Page 124 of Never To Be Mine

Micah arrived last, carrying his small camera. He nodded once at me. The plan was in place.

Within twenty minutes, the house had achieved critical Blackwell mass. Music played. Mom held court on the deck with a glass of wine. Juno moved through the crowd making sure everyone had full glasses and plates of appetizers.

Every time our eyes met, I felt it. That thing Micah had caught on camera all those months ago. It hadn’t faded. If anything, it had only increased. We were close to the level of couple telepathy I had witnessed between my married brothers and their wives.

I found Callum and Cleo by the outdoor bar, deep in conversation, and wedged myself in with fresh drinks.

“Everyone wants the full experience now,” Cleo said. “It’s not just weddings anymore. It’s proposals, vow renewals, anniversary weekends. People want the production. I’ve had to hire three assistants and I still can’t keep up with dress demands.”

“The events team is booked out eight months,” Callum said.

It was good to hear the event business was going well. Callum, Cleo, and their friend Mandy had worked really hard on it.

Victoria appeared at Callum’s side with a plate filled with crackers and dips. She took a sip of sparkling water. Callum had been drinking sparkling water in solidarity. It was cute.

“How are you feeling?” Juno asked, joining us with a tray of bruschetta.

“Like I’m growing a tiny dictator who hates everything I eat,” Victoria said cheerfully. “Crackers are safe. No fish. No eggs. No anything. A very picky baby.” She rubbed her bump. “This baby is going to be an only child if the food thing continues.”

I drifted over to where Drew, Kensey, and Jeremy were talking.

“I put the family money in this new tech venture,” Drew said. “It’s going to be huge.”

The evening continued with Juno’s many appetizers a huge hit. I’d never been the host of a family get-together. Sometimes we had cookouts but usually that was just me and a few brothers. Never the whole family. I had moved from one of the bachelors into the almost married crowd.

I stood at the railing and took it in. My ridiculous, loud, oversized family sprawled across my deck, fed and happy. Juno laughed at something Cleo was showing her on her phone. My mother refilled Victoria’s sparkling water without being asked. My father talked to Micah about some new project.

This was the moment.

My heart kicked. I’d been planning this all week, and now that it was here, I was nervous in a way I hadn’t been since Burgergate.

I caught Micah’s eye across the deck and nodded. He nodded back and slipped inside.

I picked up a fork and tapped it against my glass. The sound cut through the chatter, and one by one, heads turned.

“Everyone,” I said. “Can I get you all inside for a minute? I want to show you something.”

“Ominous,” Beau said.

I held out my hand to Juno, who gave me a puzzled look but took it.

Everyone filed into the living room, claiming couches and chairs. Callum quickly got a pillow for Victoria. Juno stood beside me near the massive TV mounted on the wall, her hand still in mine. She had no idea what was coming.

“Okay,” I said. “Some of you know this story, but I’m going to tell it anyway, because it’s my party and I can.”

“Ohh, a secret!” Cleo giggled.

“Almost a year ago, Micah directed a commercial for B Well. The one with Jack Montana.” I looked at my brother. “Which, by the way, thank you again. That commercial changed everything.”

“You’re welcome,” Micah said. He had his camera in his hand, hanging at his side.

“Here’s what most people don’t know,” I continued. “That day, Micah shot more than one version. There was the one with Jack that we ended up using. There was one of me and Jack together that never saw the light of day, thankfully, because we looked like idiots.”

“Accurate,” Micah said.

“But there was a third version.” I felt Juno go still beside me. “Micah caught some footage that day that wasn’t part of any plan. It wasn’t staged. It was just a moment happening off to the side of the set that his camera happened to catch.”

I looked at Juno. She watched me, her head tilted slightly, still not understanding.