by J. Sterling
“It’s okay,” I said with a sigh. “She’s right. But I’ll figure it out.”
I reached for the fake baby one more time and undid Nick’s diaper. I was determined to get it right, and I wasn’t going to stop until I did.
Reaching for my phone, I pulled up YouTube and searched for a tutorial. After watching it several times, I attempted the process again and let out a whoop of joy when I lifted the fake baby and the diaper stayed in place. I even shook the doll to see if the diaper would come undone, but it didn’t.
“I did it! I finally fucking did it!”
“Uh, bad word.” Matson stopped spinning and stared at me wide-eyed.
Crap. “Sorry, buddy. I just got really excited.”
“I won’t tell,” he said, and went back to spinning.
One Fisher Down
Ryan
“Fraaank!”
The sound of Jess’s panicked voice froze the three of us brothers where we were waiting in the pastor’s office for the wedding to start.
Nick reacted first, heading for the door at the same time that Jess burst through it. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong?” he asked as he reached for her.
She moved out of his grasp, clearly in a hurry. “Nothing, maybe. I just need to show Frank something and see if he freaks out.”
I cast a quick glance at my older brother, who looked just as confused as the rest of us.
“Read this.” She shoved a small notecard into his hands.
Nick and I huddled around Frank, trying to read it over his shoulder but failing. It looked like a welcome announcement of some kind from Frank and Claudia, and I assumed they were being handed out to the wedding guests upon their arrival this morning at the church.
“What am I looking for here, Jess?” He handed the notecard back to her, and she shook her head with a satisfied smile.
“I knew it. I knew you wouldn’t even see it. Most people read things too fast, and their brain fixes the mistake instead of registering it.”
“What mistake?” I took the paper and started laughing immediately. “Farnk? They spelled your name F-A-R-N-K! Oh, this is too much.”
Nick ripped it from my grasp and cracked up. “Farnk Fisher.”
“This isn’t funny, assholes!” Jess told us, and we immediately tried to stop laughing. “Claudia’s freaking out. She thinks Frank is going to be pissed.”
Frank pushed back from his chair and stood to his full height, towering over Jess. “Jess, please go tell my fiancée that I’m not pissed, or upset, or anything else she’s worried about. I couldn’t care less about this stupid piece of paper.”
He stopped short and held up a hand. “Maybe don’t tell her that part. Just tell her I want to marry her, and that’s all that matters.”
Jess breathed out a sigh of relief. “I told her you wouldn’t care, that guys don’t give two shits about this kind of stuff, but she wasn’t convinced.”
“Go calm her down for me, please.” He leaned over to give Jess a quick peck on the side of the head, and I swore I heard Nick growl. We Fishers are a possessive bunch.
“Okay. I’ll see you guys in a bit.” She turned to leave but then stopped and gave Nick a hard kiss. “You all look really fucking hot, by the way,” she said, waving her hand at us in our formalwear, then rushed out the door the same way she’d come in.
“So, Farn—” I started to call Frank by his new nickname, and he took a menacing step toward me, shutting me up.
“Don’t start. I told Jess I didn’t care so that she’d calm Claudia down. But who the hell messes up the groom’s name on a welcome card? The printers had one job to do. One!”
“It will be a funny memory?” Nick sounded so unconvinced, it came out like a question.
“I swear to God, I’ll punch you both in the face if you start calling me that.”
I scoffed. “You can’t give us black eyes. It’ll ruin your wedding pictures, Farnk.”
Nick tried to hold back a laugh, but failed miserably. Frank clenched his hands into fists, and I raised my palms in surrender.
“Kidding. Kidding. I won’t say it anymore.” When his hands unclenched, I mumbled, “To your face.”
“Let’s have a drink.” Nick raised one of the shot glasses I’d brought for us with a bottle of tequila, and set it on the table in a damn good distraction tactic.
“Great idea. Here. Drink this.” I poured a shot of tequila in front of Frank and waited for him to pick up the glass. “It will help calm the nerves.”
