We finished our wine. Drew paid the check and we headed for the elevator. He hit the call button and just as the light lit up, the door opened and out stepped Peter and Bitchface? It figures. This night was too perfect. Of course, something crazy would have to happen.

Drew stared daggers at them. I was considering knocking Peter and Gwen to the ground and bolting for the elevator. Gwen clutched Peter’s arm, but pointed her cannons at Drew. To his credit, he pretended not to notice. Atta boy!

“Well, look who it is, babe,” Peter said with a grin.

Babe? Were they dating? Talk about a match made in hell. Oh, the beautiful, if not crazy and pretentious children they will have.

Peter raked his eyes over me and licked his lips. “Nice to see you, Alex.” I shivered and Drew’s grip tightened around my waist. I needed a shower after that. I felt dirty.

“We were just leaving,” Drew said, guiding me around them to the elevator.

Gwen grabbed a hold of his arm. “Can’t you stay for one drink?” she asked with a pout. She probably thought it made her look sexy, but she had so much collagen in those lips she ended up looking like a fish.

Drew pulled his arm from her grasp. “I already made that mistake,” he said. I bit my lip, trying not to smile. She was fuming. Her whole face turned bright red as Drew ushered me into the elevator.

“Hope you enjoy my cast off,” she called to me as the doors began to close.

I just looked her straight in her Botox frozen face. “Ditto.”

When the doors closed, Drew and I burst into a fit of laughter and high-fived.

***

We headed back and Drew pulled up outside his building. He came around, opened my door, and helped me out of the car. We walked hand in hand across the square, toward my apartment.

When we reached the bench between our homes, he stopped, pulled me tight against him, and kissed me. I instantly wrapped my arms around his neck. It never ceased to amaze me that we always fit so naturally together. We never had to think about where to put our hands or which spot to kiss to turn us on. With us, it was just instinct.

“What was that for?” I asked when we broke the kiss.

“I just couldn’t hold it back anymore,” Drew said, softly touching his lips to mine.

“You have me quickly reconsidering my no sex on the first date rule,” I said against his lips.

A lazy smile spread across his face. “Wouldn’t want that, now would we,” he whispered as he kissed me in our place.

Chapter 21

Drew (Then)

I walked into the back room of the church to find David pacing the floor and biting his nails. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me. “Is it time?”

“No. Dude, you need to chill.”

I reached into the inside pocket of my jacket for the flask I hid there. I held it out to him and he paused for a moment before finally grabbing it and taking a long swig.

He handed me back the flask and dropped into a chair next to the door. “Fuck, this is torture.”

“What is with you? Cold feet?” I asked, taking a pull from the flask.

“Fuck no,” he said, his head snapping up to face me.

“Then what is your deal?” I leaned against the desk behind me.

“There are a lot of people out there. What if I mess up the vows? What if I say awful instead of lawful?” He ran a hand over his face.

“Millie will marry you awfully or lawfully, dude. Besides, that’s just a funny story you can tell your kids one day.”

David smiled. “Yeah.” His eyes glazed over as he thought about their future together.

“Come on, you lucky son of a bitch. Stand up.”

He did as I said and got to his feet. I brushed off his shoulders and straightened his tie.

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. “Come in,” I called.

The door pushed open and Mom came in. She wore a light blue suit with a white rose corsage pinned over her heart. Her short brown wig made her look like Jackie Kennedy. She looked beautiful, but her eyes were tired. The stress of the day was already taking its toll.

A smiled spread across her face when she saw us together. “Look at you,” she said as tears filled her eyes. “My boys are all grown up. You both look so handsome.”

“You look pretty good yourself, Mom. Taking Jackie out for a spin?” I asked, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

She patted her wig, looking a little self-conscious. “Does it look okay?”

“Are you kidding? You’re a knock out!” I said.

She giggled.

She stepped toward David and held out her small, delicate hands to him. “You chose well, David. Millie is everything I could have ever wanted for you. Take care of her and remember…”

“You don’t deserve her,” we chorused.

She smiled. “I’m so proud of you both. My boys have grown into such amazing young men.”

“Some of us more than others,” David said, shooting me a look. I let out a small, silent laugh and focused on the floor.

The door opened and Papa Jack stuck his head in. “You ready? It’s time.”

David stood up straight and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Let’s go.”

The music started and David started down the aisle with Mom and Papa Jack on either side of him. I waited for my cue and followed. I walked down the aisle, nodding to friends and family I recognized and hadn’t seen in a while. I saw Red sitting in the second row. I winked at her as I passed and she just shook her head.

I stood next to David at the end of the aisle as we watched the bridesmaids make their way down. He kept shifting his weight as he nervously waited for Millie to appear. I dropped a hand to his shoulder to calm him down. He looked back at me and took a deep breath.

The wedding march started and the doors at the back of the church opened. Millie took her first step toward us, her hand in the crook of her father’s arm, and David instantly relaxed. His face lit up. It was like watching him fall in love with her all over again. Everyone in the church was on their feet, but to look at Millie and David, you would have thought they were the only people in the room.

I looked over and saw Red watching Millie as she made her way to the altar. All eyes in the church were on the bride, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Red.

Millie reached the end of the aisle and kissed her father’s cheek. Alex met my eyes and smiled as she wiped a tear from her eye. I smiled and turned my attention back to the ceremony. I had a job to do.

The ceremony was thankfully short. David did great. He got all the way through his vows and even remembered to say lawfully. Before long, the pastor pronounced them husband and wife and the crowd erupted in applause as David kissed his wife for the first time.

I made my way into the reception hall, grabbing a glass of champagne from a tray by the door, and scanned the crowd for Red. Pictures had taken forever and my cheeks were sore from smiling.

I spotted Red talking to Uncle Charlie and I headed in their direction.

“There you are,” I said, slipping my arm around her waist.

“Hey,” she said, smiling up at me.

“Well, I’m going to go find my seat,” Uncle Charlie said. “You save me a dance later, young lady.”

“You bet.” She nodded, giving the old man a sweet smile.

“You have to watch out for him, Red,” I said, pointing in Charlie’s direction. “He gets a little handsy.” I mimicked him by grabbing her butt. Red scoffed, playfully slapping my arm.

“We’re up there.” I pointed toward the head table upfront.

Mom and Papa Jack were already seated and talking to Millie’s parents. Alex took a seat next to me as the DJ announced, for the first time ever, Mr. and Mrs. David Collins. We all clapped as David and Millie came in to the roar of the crowd.