Closer Than A Brother (8 page)

“We’ve been…together.”

“Who are you, you’re mother?”

“Shut up, Brandi! We’ve been intimate.”

“Okay, your grandmother?”

“Damn it. We’ve fucked okay. He’s great in bed. He makes my toes curl.”

“Ha-ha, see now that is what I was getting at. So should we plan a double wedding for Christmas?”

“Oh my God, hell no. I’m not marrying Shane. This has been a wild and crazy affair. But I don’t see marriage in the cards.”

“Wonder if he asks you?”

“Brandi! Honestly, honey, are you crazy? Shane and I are not at that point. Now help me get this stuff on the table so we can feed these people.”

* * * *

He stared at the black box in his hand, his back to the bedroom door.
She doesn’t want to marry me.
This was just a fling and a phase for her. He was someone to keep her warm for a couple of weeks until Mr. Right came along. He closed his eyes trying to block the pain and anger that welled up in him each time he looked at the box. “Damn it,” he muttered to himself pushing the box into his pants. He had to get out of here. He wasn’t going to love a woman that didn’t love him back.
Even if it is Danielle.

“Whew, I thought that went great. The food was really good. We have leftovers for days.” He heard her breeze into the bedroom—kicking her shoes off. “They all went back to the hotel. They will meet us tomorrow for Black Friday sales…”

He cleared his throat and turned to look at her. His gaze met hers, and she stopped talking. “Shane?” She took the steps necessary to close the distance between them. She ran a hand down his face. “What’s wrong? Your face is all red…you look upset.” She looked around him, at the bed. “Why are you packing your bag?” He saw the confusion in her eyes.

“I got a room at the hotel our parents are staying at.”

“Why?”

“I thought it would be better.”

“For whom?”

“Me.”

“What changed from this morning, when we were together, until now, Shane? I don’t understand. You’ve been acting strange since our families got here. What is your deal?”

He turned from her and zipped the bag closed. “I thought I would just move on now before you ask me to leave. I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”

“You are talking crazy.”

“Am I? Oh, I’m sorry. I thought this
affair
we are having was the wild and
crazy
thing,” he said bitterly, tossing the bag over his shoulder. He watched the realization come to her face.

“Shit,” she muttered.

“Yeah, sweetheart, I overheard your conversation with Brandi. Don’t worry, Danielle, I won’t shove marriage down your throat.” He walked passed her out of the room without turning back when she called his name.

Chapter Eleven

“Where is he?” Danielle asked her friends when they met up the next morning to shop.

“He caught the first flight out,” Jason answered. “He was pretty torn up over the things you said to Brandi.”

“I don’t understand…We were just talking about marriage. Brandi, you were teasing me about double weddings. Shane and I weren’t at that point. We were just getting to know each other.”

“You’ve known him since you were kids, Danielle. What is there to get to know, honey?” Brandi interjected.

“I know, I know, but marriage? Come on.” She laughed nervously when neither of her friends replied. “What? What is the issue? Why am I the bad person here?”

“Shane had a ring in his pocket last night, Danielle. He was going to pop the question after dinner,” Jason replied frankly. “He is in love with you. He has been for half his life. You think what you had was a joke or a good time but it meant a lot to him.” Jason stuck up for his friend.

The more he talked the more like a complete bitch she felt. She put a hand to her mouth. She felt tears coming to her eyes. “Why the hell didn’t he say anything?”

“Because you said it all when you were talking to me, I guess.” Brandi rubbed her friend’s arm. “I’m sorry, honey.”

“I will call Shane later. We will talk about this and make it right. As for now, let’s get some shopping done for my favorite engaged couple. We have a wedding to take care of! I don’t want to shirk my duties as maid of honor!”

* * * *

She tapped Cancel on her phone. “Damn it!” she said through gritted teeth.

“Is he still not answering?”

“No he’s not! It has been three weeks!” She smoothed the black dress over her curves. “Is he working?”

“No, sweetie. He is supposed to be off tonight. This is our rehearsal dinner.”

“I’m sorry, Brandi. I’m stealing your thunder here.” She offered her best friend a weak smile.

