I eye her up mischievously. “Your lovely sister has been putting the moves on JoJo.” Her fork drops.
“What? Oh great. That’s just great.” On cue, Brooke appears and quickly claims her seat next to Joey who stiffens next to me. Juls leans across and snaps her fingers at her sister. “You’re an asshole.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry Joey. That was a bit embarrassing. Although, was it just me or did something move?” She giggles and orders something alcoholic from the waiter that Joey quickly cancels for her.
“Did something move? Are you fucking insane? And no booze for you. I can only imagine what would happen if you started drinking.”
I shake my head and take a bite of my chicken picatta, moaning around my fork as a familiar face moves towards our table and stands across from me.
“Hey, Dylan. How’s it going?” Juls’ cousin Tony eyes me up and I quickly smile and wave at him from my seat. We’ve known each other for years and go way back, but never anything more than friendship.
“Hey, Tony. How are you?”
“I’m great. Get your sweet ass out of that chair and come give me a hug.” I laugh and scramble out of my seat, walking down the side of the table that does not contain my ex-fling and get quickly lifted into the air. “You look good, girl,” he says into my hair as he gives me his usual bear hug.
“Thanks. Jesus, put me down already.” He sets me on my feet and I shake my head at him, straightening out his tie. “So, what’s new in the world of computer programming?” My eyes quickly flick towards Reese who is staring at me with daggers. Oh please. Like you have any right anymore.
“Nailed it. Nice memory. It’s good. How about you? Juls told me something about your bakery getting broken into or some shit a few months back? That’s fucked up.”
“Yeah well its fine now. They caught the psycho that did it and there wasn’t any permanent damage.” Heather was apprehended by the police a few weeks after the break in. Her prints matched the ones on the brick and she admitted to everything, getting charged with breaking and entering and also getting moved out of the city by her parents. Juls had relayed the information from Ian when he found out about it.
“So, any man in your life or have I finally caught up with you when you’re single?” I smile sweetly at Tony but shake my head. He is definitely not my type and even if he was, I have no interest in dating anybody right now. Especially when the man that broke me is sitting no more than ten feet away from me, continually staring at my profile.
“Oh please, like you could even handle me,” I playfully respond and he nods in agreement. “It was good to see you. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?” I turn to go back around the table but see a major pile up of bodies at the end I want to walk down and grunt as I have to make my way towards the other end. I walk behind Trent and Billy’s chairs, giving them both smiles as I quickly push past Reese’s and feel his hand grip my elbow, halting me to his side.
“What the fuck was that?” he growls up at me.
I snatch my arm out of his hand and scowl back down at him. “What the fuck was what?”
“You know what. Are you seriously going to blatantly flirt in front of me? Is that how this shit is going to play out?” Is he serious? I am in no mood for any Reese style tirade and this is definitely not the place for it.
I bend lower to get my face nice and close to his and see him back up a bit. “You think that was flirting? I’ve known Tony for ten years; he’s like a brother to me. But if I did want to flirt with him, it wouldn’t be any of your God damned business now would it?” My tone is clipped and I’m fuming, feeling Ian move quickly out of his seat.
“Okay. Wow, that didn’t take long. Umm, Dylan, why don’t you go over to your seat, and Reese, just calm the fuck down, man.” Ian ushers me past Juls. I quickly pull out my chair and plant myself down in it, glaring over in his direction as Reese narrows his eyes at me.
“Jesus, what the hell was that?” Juls asks as Joey leans in.
“Actually, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. I had money on you kicking him in the nuts at the church,” he adds. I wave my hands at both of them to back them off me.
“Nothing. He accused me of flirting with Tony. Fucking prick,” I say through clenched teeth. I was definitely not flirting with him. I’ve never seen Tony as anything other than an acquaintance, even though he’s asked me out more times than I can count. My eyes glance down the table and I see Ian leaning in and talking to a tense looking Reese. Ugh. Stupid men.
“You and Tony? That’s fucking hilarious,” Juls says and continues cutting up her chicken. “And even if you were, he has no right to act like that.”
