Chapter 11
Weston
Ihaven'tbeenable to take my eyes off Rory since the rehearsal. She looks stunning in her simple navy blue cocktail dress. The problem? She hasn't looked at me once.
Her eyes are slightly puffy, not something you'd notice unless you have every detail of her body memorized as I do. It's a sign she's been crying, and it guts me that I caused this. I just don't know how to fix it.
I want to be over there with her, holding her, not across the room or across the table. The reception dinner is outside in the vineyard. There is a long table set for the wedding party to enjoy. It’s romantic the way they have lights strung up overhead like a canopy. It would have been nice to eat with Rory and enjoy the ambiance.
As I start to make my way over to Rory to talk, Nate stops me with a frown.
"Dad wants to hear about your trip," he says in a flat voice.
He knows I was going to talk to Rory, and now he's going to do everything he can to stop me. I sigh, go talk to his dad, and before I know it, everyone is being pushed to the table to sit down and eat.
Mandy and Nate are at the head of the table, and Mandy's smile looks strained. I wonder if she knows what’s going on. She's very good at picking up on things, so it wouldn't surprise me if she's put two and two together and then dragged it from Nate. I wonder what her thoughts on all this are, but I don't dare ask.
The food gets passed around, and people start toasting Mandy and Nate. I know as best man I’ll have to speak eventually, as will Rory, now that she’s the maid of honor. But Nate beats us to it.
Nate stands and gets everyone's attention by tapping his fork to his champagne glass, and the clinking sound quiets the table.
"You may not know that Rory is the reason we are all here today." While his smile looks a bit forced, he won't even look at Rory. I'm wondering where this is going because I don't know how Rory fit into how he met Mandy.
"I was on a business trip here in California, and Rory had just broken up with a guy. She called me needing to talk because her best friend was at some work thing and had her phone off. So, I left the hotel and went for a walk on the beach. It was almost sunset, and I was looking down at the water washing over my feet when I ran into Mandy, literally ran into her."
When he looks over at Mandy, the smile on his face is genuine, and you can see the love there.
"I was so tongue-tied and if you know me, that has never happened. Mandy was jogging on the beach in these short shorts and a black and pink sports bra, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and I just remember thinking I'd never seen someone so beautiful. The sparks from our brief touch were unlike anything I’d ever felt before. As Mandy was jogging away, Rory told me I better go after her. We hung up, and that's what I did. We spent the rest of the night at a beachside bar talking, and well, the rest is history.”
I look over at Rory and she's fuming. Even though I can see it, I don't expect her to stand up and go off on her brother.
"I might have reconsidered if I had known you were going to stop me from my happiness." Then she storms off back toward the lobby where we are all staying.
No one says a word, but a quick glance at Nate shows he's pissed, and when Mandy and his parents stand up, I know things are about to get even worse.
Mandy speaks first and doesn't even try to keep her voice down.
"Are you really willing to ruin our wedding to make your sister and best friend miserable? Do you really want to be that selfish?" Mandy asks.
"He isn't good enough for her." Nate grits out, and I feel like I've been punched in the face. My best friend doesn't think I'm good enough.
"He was a player in high school and not much better in college," Nate tries to justify his answer.
"But he isn't now," Mandy says.
"I haven't been with anyone since our senior year in college. Ever ask yourself why?" I finally stand up and speak out. Nate's eyes land on me, so I keep talking.
"It was the year I went with your family to the cabin for Christmas. You brought your then-girlfriend, and I ended up with Rory at every event because we were the third wheel to you and your parents. We were forced together for everything, and I fell in love with her then, and I barely kept it together. But this trip you forced us on? It was too much. I wasn't that strong, but I don't regret it. Yes, I love her." I say louder than I mean to.
The rest of the people at the table start whispering. Most of them are Mandy's family and the bridal party, who don't know Nate and me very well. Who knows what they’re thinking, but for sure, they’re getting a great show.
"So, help me, Nate. You make this right, or I won't marry you." Mandy says, then storms off in the direction Rory went.
Nate shoots an icy glare at me, and I brace myself for whatever he has to say. Only his mom gets to him first. She grabs his ear and yanks his head down by her mouth and starts talking so low no one hears her, but you can tell she's mad. His father stands next to his mother with his arms crossed, ready to defend his wife from anyone who tries to step up.
No matter how mad Nate is, my path is suddenly clear.
I need to find Rory and beg her to forgive me.