Luna looks better in pants than I do.
My eyes track each of her steps as she glides up the aisle in her tuxedo pantsuit. Dash’s sister puts every man in attendance to shame by the way she wears her suit and excels in it.
As the small string band warms up, Luna and I take our spots under the floral archway.
“You look handsome.” The officiant pats down my lapel, and I treat her to a wide grin.
“As good as the CEO?”
Marianna Tweep smirks at me. “You’ve read my latest book.”
I shrug but keep on smiling. Marianna is one of the authors represented by Paige’s publishing company, but the two women became good friends outside of work. The author constantly graces the New York Times bestsellers list with memoirs about her eclectic life.
Who better to lead my best friend’s wedding ceremony?
“Don’t worry. I’m sure no one has figured out exactly which tech billionaire you had your liaison with.”
Marianna smiles wickedly. “Especially because three separate ones have already claimed to be the man to the press.” She leans in close to whisper, “All three are lying.”
I chuckle, then glance up to find Luna watching the two of us. Her face is unreadable, and I find myself ravenous to know what she’s thinking. I lean across the small space separating us.
“You ready to fulfill your position as Best Woman?”
Luna’s lips twitch, and she sinks a hand into a deep pocket only to pull it out a second later holding a small velvet box that no doubt holds the wedding rings. But then she dips her fingers into the other pocket, extracting them and clutching a travel-sized pack of tissues.
“For you?” I ask.
She rolls her eyes. “For Dash. My bet is the second he sees her in that dress, he’ll bust a leak.”
I consider the stoic man and shake my head. “No way. He’ll last at least ’til the vows.”
“Is Paige wearing a veil?” Marianna asks. “If so, I will place my money on when he raises the lace up. That will shake the man.”
“Five bucks?” Luna spikes a brow, and the three of us nod with conspiratorial smiles.
Just then, the groom appears at the door leading to the Herberts’ backyard. Paige’s parents earn enough money to afford a wedding at any one of New Orleans’ swankiest venues, but my friend insisted she wanted to get married here, in her childhood home. She said that this yard is where she fell in love with Dash, and it’s where she wanted to marry him.
I don’t doubt her reasons, but I think another unspoken factor was her future husband’s comfort. The less extravagant the better. I don’t know the particulars of Dash’s past, but I do know his family doesn’t come from money, and the guy spent a few years behind bars. The fact that Dash is now marrying a judge’s daughter is a certain kind of cosmic joke.
Another reason the backyard venue works better is the small size of the ceremony. Both sides kept the number of people they invited small, the entire party numbering thirty people at most. An intimate affair reflecting that the bride and groom prefer quality over quantity in their friends.
Plus, as far as I know, Luna was the only family member Dash invited. My curiosity continues to spike whenever the topic of Luna and the Lamont family arises. Don’t they have another brother? And Paige mentioned once that Dash’s parents live in the city.
Still, if they’re not here it must be for a reason. A good Man of Honor knows how to keep his mouth shut and not stress the bride out by prying.
Dash hurries up the aisle, his face an emotionless mask and his shoulders tense.
Better not be getting cold feet.
“Everything cool?” Luna asks when her brother settles at her side.
He mutters something under his breath. From the way Luna and Marianna lean in, I know they didn’t hear his response either and are just as interested as I am.
“What was that?” Luna prompts her brother.
His lips twist, then he raises his voice another notch. “Ginny said I jinxed it.”
The Best Woman’s brows dip. “Jinxed what?”
“My marriage.”
Now the older Lamont sibling scowls. “What the hell? Why would she say something like that?”
The groom shifts on his feet, a guilty move if I’ve ever seen one. “I kept my eyes closed,” he says, defensiveness coloring his tone as his face stains red.
Luna pokes her brother. “Explain what happened ’cause I’m about to go shake some sense into your soon-to-be mother-in-law.”
“Don’t do that.” He reaches a hand up as if to comb his fingers through his hair, but Luna grabs his wrist before he messes up the already styled mass. “I hadn’t seen Paige since last night. I just wanted to check how she was doing.”
“And?”
“And…we ended up making out in her bathroom. Ginny found us and yelled at me to get out and said I jinxed everything.” Dash huffs out an offended breath. “But I kept my eyes closed!”
A snort from my left has me glancing over to see Marianna covering her mouth as her eyes twinkle with laughter. I grin along with her. Paige found a good one if he can’t go twenty-four hours without touching her.
A minuscule stab of envy pricks at me.
None of my relationships ever came close to the type of devotion Dash just displayed in his misstep. Sure, I’ve cared about all the women I’ve been with. Enjoyed our time together. In fact, I’m still friends with most of them. We exchange catch-up emails every few months or get drinks when we’re in the same city.
But when we ended things, there was no passionate parting. Which is probably why the end came.
And isn’t that just my whole life in a concise summary?
Passionless.
“You’re impossible. Couldn’t keep your hands to yourself for one day?” Luna has no pity for her brother, and the groom scowls back at her.
“It’s an outdated tradition.”
“Whatever. Mrs. Herbert will forget about it the second the ceremony starts. Stop pouting.” Luna grabs her brother by the shoulders and maneuvers him into the proper position under the archway. “Now stand there and don’t mess anything up.”
“What would I mess up?”
Before the siblings can really get into it, there’s a rising, purposeful note from the band indicating that everyone needs to shut the hell up. The gathering goes quiet as we all turn our attention to the house.
The doors open, and Mr. Herbert steps through first, tall and intimidating in his all-black suit. Most of the time that much dark, stiff clothing in New Orleans would be torture, but the day holds a comfortable coolness that we all appreciate. Pumpkin trots at his side, the brindle pit bull wearing a collar of flowers that matches the floral arrangements. Mr. Herbert unhooks the dog’s leash, and I let out a short whistle my friend taught me. As Pumpkin bounds down the aisle toward me, petals someone must have sprinkled on her back flutter to the ground.
