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This day was one of the most beautiful.
The ceremony and reception were on the lawn of a gorgeous, stately old mansion. The guests were quivering with excitement. The bride and groom were wholly, madly in love. The friends and family surrounding them couldn’t have been happier for them.
Watching them was nothing like the last wedding I’d attended. Surely that couple had been just as in love, but I hadn’t felt it. I’d let my envy and desperation cloud how I saw them.
I understood what I hadn’t then.
Andy and I should have been over for years, but I clung to the idea of him. To the hope that one day we’d be this bright and shining couple too, surrounded by this same kind of excitement. I had grasped at the straws of our dwindling relationship because it was all I’d known.
Without him, the clouds disappeared, and at this wedding, I was able to see Weston and Elise’s love clearly. I’d never had this. No one had ever looked at me the way Weston did Elise.
That realization sunk into my bones and filled me with regret tinged with sadness.
Seven years, and I’d never been loved right, all because of my name. Who my family was. Andy had loved me as well as he could have, but it had been in spite of who I was, not because of it.
Miles’ attention landed on me from across the lawn as he posed for pictures. The grin he shot me was unabashed and wide. He held nothing back, not a single care for who saw his connection to me.
My heart panged, but I tried to wipe away my melancholy. This was Weston and Elise’s day, and the last thing they needed was some sad sop bringing down the mood.
With a crooked smile on my face, I watched the happy couple begin their life together. Though I still longed for something exactly like this—the love, the friend group, the acceptance—none of it was truly mine. Getting too attached to these people and this kind of love would make it hurt worse when the summer ended.
Chapter Twenty-seven
Miles
I figured I’d gotten asked to be Weston’s best man over Elliot and Luca for optics. Knowing that, I’d thrown myself into the role, making sure my brother never once regretted his choice.
Plus, I figured one day he might return the favor and wanted him to have a lot to live up to.
So far, the day had gone smooth as silk. Weston had been chomping at the bit to get to Elise. Once he’d slid his ring on her finger, he’d mellowed in a way I’d never seen.
Now, we were at the reception, watching them dance their first dance as a married couple. My heart was pitter-pattering a mile a minute as they rocked and smiled at each other. This was true love. No denying it. And being in the face of it was a powerful thing.
I looked behind me for Daisy but couldn’t spot her in the crowd. No surprise since she was a foot shorter than everyone else. Fuck, I wanted her next to me, swaying to the music with me. Why couldn’t she read my mind and know that?
That was the last of the traditional activities. No father-daughter or mother-son dances. No awkward slow dancing with a random bridesmaid I just met. We got to sit down and dig into the food.
Since we didn’t have assigned seats, I went in search of Daisy. So far, she was doing a lousy job as my plus one. She hadn’t been in my presence for even a minute today. If I hadn’t seen her tearing up when I’d walked down the aisle, I wouldn’t have known she was even here.
After a minute or two of weaving through tables, I found my girl chatting up Lily Smythe-Kelly.
My breath got stuck in my throat. This girl…she was a vision. For once, she’d replaced her ubiquitous black with pale gray lace. The bodice was strapless, pushing her breasts up into creamy little mounds. Her dark hair was curled and swept away from her face by a crystal-covered headband. A delicate silver daisy rested in the hollow of her throat.
I pulled out the chair beside her and slung my arm around her shoulders.
“Hello, Cupcake. You’re stunning.”
She turned to me slowly. The instant her eyes hit mine, I knew something was wrong. They weren’t puffy or red from crying, but there was something haunted in the brown depths.
“Hey.” Her violet-painted mouth lifted, but I wouldn’t have called it a smile since that was the only part of her into it. “You were the best, man.”
“Thanks. I gave it my all.” I trailed my fingers along her bare shoulder and arm. Leaning forward, I found my manners and greeted Saoirse’s mom. “How are you, Lily?”
“Wonderful. Beautiful wedding.” Her gaze caught on something over my shoulder. “Oh, I see someone I know. I must go speak to him. It’s been ages.”
As soon as she was up, waiters began coming around with the first course. My stomach growled, but I didn’t dig in, too concerned over Daisy.
“What’s up, Daze?”
