All She Wanted (2) (26 page)

Briggs

I didn’t need a reminder of what I had
agreed to with Charlie. That reminder came to mind as frequently as the breaths
I took, but I swallowed down my pride and answered Chief anyway. I knew he only
wanted to protect her—a common goal between us.

But my heart stopped cold when she had
entered the room.

I silently prayed that she hadn’t been
close enough to hear his question to me, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at
her face for confirmation. I knew if she had heard, she wouldn’t hold back.
Charlie was too much of a spitfire to let something like that go. I waited for
her explosion, but it didn’t come, much to our relief.

If
Charlie had walked in five seconds earlier…

I didn’t want to think about that. We
were on the road to starting over—as friends, with boundaries in tact. To
reveal my feelings now would only compromise that. And even if she felt the
same way, I knew I couldn’t be the one responsible for pulling her away from
the future she had worked so hard for. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.

While she had walked with me in
driveway, my eyes finally took her in. Her pink sundress and heels, her white
sweater draped over her arm, she was a vision. I sorted through a mental list
of compliments that seemed
safe
.
 

I patted her knee briefly, denying my
desire to hold her hand.

Just like I was denying my desire to
hold her heart.
         

Charlie

I had been involved in several weddings
before this, but nothing—and I mean nothing—could have prepared me for the
chaos that was
this
rehearsal. I saw
Tori right away, cornered by at least five women who were all talking at her in
shrill voices at the same time. As Briggs joined the other groomsmen, I felt a
rescue was in order for my new friend, the bride.

“Hey Tori, don’t you have some special
instructions for me before I head over to the piano?”

I raised my eyebrows at her so she
would understand what I was really asking, and with a look of sheer
desperation, she broke away from the posse.

She grabbed my arm and whispered, “You
may have just saved my life, Charlie—or theirs!”

I laughed. “Maybe I should just hide
you until you’re actually needed?”

She sighed, “I think everyone is
finally here, so hopefully we can start this whole production soon. Betty was
just going over her final notes, you know, the ones I’ve heard about four
hundred times.”

I looped her arm through mine as we
walked over to where the band would be playing. A stage had been set up not too
far away from where the ceremony was to take place. Twinkle lights and lampposts
were everywhere. The entire yard—if one could call acres of land a yard—looked
like Cinderella’s Castle had emptied itself onto it.

There were crews of men and women
everywhere I looked. Some of the crews were on the grass, some on ladders, some
knee-deep in the koi pond, and some on the deck, each busily working away.

It was stunning to watch the
transformation that was happening here.

“Well, I will be your protector from
all these crazies tonight,” I said firmly, continuing to glance around.

With that, Miss Calm-and-Collected
herself started to giggle. I had never heard Tori laugh like that—it was quite
contagious. In a matter of seconds I was giggling too. She caught her breath
and wiped at her watering eyes.

“Charlie…you are…the smallest person
here! That…is the funniest thing…I’ve heard all week!”

Tori had caught the attention of
several others, and soon we had a group around us, the exact opposite of my
protect-Tori-plan. Kai and Briggs were among them, asking what the joke was. I
pressed my lips together, refusing to admit the reason for her explosion of
giggles. Tori, however, couldn’t resist. She explained how I had rescued her
from the
Mom and Coordinator Mafia
,
and offered to protect her for the night.

Briggs literally choked on his
laughter.

Sure, I was short alright, but really?
Really?

“Geesh…y’all act like I’m as useful as
an
Oompa
Loompa
! I can hold
my own, really I can!” I said, putting my hands on my hips, trying to keep the
smile from my lips.

Briggs dropped his arm on my shoulders,
“Oh yes, you are a certified mini-ninja if ever I saw one.”

Briggs

Walk like this.

Stand like this.

Turn like this.

Exit like this.

Weddings were a bore, but at least the
ambiance was excellent. While we were pushed and pulled by Betty-the-Brute, I
got to watch Charlie play. She rehearsed her song several times as we practiced
the walk-in over and over. Each time, she captivated me with her grace.

Would
she ever stop leaving me breathless after she played?

Probably not.

And I didn’t want her to.

