light up with excitement. Back when we were kids, my dad insisted on showing us all the states. That was before Josh started drinking. Before Dad’s temper was always one misstep away from raging like a wildfire.
“Yeah, once. My family went to the Outer Banks for a summer vacation. It’s gorgeous there.”
Shawn gave me that look again, like he was trying to figure me out. I fought against withering under his inspection and glanced at Hudson.
He stood up as I caught his gaze, champagne glass in one hand, knife in another. His eyes scanned the room before returning to me and his smile was large enough to brighten the entire room.
The high-pitched clink of silver to crystal rang through the room, quieting conversations. Hudson stood at the head table, smiling at me, as everyone slowly hushed and lifted his glass into the air.
“It is a great honor, to be here tonight, standing with Brandon and Jenna as they begin their lives together as husband and wife. As most of you know, Brandon joined our family when we were rotten, snotty teenagers and we didn’t quite get along at first.” Next to him, Brandon reached up and punched his arm playfully. He grinned down at Brandon and then that playful emotion wiped away, turned so serious I sat up straight in my chair. He grabbed the attention of everyone in the ballroom with that look. It was so quiet a pin drop would have sounded like a bass drum.
“Brandon is my brother. Not by blood, but out of love and respect and he is absolutely one of the best men I’ve ever met in my life.” Next to Brandon, Jenna squished up her nose, probably doing what I was doing and trying to stop the tears as these two strong men, looked at each other in a way where you could feel those words were true. Jenna kissed Brandon’s cheek. “We were also blessed with a sister, Melissa, and I know how much she would have absolutely loved seeing you two today, starting your lives together. I’m pretty sure she told you years and years ago to go ahead and get married, so mostly, I’m pretty sure she’s looking down on all of us, saying it’s about time you finally listened to her.”
The room broke out in a small laugh, equally thick with happiness and sadness. Through my tears, I could barely see Hudson standing at that table as he fought to control his own emotions. If there was a dry eye in the room, they had to be robots. Next to me, Shawn pinched his nose and cleared his throat.
“But today isn’t about Melissa, even though we can all admit she was always right because she’d like to hear it. It’s about Jenna and Brandon and their love for each other.” He faced them both, microphone in one hand, glass of champagne held at his chest. “I have been with you from the first time you met at a football game and through so many ups and downs. I have seen you two laugh with abandon and fight to stay together when it was anything but easy. We have all witnessed you grow, from twenty-year-olds who didn’t truly understand the word commitment and what it meant to love someone with your whole heart, to being shining examples to all of us on how to weather storms and not only fall in love but fight to keep that love alive above everything else you’ve faced. I am honored to know both of you, pleased that your roads in life merged and you’ve found your way to each other. But most of all…” He trailed off, held his champagne in the air and he turned, finding me immediately. “My greatest wish tonight is that all of us in here will experience a love like yours. A love that’s unconditional and full of grace and a hell of a lot of fun along the way.”
Cheers and congratulations rang through the room as Hudson lifted his glass high in the air and finished the toast, but I was frozen, staring at him, a burn creeping to my cheeks so heated I was certain it could be seen from space.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Or the way he looked at me so intently, so passionately and so honestly.
“Just friends?” Shawn asked, lifting a brow and turning to me.
I cleared my throat and could still barely choke out a reply. “It’s complicated.”
His champagne glass