“I’m not nervous.” He glared at me but took the drink anyway.
“I wouldn’t be either,” Nick lied, pouring himself a shot and downing it.
“Fine. None of us are nervous.” I poured another round for us. “Drink up.”
“Why are we drinking?” Frank growled as he adjusted his tie.
“It’s what men do on their wedding day,” I said as if I were an authority on the subject.
Nick nodded. “He’s right. We’re supposed to drink before we all walk down the aisle.”
“No more,” Frank said after swallowing his third shot. “I’d like to remember every single detail about this day.”
I smiled inwardly. Two years ago, I would have sworn this day would never come. Before he met Claudia, Frank had been stuck in a relationship, bound by guilt and obligation. It had been no way to live, but he couldn’t seem to see his way out of it.
I never thought I’d see a time when Frank wasn’t with Shelby, but I also suspected he’d never walk down the aisle with her, no matter how much she had wanted it or how guilty he felt. It was only once Claudia was in the picture that Frank’s entire demeanor changed. He came to life. He had hope again. And I hadn’t realized just how hopeless he’d become until I had something to compare it to.
Now I couldn’t imagine him with anyone else. Marrying Claudia wasn’t an option for him, it was a necessity, like continuing with life without making her a Fisher would be all sorts of wrong. I understood it completely because it was how I felt about Sofia. And it was how Nick felt about Jess.
Our dad poked his head into the small room, then stepped inside. “You guys ready?”
“Hey, Dad,” we all said in unison.
“It’s a full house out there. How you feeling, son?” Smiling, he clapped a hand on Frank’s shoulder.
“Great,” Frank said.
Dad laughed. “Then get out there and get the girl.”
“I plan on it.”
Dad dropped his hand from Frank’s shoulder, and his expression turned serious. “It was nice what you did. For Claudia’s family.”
“She really wanted them here. And they wanted to be here, especially after the proposal.” Frank smiled, probably remembering his trip to Colombia with Claudia that he’d planned with the help of Claudia’s mom and stepdad. It was where he’d proposed.
“Couldn’t have been easy,” Dad said.
Frank shook his head. “Oh, it wasn’t. Immigration and visas are a total pain in the ass. I don’t recommend trying it.”
“Well, I’m glad it all worked out. You all look nice, by the way. Your mother and I are really proud. Of all three of you.” His gaze roamed each of our faces. “You’ve done well for yourselves, both in life and love.”
“Thanks, Dad,” we chimed back.
I had to stop the emotion from welling up and coming out. Frank would never forgive me if I cried on his wedding day.
“One down, two to go,” Dad said, pointing at me and Nick as he headed toward the door.
Frank sucked in a deep breath, and then gave us a huge grin. “Let’s do this.”
Nick and I both smiled back and reached for our tuxedo jackets. Standing by Frank’s side while he married Claudia would be the easiest thing we’d do all day.
We walked down the hallway and then through the open doors toward the altar. Cream-colored flowers and gold candles adorned the sanctuary, setting an elegant romantic vibe. It was stunning, to say the least.
&n
bsp; Yeah, I know. Dudes shouldn’t love this kind of shit, but I did.
As we walked past my parents in the front row, who held my daughter and sat with my son, I gave Matson a quick wave. He grinned and waved back before looking down the aisle, most likely for his mother.
Since we brothers were all up front at the altar, our girls were walking down the aisle toward us alone. It was a little nontraditional, but Claudia had told us months ago that they didn’t even do bridesmaids in Colombia, so the fact that she had any at all wasn’t customary in her native country.
Watching Frank’s face as he watched his bride walk down the aisle almost caused me to cry like the little girl he always accused me of being. But that was nothing compared to the way it felt to see Sofia standing there dressed in gold. That sight alone almost brought me to my knees. I couldn’t help but imagine the two of us getting married, and I knew she felt it too.
She kept catching me watching her during the vows, and when the promises of forever were made, my eyes never left my woman’s. Not even when her cheeks turned pink. Not even when Nick elbowed me in the ribs. I swore to myself that would be us someday soon.