Charlie was assigned to a different
table than me during the dinner,
a
non-wedding party table
. Betty-the-Brute had seen to that. However, that
fact did not keep me from texting her under the table all night. I felt like I
was in the fourth grade again writing notes in my desk, only now the
risk/reward odds played heavily in my favor. The only thing better than texting
with Charlie, was watching her read my texts.
That,
was an added bonus.

Me:
This is lame sauce. We should ditch…you
in?

Miss
Strawberry Shortcake:
You
are quite possibly the worst best man ever! You should be expelled from your
position for even suggesting such a thing
J
. Although, I can think of hundreds of things I’d rather be
doing than listening to Betty drone on about tomorrow’s schedule…

Me
: Don’t even get me started on that. I
think a fork to the eye would be better than this.

She laughed out loud and then clasped
her hand over her mouth. I looked away, innocently, doing my best to keep a
straight face. She was gonna hate me for that.

I hoped I could get her to do it again.

Miss
Strawberry Shortcake:
Jerk!
You did that on purpose.

Me:
What? Never.

I smiled at her. She shook her head at
me, smiling too.

Miss
Strawberry Shortcake:
You
know, you need to come up with a new contact name on my phone…this “hottie who
lives above your garage” one no longer applies to you.

Me
: Well it better not apply to anyone
else either, or we might have an issue when I drop you off tonight.

She bit her lip, trying to conceal her
smile.

An all-too familiar ache radiated in my
chest, bringing with it a choke-hold of loss around my heart. Her smile faded
as she stared at me from across the sea of tables between us. I turned my head
away, doing my best to hide what I knew was written all over my face.

You’ve
wrecked me, Charlie Lexington, and your love is my only fix.

Charlie

The big day had finally arrived.

Due to our different roles in the
wedding, Briggs and I had agreed to drive separately today. He had to be
on site
—as Betty had put it—for pictures
a few hours before I needed to arrive. As it turned out, the extra time at home
was filled rather quickly as Professor Wade called for the second time in
twenty-four hours.

I had run out of excuses, he needed my
answer.

As I slipped into the champagne-colored
gown that Stacie had picked out for me, I was in awe as I walked toward the
mirror. I had tried it on for fitting purposes, but with my hair and makeup now
done, it didn’t seemed like the same dress. It was positively the most
beautiful thing I had ever put on my body. The long, silk slip dress was floor
length, even with my heels on. The neckline scooped just under my collarbone,
leaving my shoulders bare as the thin spaghetti straps crisscrossed behind my
neck, down to my mid-back. My hair I wore in a loose up-do, soft curls
cascading down from the crown of my head, leaving the ends to brush the nape of
my neck.
 

After one final glance at my
reflection, I grabbed an ivory wrap from my closet to take with me just in
case. I was fairly sure I would be fine without it, considering it was in the
high eighties today, but I would rather be on the safe side when it came to
Texas weather.

With that, I was out the door and
headed to the wedding.

**********

The stage that housed the piano and the
rest of the hired-out
musicians,
was only a few yards
from the bridge where Kai and Tori would say their vows. It was the same bridge
where they first met, when Tori had first moved back to Dallas. I had gushed
profusely when Tori had told me that.

Their story was a beautiful one. As a
method of distraction after the whole skydiving fiasco where I had made a
complete and utter fool of myself, Tori had decided it would be a good time
tell it to me. I think she had figured out pretty quickly that I wasn’t going
to be much of a talking companion on the ride home that day. She had given me
space, not pushing me to
explain
my feelings
, and I had been grateful
since I couldn’t even define them for myself.

Tori was by far the least invasive
person I knew, yet it was that same quality which continued to assure me that I
could trust her with anything. Her motives were never self-seeking, and that in
and of
itself
was refreshing.

I smiled again at the thought of this
special day; I couldn’t wait to see her as a bride.

Perfection was everywhere I looked as I
made my way onto the stage. The crews of chaos that had covered the outdoor
space in droves yesterday were no more. Instead, an enchanted sense of
wonderment and peace filled the property. Beauty was all around me.

The ceremony was set to start in just
over an hour. Tori had asked if I would play while her guests were seated in addition
to the processional piece I had composed. Of course, I had obliged. I sat down
on the bench, smoothed out my dress, and started to play.