A four-legged flower girl. The small crowd coos and claps, and I pull a bacon treat and a short leash from my pocket. Most brides only want someone to hold their bouquet. Paige asked that I also hold her fur baby.
Ginny Herbert appears next, decked out in a floral gown. She pauses beside her husband, and a moment later their daughter joins them.
Paige hovers between the pair, beauty personified.
The impressive thing is her grace doesn’t come from the flowing dress or expertly styled hair or professional makeup. Instead, every bit of her radiance glows from her smile.
Everyone in attendance knows this woman has no doubt in her mind. Paige gives an excited wave in Dash’s direction as she glides down the aisle. I glance at the groom. Dash stands tall, biting his lip as a tear tracks down his cheek while he watches Paige float toward him.
Luna reaches a hand forward, circumspectly passing her brother a tissue, which he accepts without looking away from the vision of the woman he loves. As Luna retracts her hand, our eyes catch.
Five bucks, she mouths with a triumphant grin.
LUNA
After Paige reaches her spot beside Dash, I have trouble paying attention to the rest of the service. Not because I’m bored, but because their love is distracting. The way the woman stares at my brother, as if he’s the sole root of all her joy, is both impossible to look away from and hard to watch.
Could I ever love somebody like that?
Even if that is a possibility, I don’t have time to go searching for the perfect person to spend the rest of my life with.
I need a husband right now.
A quarter of a million dollars.
Mike’s quote still has my mouth going dry and heart pounding hard. According to my uncle, Leo brings in such regular product that the business would take a hit if my brother were to walk out. But Mike would let my twin go for the price of $250,000.
I have money in my savings, but nowhere near that.
Unless I count my grandmother’s inheritance.
Wai Po’s money would more than cover that amount. But only if I get married before I’m thirty.
Well, married and a few other things. There were more stipulations the lawyer didn’t bother to read after my dismissing that first crucial requirement.
Leo’s face flashes in my mind. His hopeless expression when I told him about Dash’s wedding.
Our little brother is speaking heartfelt vows to the woman he loves, and Leo is missing it because he can’t get out from under Mike’s thumb. Can’t imagine a future where he’s not living a criminal life.
But I could secure his freedom.
“Do you have the rings?” Marianna’s question returns me to the present, and I reach into my pocket for the wedding bands Dash entrusted me with. The designs are simple, just a silver circle like Paige requested. But my brother asked the jeweler to add something extra. On the inside of the band sits a minuscule paw print.
After I pass him the rings, Dash holds them up to show his almost-wife. She lets out a delighted gasp, then eagerly shoves her hand forward.
Is there anyone in the world I would trust enough to let them put a ring on my finger?
After Mike spoke that astronomical number and I accepted that my grandmother’s money was the only way to pay for Leo’s freedom, I started cycling through all the people I’ve ever known, vetting them as potential temporary spouses. As long as one of the stipulations isn’t that the two of us never get divorced, I don’t see why I can’t just get married for a brief time. Long enough to collect the inheritance legally.
Immediately, I ruled out everyone I met before the age of eighteen. Almost every single one I met through my parents, which meant they were more likely to steal the money for themselves than let a cent go for my brother.
There must be some level of trust in a fake marriage.
No one from my college days stands out in my mind. None that are still single anyway. Momentarily, I considered approaching one of my clients. Most of the people I work with have A or B-list stardom, mainly from the country music scene. They tend to make seven figures or more, so what would my inheritance matter to them?
The problem with that route is trying to convince a celebrity that the marriage is about me getting access to my money rather than theirs. I’d have to work hard to prove to them I’m not a gold digger or a fame hound.
I don’t have much time.
“I now pronounce you Paige Lamont Herbert and Dash Herbert Lamont.” Marianna’s musical voice fills the backyard, ringing with joy. “You may kiss each other.”
The gathering erupts with cheers, and I push away thoughts of my problems long enough to celebrate with everyone else. This day is about the happy couple. I need to focus on my role as Best Woman. Take note from my counterpart Charlie, who’s rocking his role as Paige’s Man of Honor.
He pumps his arm in the air as Dash dips Paige low. Petals rain down from the bouquet Charlie holds for his friend, and I appreciate how committed the man is. Never once has he shied away from responsibilities normally handed off to a female friend. Apparently, after their brunch, the two went to the nail salon together. I’m betting the guy would do anything for his friend.
Absolutely anything.
The thought snags on a sharp corner of my mind, and I stare at the Man of Honor as the bride and groom straighten, waving to their cheering audience.
Charlie is a good guy.
Anyone who spends any time around him would see it. He doesn’t care about conforming to societal expectations of a man. He knows how to laugh at himself, instead of blowing up when a woman spills coffee and then chewed banana on his nice shirt. He literally fell off the side of a boat and refused to let that ruin Paige and Dash’s pre-wedding party.
Plus, Pumpkin likes him.
All of these small things are ringing endorsements that I consider as I accept Charlie’s offered elbow and the two of us walk side by side down the aisle behind my brother and my new sister-in-law.
“They’re perfect for each other.” Charlie grins down at me.
“Yeah. They are.”
Dash and Paige are the image of what every married couple hopes to be. Wildly happy as they head toward the next chapter in their life.
That’s not something I ever expected for myself.
I still don’t. I need a practical marriage, not a picturesque one.
As my hand sinks into the stiff material of Charlie’s suit sleeve, I imagine what it would be like for he and I to officially walk down the aisle together.
Could he be the solution to all my problems?