“Trent,” Julian said quietly, placing a hand on his cousin’s back.
Trent’s face registered shock and then joy when he turned around. The two of them hugged. Fern smiled at Brooke, and all her anxiety over whether or not Fern was angry at them for Julian’s sudden appearance evaporated.
“First and foremost, congratulations, you two!” Julian said, clapping Trent again and leaning in to kiss Fern on the cheek.
“Thanks, buddy,” Trent said, clearly happy to see Julian.
“Fern, you look absolutely beautiful. I don’t know what this guy did to deserve you, but he’s pretty damn lucky.”
“Thanks, Julian,” Fern said with a smile. She reached over and took Brooke’s hand. “Brooke and I finally got to spend some time together this weekend, and I’d say you’re pretty lucky, too.”
Brooke squeezed Fern’s hand.
Julian grinned at Brooke. “I’d say so,” he said. “Listen, you guys, I’m so sorry for missing everything.”
Trent waved him off. “Don’t worry about it. We’re glad you made it.”
“No, no, I should’ve been here for the whole weekend. I’m really sorry.”
For a minute Julian looked as though he might cry. Fern stood on her tiptoes to hug him and said, “It’s nothing a couple of front-row tickets to your next L.A. show can’t solve. Isn’t that right, Trent?”
Everyone laughed, and Brooke watched as Julian slipped Trent a folded piece of paper. “It’s my rehearsal dinner toast. I’m sorry I couldn’t read it last night.”
“You could do it now,” Trent said.
Julian looked dumbfounded. “You want me to read it now?”
“It is your toast, right?”
Julian nodded.
“Then I think I speak for both of us when I say that we’d love to hear it. If you don’t mind . . .”
“Of course I don’t mind,” Julian said. Almost instantaneously, someone materialized with a microphone; after a few glass clinks and a couple hushing sounds, the tent grew quiet. Julian cleared his throat and appeared instantly to relax. Brooke wondered if the entire room was thinking how natural he looked with a microphone in his hand. Completely at ease and absolutely adorable. She felt a surge of pride.
“Hey, everyone,” he said with a dimple-producing grin. “My name’s Julian, and Trent and I are first cousins, actually only born about six months apart, so I think it’s fair to say we go way back. I’m, uh, sorry to interrupt your fun, but I just wanted to wish my cousin and his beautiful new wife all the happiness in the world.”
He paused for a moment and fiddled with his paper, but after his eyes skimmed over a few words, he shrugged and shoved it back in his pocket. He looked up and paused.
“Look everyone, I’ve known Trent for a very long time, and I can safely say that I have never, ever seen him this happy. Fern, you’re a welcome addition to our crazy family and a breath of fresh air.”
Everyone laughed except Julian’s mother. Brooke grinned.
“What everyone may not realize is how much I owe Trent.” Julian coughed and the room grew even quieter. “Nine years ago he introduced me to Brooke, my wife, the love of my life. I can’t even stand to think what would’ve happened if their blind date had gone well that night”—more laughter—“but I, for one, am forever grateful that it didn’t. If you would’ve told me on my own wedding night that I would love my wife even more today, I wouldn’t have believed it was possible, but as I stand here tonight and look at her, I can tell you it’s true.”
Brooke felt the entire room turn in her direction, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Julian.
“May you love each other more with each passing day, and know that no matter what obstacles life throws your way, you’ll get through them together. Tonight is just the beginning, you two, and I know I speak for everyone here when I say how honored I am to share it with you. Please raise a glass to Trent and Fern!”
The crowd let out a rousing cheer as everyone clinked their glasses and someone called out, “Encore, encore!”
Julian blushed and leaned into the microphone. “Actually, now I’m going to do a special performance of ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ for the happy couple. You two don’t mind, right?”
He turned to look at Trent and Fern, both of whom appeared horrified. There was a split second of silence until Julian broke the tension. “I’m just kidding! Of course, if you really want me to . . .”
Trent was on his feet in a second, mock-tackling Julian, and Fern joined him a minute later and gave him a teary kiss on the cheek. Once again, the room laughed and cheered and Julian whispered something in his cousin’s ear and the two embraced. The band began to play some soft background music and Julian walked over to Brooke and, without a word, led her through the crowd and back into the hallway.
“That was beautiful,” she said, and her voice cracked.
He put both hands on her face and looked directly into her eyes. “I meant every word of it.”
She leaned in to kiss him. It only lasted a moment, but she wondered if it didn’t qualify as the best kiss of their relationship. She was about to wrap her arms around his neck when he pulled her out the front door and said, “Do you have a coat?”
Brooke eyed the small group of smokers at the other end of the walkway who were staring right back and said, “It’s with the coat check.”
Julian took his jacket off and helped her into it. “Come with me?” he asked.
“Where are we going? I think the hotel is a little too far to walk to,” she whispered to him as they strolled past the smokers and around the side of the house.
Julian put his hand in the small of her back and nudged her toward the backyard. “We have to go back in, but I don’t think anyone will mind if we sneak away for a little.”
He led her through the yard and down a path toward a pond and motioned for her to sit on a stone bench facing the water. “You okay?” he asked.
The stone felt like an ice block through the sheer material of her dress, and her toes were beginning to tingle. “I’m a little cold.”
He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed.
“So, what are you doing here, Julian?”
He took her hand. “I knew before I went away it was a terrible idea. I tried to rationalize that it was better to leave everyone alone, but it wasn’t. I’ve had a lot of time to think, and I didn’t want to wait another minute to talk to you about it.”