Briggs

I didn’t see her until it was time to
walk in for the processional, but I had heard her playing for some time before
that. As people around me commented on how beautiful the music was, I secretly
reveled in the fact that I knew the soul who played it. But as I walked in with
Stacie on my arm, nothing in this world could have prepared me for what I saw on
that stage.

Charlie looked positively angelic.

Once in my assigned position, I was
pleased to discover I had an unobstructed view of her at the piano. When the
song changed, indicating the bride’s entrance, I had to peel my eyes away from
Charlie.

Tori was
a gorgeous bride, no doubt about it.
Her eyes were focused on Kai as she made the long walk down nature’s aisle, her
dad at her side. I glanced at Kai, feeling a strong sense of pride swell in my
chest at the thought of him as a husband. There was no better fit for either of
them.

This union was right, in fact, it was
as perfect as they came.

I fought the desire to watch Charlie
throughout the entire duration of the ceremony, but since she already thought
me a lousy best man, I did my best to focus during the vows.

Finally, it was time for the kiss.

The cheers and claps from a few hundred
guests rang out as Kai dipped his bride low, planting a kiss on her mouth. And
that was that. My two best friends were married. The band started to play an
upbeat song as we made our way back down the aisle, exiting just as
Betty-the-Brute had instructed.

The ceremony may have been over, but
the massive crowd was causing some major interference with my Charlie-radar.
After a few dozen photo-ops, and several formal introductions, I was ready to
find my date.

It proved an easy task.

Charlie

I loved weddings.

The fact that I now held the baggage of
an ex-wedding date along with an ex-fiancé did not deter my love for what this
day represented for my new friends. I listened to every word spoken, took in
every detail, and even shed a few tears when Kai dipped Tori and kissed her,
sealing their union. I think I could do this every weekend and never tire of
it.

I had lost sight of Briggs a while ago
as the wedding party was instructed to re-group for yet another round of
pictures. I laughed when I heard the announcement from Betty, knowing that
Briggs was more than likely groaning in misery somewhere.

I walked over to the reception tent as
the band continued to play. The evening’s cocktails and appetizers were
currently being served as I milled around, looking for a table. In the process
I found my parents, who in turn, complimented me tirelessly in front of their
friends before I could break away.
 

I was thankful that there wasn’t a
seating chart tonight; I hoped that meant I’d actually get to sit with my
date—my friend date.
I was handed a
glass of white wine by one of the waiters when he walked by me. I sipped it
slowly, heading toward the edge of the tent, my earlier mission of table
hunting momentarily forgotten.

The setting sun was too beautiful a
distraction for me to ignore.

I stood watching it in awe. It was
moments like these that I knew I could never doubt the existence of God: Sunsets
couldn’t be by chance. Art wasn’t made without an artist; just like creation
wasn’t made without a master Creator. My skin prickled immediately when I heard
the familiar voice behind me.

“Ya know, it’s not very nice to compete
with the bride on her special day, Shortcake.”

My stomach flipped.

Friend
or not, he was still a flirt.

I smiled, turning to face him as my
words slipped away in an instant. Briggs had looked good from afar, but
up-close?
Whoa
. I cleared my throat,
forcing myself to reply.

“You look...nice.”

Really,
Charlie?
Lame.

He laughed. “Come on, let’s go find a
seat. Dinner is about to be served.”

I nodded, feeling his hand brush
against my lower back as we made our way back through mob. Once we sat, I was
grateful to finally focus on something other than the nearness of him. For the
next half an hour or so we talked with the other guests at our table, swapping
stories of how we had come to know the bride and groom. I enjoyed this
conversation immensely, though I could feel Briggs’ eyes on me throughout the
majority of it. I wished I could stop trying to read more into his looks than
what was actually there.

Dinner was served soon after that.

As the dessert tray made its way to our
table, I felt myself start to retreat. Nerves, which had been easily
sidetracked by the many events of the evening, had finally found their way back
to me. I touched the stem of my second glass of wine and twirled it over and
over with my fingertips. The later the hour became, the less time I had to
delay the inevitable conversation that was to come.

I picked up the glass of wine then and
tipped it back quickly. I needed to get this over with. A low, radiating warmth
spread throughout my belly as I caught Briggs’ eyes on me. I told myself it was
the wine; I almost believed it too.