first wedding—the one that never happened—and this time I think he’s truly found the one.
Jordie McNamara.
I absolutely adore this woman. Not only is she a superstar tight end in the new women’s football league, but she’s also bright, funny, and a little bit snarky… exactly what my brother needs. And she treats my now six-year-old niece like she’s her very own child. That’s the most important thing.
Phoenix has barely dated since Reece came along, too busy raising his daughter, so I was elated when I learned he’d finally found someone to love who loved him back just as much. And the way these two are staring at each other right now? Jesus, it gives me an ache deep in my bones.
“Sir, here are your drinks.”
Turning, I find the bartender smiling at me as he pushes the glasses across the bar. “Thanks, man,” I tell him. “Have a good one.”
I pick them up, scotch for me and champagne forSerena, who’s my plus-one for the wedding. She accompanied me to my other brother’s wedding a few months ago as well.
Like Phoenix, Helix also found the love of his life as well. Dr. Nicolette Bell—now Hale—is a brilliant, world-renowned biochemist who was hired to work in the Hale Cosmetics lab Helix runs. We were lucky to snag her for the company and even more lucky she fell for my brainiac brother.
They’re on the dance floor now, gazing at each other with so much love I’m surprised they don’t have little hearts floating above their heads. Her hands toy with the back of his suspenders, and I wonder if he’d ever fulfilled his fantasy of tying someone up with them.
“What are you smiling at?” Serena says as I sit on one of the stools around a round table.
“My brothers. They both have these stupid looks on their faces.”
She swats my arm. “They’re in love, you cynic. I think it’s cute. Helix and Nicolette are so perfect for each other with their nerdy selves.” We look over at Phoenix and Jordie, who are now doing a damn good salsa. “And Jordie looks absolutely fantastic. She’s probably the only bride I know who could wear a white wedding jumpsuit instead of a dress and still look elegant.”
“You know she’s a tomboy,” I say with a laugh. “And she did wear that…” I gesture toward my legs, and Serena fills in the word I was looking for.
“It’s called an overskirt.”
“Yeah, that. She wore it for the ceremony but said she wanted to be comfortable for the reception so she removed it. I didn’t expect her to be wearing pants underneath though.”
I lift my scotch in a toast when Phoenix catches my eye over his wife’s shoulder. He winks and then executes a complicated twirl. Fucking showoff.
“It works for her with those long legs,” Serena says with a sigh. “Who’s the designer?”
“Bouvier,” I say.
She presses a hand to her chest and swoons. “Oh my god, their handbags are to die for this season. You should totally buy me one for my birthday.” Serena bats her eyelashes at me, and I laugh.
“You already had your birthday this year, and I bought you…” I pause, trying to remember since I never actually purchase Serena’s gifts myself. I give her my card and let her picky ass choose whatever she wants. My eyes catch the sparkle at her earlobes. “Those diamond earrings.”
“Yes, but Bouvier has this pearl-white clutch that would pair perfectly with these studs,” she argues.