room is a mess. Clothes are thrown everywhere on the floor, his bed doesn’t look like it’s been made in days, and it stinks of depression and souls being crushed. Dumping him on the bed, he groans and rolls over, crashing the fuck out.
“I’m almost afraid to leave him on his own.”
Looking up, Riv’s face is marred with concern and I take a step back. “Get some sleep, he isn’t going to be getting up any time soon.”
Besides, I want to crawl into bed beside Jamiee and spend the next few hours in our world of bliss before the wedding of the century tomorrow.
19
Freddie
“Why are you sweating? You’ve wanted this for the last year or more,” I say as Damon paces the kitchen, his eyes flitting from one caterer to the other, making sure they’re doing their jobs.
“I’m not sweating.”
“Of course you’re not,” I huff. “Stop fretting about the food. You still have to put your suit on, and being down here isn’t good for you.”
“Everything has to be perfect, Fred. I want her to have the best of everything.”
Standing before him, I put my hands on his shoulders to settle him, and then turn him around. “She has you, and she seems to think you’re the best, so everything else is irrelevant. Besides, you know Alice doesn’t buy into this shit.”
Pushing him out of the room, I stay close until we’re up the stairs and he’s in his room. I point to his suit hanging on the back of the bathroom door and tell him sternly, “Get dressed. You don’t want to be late to your own wedding.”
When he listens, I fall into the bucket chair in the corner of the room. Jamie left early this morning to help Alice with her hair and make-up… or they were having their hair and make-up done. Hell, I don’t know. But what I do know is that in less than an hour, I’ll get to see her in her bridesmaid dress, and get a glimpse of her walking up the aisle as if it’s our wedding. I literally ache to put a ring on her finger. If I hadn’t had been a pussy three years ago, she would’ve undoubtedly been my wife by now.
The door opens, and River and Baz walk in, both dressed in their tux’s. River heads for the balcony, while Baz scopes himself out in the mirror.
“I scrub up well, if I do say so myself,” he beams.
I roll my eyes.
“Yeah. The white powder around your nose matches your button-up.”
He doubles back to the mirror and checks his reflection. “Fuck you, Fred.”
There was nothing there, but he swipes his hand over his face just to make sure.
“How’s Damon doing?” River asks.
“He’s showering. I’m hoping it’ll calm him down. He wants everything to be perfect.”
“And it will be.”
The three of us turn when Damon walks out of the bathroom in his tux, bar the jacket. His bow tie hangs around his neck, and he struggles three times trying to fix it himself.
“You two, go and make sure no one’s fucking up. I’ll get him presentable and meet you down there,” I say, pulling myself up from the comfiest chair I’ve ever sat on.
As River drags Baz toward the door, Damon calls out after them, “No coke at my wedding!”
I cross the room and stand before him. As I begin straightening his bow tie, he asks, “Can you see yourself marrying my sister?”
The corner of my mouth hooks up as I tie the fucking thing correctly for him.
“Yeah. And as soon as this court shit’s done, I’m buying a ring.”
“You going to ask my dad for his blessing?”
Her mom knows about us, but her dad hasn’t hunted me down yet, so I’m guessing he’s still in the dark. It’s only right I ask for his blessing, but fuck me, I don’t want to die.
“Do I want to be shot?”
We both laugh, and then my mouth dries. I hadn’t thought of asking Mr. Coleman for Jamiee’s hand in marriage. He’s a good guy, and he’s a great father, but will he want his daughter marrying someone like me?
“I still don’t like that you went behind my back, but I trust you’ll protect and be good to her.”
“Is that you giving us your blessing?”
He smirks. “What can I say? You’ve caught me in a good mood.”
“Well, let’s get you married, and then drunk, and you won’t have to watch me dancing with your sister.”
Shoving me in the shoulder, I step back, laughing.
“Don’t