As Frank and Claudia were pronounced Mr. and Mrs. Fisher, everyone in the church rose to their feet and cheered. I’d never seen my brother look so happy in my entire life. He leaned over to kiss Claudia one more time, and then they started their walk back down the aisle hand in hand, both wearing giant smiles.
The rest of us in the wedding party grinned at each other, eager to get the party started. Weddings were romantic as hell, but the reception was always the best part.
Frank and Claudia disappeared somewhere with the photographer. The rest of us in the wedding party filed into one of the rooms in the back, waiting for our cue to head out to the cars that waited to drive us to the reception.
“I couldn’t take my eyes off you,” I whispered into Sofia’s ear as I brushed a strand of her hair off her shoulder.
She gave me a knowing grin. “I noticed.”
“You liked it.”
She shook her head. “I loved it.”
“That’s going to be us real soon.” Pressing a kiss to her cheek, I lingered for a moment and breathed her in.
“Soon, huh?” She leaned back and gave me a look.
“You’ll see,” I promised.
“Stop whispering,” Nick said as he pulled a flask from his jacket pocket and handed it to me.
“Tequila?” I asked.
“Bourbon.”
I shrugged, then took a pull and handed it back to him.
Jess gave him a little shove. “You didn’t even ask me if I wanted some.”
“You don’t like bourbon, babe,” he said.
“But you could have at least asked,” she said with a pout.
I glanced at Sofia, who was smiling at the pair. I felt a little bad that she couldn’t drink because she was breastfeeding, but she told me it wasn’t a big deal. Everyone tried to get her to “pump and dump,” but she hadn’t wanted to.
After she filled me in on exactly what the hell pump and dump even meant, I didn’t argue. My angel knew what was best for her and the baby, and it was my job to support her decision. If she wanted to down tequila shots tonight, I’d happily go grab her a bottle. If she wanted to drink iced tea all evening long, then I’d refill her glass. Whatever she wanted, I was going to do it.
Done with the photographer, Frank and Claudia walked through the door, and we all moved to congratulate them at once, hugging, high-fiving, and doling out compliments.
“You ready to get out of here or what?” Claudia asked, her hand firmly grasped in Frank’s.
“Hell yes,” I answered for everyone.
“Let’s go party!” She did a little shimmy move with her hips.
I gave Frank a look that told him he was in for some trouble, the best kind, and he gave me a nod that told me he knew.
The drive to the reception hall took less than five minutes. Once we all arrived and climbed out of the cars, we stood there in a haphazard group, waiting for directions from the photographer, who was still figuring out where exactly to start shooting first.
“You look so fucking beautiful, angel.” I kissed Sofia’s cheek as my mom joined us with baby Hope in her arms and Matson at her side.
“Thank you.” Sofia gave me a sweet smile as she reached for Hope. “I should go feed her. Think I have time?”
“They can take other pictures while you do that. I’m sure it’s fine.” I gave her a quick kiss on the mouth and smacked her ass. “Go!”
Matson laughed, and I wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
“Thanks for watching them, Mom.”
“Of course, honey. They’re perfect.” She mussed Matson’s hair, and he smiled up at her. This was what happiness looked and felt like; I was sure of it.
After the most ridiculous number of pictures known to man had been taken, we finally headed into the reception hall. Claudia’s Colombian touches were downright adorable. Each place card sat positioned inside a tray filled with coffee beans. It smelled amazing. And at each table were tiny satchels of Colombian coffee for guests to take home.
I kept picking mine up and sniffing at it. Matson mimicked me once and wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Ick,” he said, tossing it onto the table.
I laughed. “One day you’ll love it.”
“Probably not.”
The waitstaff wandered throughout the hall, filling everyone’s glasses with champagne. When a gentleman I didn’t know handed me a microphone, I knew it was time. With one look at Nick, I stood up from my chair at the head table and tapped the top of the microphone to get the room’s attention.