“I know,” I agree loudly and get quickly shushed. “Acting all holier than thou. I’m sure he waited a whole five seconds before he threw another girl into his bed after I left it.” I shove a piece of chicken in my mouth and start chewing as Brooke leans across Joey’s lap.
“I heard him tell you that you looked beautiful. That was really sweet,” she whispers and earns herself the evil eye from all three of us.
“Shut up, Brooke,” we all say in unison as we continue eating our meals. I don’t look down the table again for the rest of the night and keep my conversations with anyone other than Juls and Joey to a minimum. This evening has been exhausting and I’m emotionally drained and unsure how the hell I’m going to handle tomorrow. I’m reassured that I’ll only really have to deal with Reese during the ceremony and that once we’re at the reception, I can stay as far away from him as I’d like. But it’s the mere fact that we’ll once again be at a wedding together, where this whole fucked up situation started that is going to have me in knots. I need to focus on making sure that everything runs smoothly for Juls so that’s what I’ll do. It’s my job as her maid of honor and it will keep my mind off unwanted memories of falling into laps and bathroom sex romps. Speaking of bathrooms, I plan on avoiding the ones tomorrow at all costs.
Twenty Three
Juls and Ian’s big day has finally arrived and miraculously, everything is running smoothly. I got up early and delivered the cake with Joey to the reception hall before we headed over to the bridal suite where we are all currently getting ready. Juls is glowing, Joey is routinely sneaking out to get a peek at the men who are dressing at the other end of the church and Brooke is completely sober and has her wits about her. After slipping into my stunning chocolate brown floor length strapless dress, I help Juls into hers along with her mother.
“Oh, sweetheart. This dress,” Mrs. Wicks says, tears filling her freshly painted eyes as I try to hold mine back. My makeup is looking pristine and fabulous and I have no desire to ruin it with unwanted tears. We finish buttoning her up and step back. She’s stunning, absolutely gorgeous in her wedding gown and I bite my lip to hold my emotions in.
“Damn, Juls. I have money on Ian losing his mind when he sees you at the end of the aisle,” Brooke says as she smooth’s out her dress. Joey comes bustling back into the suite and drops his jaw on the floor.
“Holy fuck. You look amazing.”
“Joseph! You’re in a church,” Mrs. Wicks sternly informs him, both hands flying up to her hips. “Easy on the language today please. And that goes for all four of you. Especially you, Dylan.” She flicks her daggers at me.
“Me? Please, I’m such a lady.” I shrug and catch a wink from Juls in the mirror as the suite door swings open again, this time revealing a very handsome and slightly nervous looking Mr. Wicks.
“Oh my. Darling, you look so beautiful.” He moves and stands in front of Juls, grabbing both of her hands in his and pulling her off her stool. “That’s it, weddings off. You’re too pretty for that man.”
“Daddy,” she says through a huge smile and he softens in front of her. I move up to the mirror and take a good look at myself as they exchange a private father-daughter moment, Joey joining me at my side. My hair is pinned up into an elegant twist; a few pieces pulled out and tucked behind my ears that are adorned with
the amber stud earrings Juls gifted us with this morning. My makeup is sophisticated but subtle, a light dusting of rose lip gloss that I’m somehow managing to pull off without looking like I belong on a street corner, and my dress is perfect, hugging me across my chest and showing a classy amount of cleavage if there ever was such a thing. I feel Joey’s hand on my lower back.
“Look at us. We almost look too good for this wedding. I’m afraid we might just upstage the bride,” he whispers as we both glance over at Juls who is hugging her father.
“Not a chance,” I say and he nods in agreement. Mr. Wicks backs away from his daughter and turns towards all of us.
“It’s time people. Let’s move this along before I lock my daughter in this room and refuse to let Ian have her.” We all giggle at his comment, hearing the hint of seriousness in his tone as we file out of the bridal suite and down the back staircase that leads towards a hidden area where we’re supposed to line up. I haven’t seen the inside of the church since we arrived here hours ago and I’m a bit nervous at the number of people in attendance who will be watching me walk up the aisle. My heels are insanely high, dark brown sling backs that I’ve scuffed the bottoms of to prevent any major slip up. But I’m still nervous about walking in them. Karma could easily give me a right shove in the back and send me falling flat on my face given the amount of hate she’s shown me lately. All this animosity. And for what? Because I fell in love with a man that only cared about fucking me? Nice Karma. Way to stick with your fellow woman.