“Don’t apologize. You’re missing the man you lov—” She quieted when Danielle shot her a warning glace.

“Watch that L-word Brandi. I just need to talk to him. I have to apologize for the drama that went down on Thanksgiving. I owe him that right?” She was babbling. She was justifying. She didn’t care. Brandi understood. She needed to see Shane to make this feeling in her heart right. It has nothing to do with love and marriage and feelings and craziness. She didn’t need any of that right now. She just had to tell Shane she was sorry. She owed him that much. She couldn’t believe he would miss Jason and Brandi’s rehearsal, dinner.
He is the best man, damn it.
She raked a hand through her locks—pissed that he would do this.

“Are you okay?” Brandi asked touching her arm.

“I’m fine. Let’s stop worrying about me this is all about you, sweetie,” she said, coming to her friend. “This is your time. Let’s get out there and greet your guests and have a couple glasses of champagne and a fabulous dinner.”
Okay, I can do this for my best friend.
“Your hair looks killer Brandi. Nikki really did your hair up right,” she said trying to exude a positive attitude for her best friend.

“Thank you.” Brandi eyed Danielle. “He’ll be here. He promised Jason.”

“I’m not worried too much about him. Like I said, sweetie, this is all about you and Jason, and your big day.” She led her friend to the dining hall to meet her guests.

* * * *

He was late. He felt like shit. He wasn’t ready to see Danielle. It had been three weeks since he left New York and now here she is back in South Carolina for Jason and Brandi’s wedding.

“You’re late, bro, what the hell?” Jason asked coming up behind him, hitting him on the back.

“I know. I’m sorry, man. Just got tied up with—”

“Don’t lie to me,” Jason said, cutting him off. “I know you too damn well for that.”

Shane shut up immediately. Jason knew he was thinking about her—how he still felt—how he would always feel for Danielle. “Is she here, man?”

“Where else would she be? She’s the maid of honor. Last I checked she was headed to the restroom with Brandi. I’m going to warn you now before you see her. She is looking mighty fine in a black dress. You might have to watch out on that one.”

Shane let out an exasperated breath. “Damn it. Which way to the bar? I’m going to need it.”

* * * *

His back was to her, but she knew him anywhere. Shane threw back a swallow of dark liquid and placed it back on the bar. “Can I get another, please?” She heard him grunt to the bar tender.

She sauntered up to the bar and slid into the seat next to him. “A cosmopolitan, please?” she asked. He didn’t turn to look at her. He watched the game above the bar instead.

“I’ve missed you, Shane,” she finally said after the bartender brought the drinks.

“Really?" he said coldly, still refusing to look at her.

“Yes, really,” she snapped. He gave her a side glance before looking away. She wasn’t getting anywhere with him like this.

She cleared her throat when he didn’t respond. “We are going to talk about this. It can be tonight, it can be whenever you’d like, but mark my words, Officer Matthews,” she breathed close enough so only he could hear. “You and I are going to have this conversation. Now as maid of honor and best man. We need to get our asses together and help our friends. We may be having our own issues, but they deserve nothing but the best.”

She threw back the rest of her drink and set it on the bar. “Now that we got that out of the way, shall we?” She waited for him to finish his drink. He stood up and towered over her. Piercing her with the deepest, sexiest eyes she had ever seen, she watched as his mouth formed the words. “After you, Danielle.”

Chapter Twelve

“You look beautiful,” she whispered to her best friend. “Everything is going so smoothly, sweetie. This is your day,” she said.

“Don’t you dare cry, Danielle! If you do, I swear I will cry right here and ruin my makeup, and then I’ll have to kick your ass.”

She laughed at her friend. “We can’t have the bride kicking ass before she says her I dos.” They laughed together.

“Have you talked to him?”

“No, not really. We aren’t talking about this now.” They heard the music starting to play for the bridal party. “We agreed to be cordial for you and Jason.”

“You will talk to him before you go back to New York?”

“I’m not going to press the issue,” she said, shaking her head.

“You are really asking for that ass kicking,” Brandi growled at her as they watched the other bridesmaids disappear through the church doors, into the sanctuary. “This could be you, sweetie. You deserve the same happiness that I have with Jason. Don’t deny yourself that, because you have some preconceived idea about the two of you. Let your heart love.”

