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She picked up the roll on her plate, ripping it with her bare hands. “Nothing. I’m just enjoying the wedding. Are you ready to give your speech?”
“Not really.” I patted my jacket pocket. “I have it, though, so that’s something.”
She swiveled in her chair, her knees slotting between mine. “You look so handsome in your tux.” Her flattened palms smoothed my lapels before she straightened my tie. “They’re going to love your speech, Miles.”
“Thanks.” I pressed a kiss to her warm cheek, and the unmistakable stiffening of her jaw put me on alert. “What’s going on? You’re not your usual self.”
She turned, our faces a breath apart. “It must be being at the wedding. The last time I went to one…you know.”
“Ah, that’s what these blues are? Ol’ Andy showing up when he’s not wanted?”
She nodded. “I think so. I’m going to shake it off. West and Elise don’t deserve my bad vibes bringing down their day.”
“Eat your soup so I can spin you on the dancefloor until you’re too dizzy to remember why you were ever sad.”
Her nose scrunched. “I don’t know if that sounds fun.”
“It will be. Trust.”
A little food so my stomach didn’t eat itself, a little dancing to cheer up my cupcake, then I was in the spotlight, given a microphone and told to make a speech in front of one hundred of Elise and Weston’s closest friends.
The truth was, I really could have used a drink. It would have been a hell of a lot easier.
I also heard my therapist asking me why everything had to be easy in my head, and I was out of my chair, my note cards in hand, standing next to where Elise and Weston were wrapped in each other, waiting with bated breath and probably a whole lot of worry over what I had to say.
“Good evening, everyone. If you don’t know me, I’m Miles, Weston’s favorite little brother.”
Chuckles were good. I kept going.
“To tell the truth, Weston and I weren’t close growing up. Four years older and a million times smarter, he got out of our house as quickly as he could. I was the little brother always nipping at his heels. I didn’t want much from him, just all his attention, love, and devotion.”
I glanced at Weston. He was watching me intently, his face void of expression.
“When I couldn’t get it from Weston, I tried my hand with Elise. I was the proverbial kid on the playground, yanking her ponytail for attention. All wrong. She couldn't wait to get away from me either.”
I shook my head to emphasize how stupid I’d been, in case it wasn’t already obvious.
“Then, one day, we grew up, and magic happened for all three of us. Elise came to work for Andes, and I tried a different tactic of annoying her into compliance, parking myself on her desk every day until her face didn’t fill with dread when she saw me. And while I was winning her over as one of my very best and dearest friends, Weston was getting her to fall in love with him.”
The rest, I knew by heart. I tucked my cards away and lifted my glass of water.
“My favorite part about Elise is her capacity to love and forgive. For Weston and me, it’s a really good thing. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here. The thing about us Aldrich brothers? We learn from our mistakes, and you can count on us never repeating them.”
Laughing, Elise mouthed, “Thank goodness.”
“Elise, Lisie, Lise—you are the glue in our family. You have softened my brother and opened him up to an entire world outside his office. You’ve brought West and me closer than we ever would have been without you. I couldn’t have designed a better wife for my brother or sister for me. Weston, Westie, West—I know you count your blessings every damn day. You found a woman who likes you in all your serious, grumpy, ambitious glory, who inspired you to let your heart grow, who allows you to be her protector even though we all know you need her far more than she needs you. If you screw up, I’ll be on Elise’s side.”
Weston mouthed, “As you should be,” and Elise swiped at the underside of her eyes.
“To Elise and Weston, the walking definition of true love. May all your days be as sweet as this one. Cheers.”
I tipped my water back, swallowing the knot in my throat, then turned to give the next person the spotlight. Weston caught me before I got far, pulling me into a tight hug.
“You’re drinking water,” he said beside my ear.
I nodded.
“How long?”