We line up in order behind the double mahogany doors and wait patiently for them to open, the soft sound of violins streaming through the air. Another decision on Ian’s part. The man apparently loves classical music. I clutch my beautiful bouquet in my hands, grateful to have something to hold on to as the doors slowly open in front of Brooke. My view is blocked entirely by Joey’s massive frame but I feel him, I always feel him. And I know that as soon as I start walking, my eyes are going to lock on to his and I’m going to give into it. Whatever. I just have one more day to endure and then I can go back to my shitty life. I turn around and spot Juls who is smiling at me, eyes gleaming and hand tightly looped through her father’s arm. I give her a quick wink before I turn slowly and step forward, seeing Joey make his way towards the middle pews. It’s now my cue to start walking, but I can’t. My eyes have locked on to the most glorious sight I’ve ever seen and he’s standing, waiting for me at the front of the altar in a tux. Holy fucking shit.
I know I’m supposed to be moving; I’ve walked up this aisle before. I just accomplished the feat last night. But I’m stuck. My two feet won’t budge an inch and I hear the muffled voices of people around me wondering what the hell is going on. Joey is up at the front, motioning for me to start moving and Brooke is trying desperately not to crack up laughing. Meanwhile, Reese is staring at me, eyes burning into mine and I’m melting on the spot. I’ve never seen him look this handsome before and I’m suddenly regretting everything. The break up, the fact that I agreed to be a part of this wedding, the shirt I kept. Everything. I force out a shaky breath and glance quickly back at Juls who is trying to remain calm but coming apart slowly. Her father is staring at me and looks unsure what to do as I clutch my bouquet tightly and shut my eyes. Jesus Christ, Dylan. You need to move. Just start walking and you’ll be up there before you know it. I shake my head and open my eyes, and if I was unable to breathe before I closed them, I’ve completely forgotten how to work my lungs now. Reese is making his way down the aisle towards me, purpose in each step and eyes glued on mine as everyone watches him and who he’s walking towards. My lips part and I shift on my feet as he reaches my side, grabbing my hand and looping it through his arm. And without saying a word, he begins walking me up the aisle, earning a few sounds of amusement from the crowd and smiling politely at them. I’m deposited on my step and he drops my hand, leaving an emptiness inside me as he returns to his place across from me. Our eyes meet briefly and I smile weakly at him, seeing his lip curl up slightly as the wedding march song begins to play.
The rest of the ceremony plays out the way it’s supposed to. Rings and vows are exchanged, and I keep my eyes on the bride and groom who haven’t broken contact since Juls hurriedly reached Ian at the front of the altar. I manage to only shed a few tears but quickly wipe them away before my makeup is affected. And as the preacher announces to the congregation Juls’ official title as Mrs. Ian Thomas, they kiss and everyone stands and cheers. Ian showers her with affection as they begin their walk towards the back of the church and I move to stand next to Reese who is already waiting and watching me. Always watching. We follow the bride and groom to the doors, not exchanging any words this time, even though I wanted to at least thank him for what he did earlier. I’m not sure I would have made it up to my place on the altar had he not come and gotten me. I quickly release my hand from his arm when we reach the bride and groom and wrap Juls up into a massive hug.
“You’re married,” I squeal. Joey and Brooke come scurrying up behind us and wrap their arms around me and Juls.
“I know. And now, we get to go parrttaaayyy.” I release her with a giggle and turn around, walking over to Ian and giving him a big hug.
“You hurt her and I’ll cut you up into tiny pieces and bury you throughout the city.” He lifts me up and spins me around, a muffled laugh escaping his lips. Trent, Billy, and Reese are all watching and I hear laughs coming from them after my declaration.