“Hi, everyone. Not sure who this Farnk guy is,” I said, holding up one of the notecards from earlier, and the guests roared with laughter. Well, everyone except Frank laughed. I assumed he was plotting my death, based on the dark look he gave me.
“Sorry. That was the last time,” I promised, giving him a shrug. “Like I was saying, I’m Frank’s more charming, better-looking, younger brother Ryan.”
Nick coughed and punched at his chest while the crowd laughed.
“And that’s Nick.” I hooked a thumb toward him. “He’s less charming, but probably still better looking.”
The crowd continued to laugh while Frank pretended to glare at me, shaking his head.
“Nick and I wrote this together because we knew we’d both say pretty much the same thing, but would spend the whole time trying to outdo each other. Instead of embarrassing Frank in front of everyone here today, we decided to combine our speeches and I’d deliver it. More charming, see?”
I made eye contact around the room and stopped on Claudia. “We’re not sure what our brother was doing before he found you, Claudia, but it sure wasn’t living. He hit the lottery the night you walked into our bar, and we all knew it. We saw the way he looked at you. And the way you looked back, if I’m being honest. If eye contact could start a fire, you two would have set the block ablaze, not just the bar. The whole damn block.”
Overcome with emotion, I sucked in a breath. “You saved him, you know. You brought the light back into his life, and we can never thank you enough for that. We can’t imagine him with anyone else. You are our brother’s perfect person. We’re so grateful for you. And we’re so excited to finally have a sister. Welcome to the Fisher family. We couldn’t love you more.”
I raised my glass of champagne, locking eyes with my brother and his new wife, who was wiping fresh tears away with a napkin. “To Frank and Claudia,” I said, and everyone repeated the words as they toasted their neighbors and then took a sip.
As if on cue, the volume in the room immediately rose, with everyone speaking excitedly to each other. An army of waitstaff appeared, delivering the first course to each table at once.
“I need something stronger than this.” I put down the champagne flute and looked at Sofia. “Do you want anything from the bar?” I knew she’d say no, but I wanted to
ask anyway.
“I’m good, thanks.”
“See, Nick?” Jess said, and I stifled a laugh, knowing what was coming. “Ryan knew Sof was gonna say no, but he asked her anyway.”
“What can I say? I’m sorry I’m a shitty boyfriend,” he said, pushing out his bottom lip in a pretend pout.
Jess reached for his cheeks and squeezed them with both hands. “You’re not a shitty boyfriend.” She kissed his face. “I love you. Just be more courteous sometimes, please?” she asked sweetly, and he grinned at her.
“I will, babe. Promise.” Nick leaned over and kissed her hard.
“You coming?” I asked him.
He raised a glass half-filled with amber liquid in my direction, indicating that he was good.
Making my way toward the back bar, I stopped and shook hands with people I barely knew and accepted their compliments on my speech. I was thankful that most of the guests were busy eating, so the bar wasn’t crowded. After ordering a drink, I dropped a tip in the jar and gave the bartender a nod when he sat my drink in front of me.
I noticed Grant making his way toward me, and so I stayed put, sipping my so-so drink. They’re never as good as I make them.
He stopped in front of me, one hand in his jacket pocket. “Nice speech.”
“Is that a compliment from you?”
“Eh.” He shrugged. “I could have done better.”
I laughed. “Not sure why you’re always trying to compete with me.”
“It’s not competing when you always win,” he bit back, and I rolled my eyes. “What, no snappy comeback? You’re losing your touch.”
For a second, I considered telling Grant about our problem with the bar. It certainly wasn’t the right time, but a part of me longed to tell him. What if he could help somehow? I knew Frank would kill me if I spilled our dirty little secret on his wedding day, so I kept the information to myself.
“I’m not losing anything, old man. You’ve got your own angel now, right? Looks like we both win.” I gave him a wink and gestured toward Mariana, who stood chatting with my mom.
“Is that your way of asking me a question, boy?” he said after he ordered two beers.