Danielle stepped toward the door. She turned to her best friend. “I love you, Brandi. Congrats on this day. You have such a great guy in there.”

The minute the door opened for her, she stepped into the beautiful, cathedral-ceiling sanctuary—a gorgeous setting for a wedding. She was so glad Brandi was blessed with the elegance of this surrounding. She smoothed a hand down her red satin dress, waiting for the doors to shut behind her before she stepped onto the white silk that would lead her down the path to meet her escort.

The wedding planner had each step planned carefully and she would meet Shane halfway down the aisle. He would then escort her to her spot at the front of the church. She kept the smile on her face as she walked toward him.
Step pause, step pause.
Her heart beat to the same rhythm.
God, he’s gorgeous.
Black tux tailored to perfection, his body hard and solid, freshly shaven, and his eyes the color of a stormy sky. She couldn’t keep her eyes off him.

As she neared him, she could see that he wore a small smile and she would give anything to take that questioning look out of his eyes. She stopped at her designated spot and he came to her offering his arm. She accepted and they walked together down the rest of the aisle. She wanted to say something to him—whisper just a little something—but anything she said now, everyone would see. She squeezed his arm as he deposited her in her space and walked to the opposite side of the aisle. She let her gaze follow him to where he stood—her nose well aware of the scent of him still floating in the air around her. She swallowed back the whimper that almost escaped as the guests stood for Brandi’s entrance.

He looked at her then. His eyes said everything.
He still loves me.
She tried to speak volumes though a simple look.
We have to talk
. She gave him the pleading look. His gaze lingered for another second before he turned to look at Brandi.

* * * *

“Are you okay, son?” His mother came up behind him as they stood outside to go to the reception.

“I’m fine, Ma. We just loaded Jason, Brandi, and her dress in the limo.” He laughed nervously. “We are headed to the park to take pictures and then we will be back at the reception.”

“You have to ride in the car with her don’t you?” His mother smirked.

“I’m fine with that. We can be cordial.”

“What happened in New York, Shane?”

“Ma, really, here? Are we having this conversation now?”

His mother held up her hands in surrender. “I’ll leave you to your best-man duties.”

He walked away from his mother to the town cars. Dani stood next to the cars with the other bridesmaids, waiting for the limo carrying Brandi and Jason to pull off. They immediately locked gazes. He cleared his throat.

“Are we ready to go?” he asked the other groomsmen.

He sensed her coming up beside him and he sidestepped her. Her rose-scented perfume reached his nostrils. “Are you ready to go, Danielle?” he tossed out over his shoulder.

The rest of the bridal party stood and watched them with raised eyebrows. He didn’t care if he was causing a scene. She already broke his heart. What else did he have to lose? He slid into the front seat of the black town car. He should have opened the passenger door for her.
We aren’t a couple. I don’t owe her anything
, he kept telling himself. She opened the door and slid into the seat next to them, shutting out any noise. “You don’t think this is going to be long, do you?” he asked turning the key in the ignition. “It’s not exactly warm out here.”

“The cooler temperature will make for a lovely setting for the pictures,” she opined.

“It will be a lovely setting for us to freeze our asses off,” he commented, following the limo out onto the street.

“We need to talk,” she said it so softly he barely caught it.

“About what?” he asked feeling his heart beating a mile a minute.

“The fact we were having a great time three weeks ago. And by some fucked-up chance you heard a stupid conversation I was having with Brandi and totally freaked out.”

“I didn’t freak out. I’m actually okay with what happened. It was fun while it lasted,” he lied. She was quiet for so long he stole a glance at her.

“We are taking pictures up ahead.” She pointed to where the limo pulled off. He put the car in park. Her hand shot out so quickly to grab his hand, he had no time to even think about it. He looked down at their hands connected, hers a caramel brown that contrasted nicely with his skin. He looked up at her, seeing everything she was feeling in her eyes. He couldn’t do it. She made it clear she wasn’t interested in anything else but the sexual relationship they had for the two weeks he was there. He wanted so much more with her. He wanted what Brandi and Jason had.