I couldn’t take my eyes off her. My head suddenly filled with memories of her melodic laughter on hot summer days and the taste of ice cream on her lips. The onslaught was so vivid that I licked my own, half expecting to find a drop of melted ice cream still on them.
Obviously, it wasn’t there and the realization pulled me back to earth.Don’t just stand here, idiot. Go say hi.
Immediately following my brain’s command, my feet kicked into action. As I approached her, she turned slowly, like she knew I was coming but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to look at me just yet. She finally completed the turn just as I got to her, and a world of emotion flickered in her gaze before she blinked it all away.
Surprise, however, was not one of those emotions, so clearly she’d known I’d be here even if I hadn’t quite thought so myself.
“Hey,” she said, her voice just as soft and gentle as I remembered. Those blue eyes held mine absolutely captive. I couldn’t stop staring, even when I knew I should. “It’s been a long time, Colt. How are you?”
“I’m good,” I lied through my fucking teeth. “A bit awkward, since this is my first wedding shower, but good.”
A faint ghost of a smile touched her lips, and her eyes suddenly seemed to have just a little bit of the sparkle I remembered back in them. “It’s usually just a shower for the bride, but Teddy wanted Scott to be included in everything, so it’s a bit nontraditional.”
“Was I supposed to have brought a gift?” I asked, glancing down at the shimmering pink package in her hands.
This time, she really did smile. “We’re supposed to shower the couple with gifts, hence the name of the event.”
“Fuck,” I muttered, but then my sister’s voice came over a microphone and everyone else went quiet, so I did, too.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming,” she said happily, glowing as she glanced up at Scott. “It’s so great to have you all here and to see everyone. We hope you have fun today, so without any further ado, let’s get this party started.”
Once she’d put the mic back in its cradle and I turned to face Emma again, but she had disappeared. I looked around, not surprised to see her already at my sister’s side. On my way over to them, I was intercepted by some old friends of the family and I only managed to reach them when she and Scott were ready to start opening gifts.
A brainwave struck me, and I headed up the stairs to the stage, lifting the mic out of the cradle and clearing my throat to get the room’s attention. When they were all looking at me, I let them in on the surprise.
“Hi, everyone,” I started. “So my gift isn’t the kind they can open, but I still wanted to give it to them today. I’ve spoken to them about it before, but what Scott and Teddy don’t know is that I’m pledging to fund the entire wedding. Not just to contribute or to take care of some extras, but everything. The finest of everything.”
Expecting applause, I waited for the moment to take my bow but it never came. A few people put their hands together, but most just frowned and looked around like they were confused about something, which was when Reece stood up and cleared his throat.
“Um, actually, dude, I’ve already offered to assist with the wedding and to cover the expenses. Scott mentioned that you offered to take care of some stuff, but the rest is on me.”
Shit. Reece was going to try to do the same thing I was, and that old competitiveness kicked in instantly, in spite of myself and the fact that all I really wanted was the best for my sister’s wedding.
Game on, Walsh. Game. Fucking. On.
4
EMMA
How on earth does a wedding shower go off the rails?I’d never seen anything even remotely like it before, but it was a bit comical seeing these two uber-rich men dueling over who was going to pay for things.
Colt had laughed it off and had made some comment about “the more, the merrier” before getting off the stage, but he’d by no means given up. He and Reece Walsh, who I’d met when he came to visit, were squared off in the courtyard outside while Teddy and Scott opened their gifts.
I’d seen the looks on both of their faces when they’d noticed their brothers heading out, so I’d nodded and smiled reassuringly at Teddy and then I’d followed the guys out here. When they started arguing in a super polite, but nonetheless combative and somehow still comical way, I realized there was trouble brewing.
“What the hell, Reece? You don’t have to pay for everything. Let me, bro. She’s my sister, and if my parents were here, they’d have insisted as well.”
The other man looked back at Colt with what appeared to be a sympathetic smile spreading on his lips. “I get it, but this isn’t ancient times. The bride’s family doesn’t have to cover everything. I’ve already cleared this with Scott and Teddy, so you’re off the hook.”
“I’m happyonthe hook, though, so I think I’ll stay right where I am. Since there’s no obligation on you, you don’t have to worry about it. I’ve got it covered.”
“You’ve just bought into an international construction company. I’m sure you need to ease off the old credit card a bit after that. It’s really no problem. Scott might’ve chosen the quiet life, but if he hadn’t, he’d have paid for it all himself. All I’m doing is standing in for my brother. Don’t stress about it. We’ve got this.”
“My credit card is fine,” Colt retorted. “I did the purchase cash, so actually, my credit card is doing better than ever and I’m itching to spend some of the money rolling in on a good cause, which this is. Making sure my sister’s big day is everything it can be will be worth every cent.”
“It will be worth every cent, but like I said, we’ve got it covered. Don’t make me beg you. This really is what Scott wants. If you’re itching to spend the money, why don’t you take a trip for pleasure for once and come back before the wedding? Go somewhere tropical. Parker and Isabella just got back from that island. He can’t stop raving about it. Why don’t you go there?”
Colt’s nostrils flared. “I’m not leaving before my little sister’s wedding. Why don’t you go? You could take Caitlin and make a romantic vacation of it. If you’ve got the money to spend, why not spend it on her?”