He sets me down gently. “Oh don’t I know it. I’m well aware of your capabilities, Dylan. Even though you sometimes manage to forget how to walk.” He smirks at me and I roll my eyes. I don’t linger with him since Reese is at his side, chatting it up with the other groomsmen. And after Ian and Juls walk down the church steps through a cloud of tiny bubbles, we all pile into a stretch limo and head over towards the reception hall.
**
The hall is beautiful, immaculately decked out in fall colors and everything to Juls’ liking. It’s also massive and probably close to the size of the Whitmore Mansion which pulls at my heart strings a bit. But it’s somehow classier because if Julianna Thomas is anything, it’s classy. I’m doing my best to keep some distance between Reese and myself as we all stand cramped inside a small room, waiting for the guests to make their way into the hall so that we can all be introduced together. And that part, I fear is what I’ve been dreading the most. Reese and I will be publicly announced together as best man and maid of honor in front of everyone and we’ll have to make our way through the crowd and onto the dance floor, all eyes on us. This just might kill me.
“Alright, everyone, line up. The DJ is about to make your introductions so pair up with your person and let’s get this party started,” the chipper older woman that had ushered us into the room says. I mumble a curse under my breath as we make our way towards the double doors, taking my place behind Billy and Joey who are all over each other.
“You two make we want to vomit,” I say as Reese steps up beside me, grabbing my attention immediately. His scent is intoxicating, and I almost stumble as it fills the air around me. I shake my head quickly and regroup.
“Don’t hate, Dylan. It’s not a good look on you,” Billy says through a teasing smile.
“And why the fuck can’t you be single? Damn it, Trent,” Brooke grunts ahead of us and I buckle over in giggles. She’s been hitting on poor Trent all night and he hasn’t paid her any mind. It’s really perfect considering the way she’s behaved the past several days. “Ugh. Reese, switch with Trent.” She turns back towards us and my body stiffens, but Reese doesn’t react at all. Billy and Joey make wide eyes at me.
“Brooke, turn your fucking ass around right now before I cut you,” I growl at her and feel Reese’s jacket shake against my arm as he tries to muffle his laughs. Billy and Joey crack up in front of me and Trent shakes his head in amusement.
“God, I’ve missed you.” The voice next to me makes me go completely rigid, as do Billy and Joey who turn around
quickly. “Oh, um, sorry I didn’t… fuck.” My eyes meet his briefly and before I can even think of a reaction to that, the doors swing open and the DJ begins announcing the wedding party. Brooke and Trent, followed by Joey and Billy are sent through as Reese and I move up and he slips my hand through his arm. My breathing is irregular, I’m nervous as hell, and he can sense it. “Dylan, relax. I’ve got you.” I open my mouth to tell him to stop getting me when the DJ comes through the speaker system.
“And now please give a warm welcome to our lovely maid of honor, Dylan Sparks and her handsome escort, the best man, Reese Carroll.”
Cheers and whistles fill the room as I’m practically dragged behind Reese. We pass a table of women who hoot and holler at him and he gives them his perfect smile as we walk towards the dance floor. “Jesus Christ,” I mutter under my breath at them and feel his soft laugh shake against my body. We stand next to Joey and Billy and watch as Ian and Juls are announced, my hand removed from his arm to allow me to clap along with the crowd of people as they walk joyously into the hall. They stop in the center of the dance floor and begin their first dance as husband and wife. The wedding party moves about, talking amongst themselves and I glance over and see Reese make his way towards a table where a dark headed woman is sitting, her eyes beaming at him. She stands and practically hurls herself up into his arms and he wraps her up, planting kisses into her hair and I immediately turn away. Shit. Are you serious right now? He brought a fucking date? The sound of the song is blurred out around me as I move towards Joey and yank him away from Billy, pulling him towards the opposite end of the dance floor.
“Jesus, what?” he asks as I finally let go of his jacket. I’m shaking and he eyes up my appearance, his hand coming up to grab my bare shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“He brought a date. A fucking date, Joey. I was not expecting that.” My chest is rising and falling rapidly and I feel like I might just pass out right here in the middle of this thing. I see his eyes search across the dance floor and spot Reese, who is talking closely with the young and very attractive woman.
Sweet Addiction Page 27
