Empty Net (7 page)

“You’re late,” Erik said before tucking his phone into his pocket. “It’s starting in a few. My brother and Harper are already inside.”

“Okay, let’s go then,” Tate said, cocking his head toward the wedding hall entrance. As the three men made their way inside, Tate noticed the second glances he and his friends were receiving. It was nice to be noticed, but he didn’t believe he was the one making the girls look twice. With a shake of his head, trying to find the confidence he knew he had, he returned a few of the smiles that came his way as he followed Erik and Phillip.

Once in their seats, two rows behind Jakob, Shea, their boss Eleanor Adler, and two other girls Tate didn’t recognize, the three men leaned back, scoping out the place. Lucas had told him that Fallon had gone nuts with the theme, and Tate could see he wasn’t kidding. A massive number of umbrellas hung from the ceiling. Lights hung from the inside, making it look as if it were raining, while rain did fall onto the umbrellas. How Fallon managed to do that was a mystery to him, but it looked awesome.

The altar area was done in white and champagne-colored sheer fabric; it was hung in different directions and filled with big white flowers. Tate didn’t know what kind they were, but
they were beautiful. Things sparkled in various places along the fabric and flowers, catching his eye. Hanging above the altar were three more white umbrellas, bigger than the others, with large sparkling chandeliers beneath them. The aisle was covered with white flower petals along with more glitter and sparkle. Fallon sure did like things that sparkled, he thought. Overall, the hall was pretty impressive, and he couldn’t wait to see the bride. He knew she was going to outshine everything.

“Lucas wants me to meet his sister-in-law.”

Tate turned to see Phillip looking around the hall.

“Is she hot?” Erik asked.

“Apparently. I mean, look at Fallon, she is fucking hot as hell, so hopefully the sister is too,” Phillip said, turning on his hundred-watt smile.

Tate discreetly coughed before saying, “She’s my neighbor.”

Phillip laughed. “Well, expect to see me in the morning if she is hot. I don’t plan on going home alone tonight.”

Erik chuckled as Tate shook his head. Phillip would have sex with a rock, as long as it had bumps that looked like boobs. The dude was hopeless.

“Hey, Erik, that girl you were telling me about,” Phillip said. “Is that her?” Tate looked up to see him pointing ahead of them at a girl who sat beside Jakob. Her long brown hair went down past her bare shoulders in an elegant-looking braid.

Erik nodded, a slow, easy smile crossing his lips. “Yup, and she doesn’t give two shits about me.”

Phillip laughed as Tate asked, “Who is she?”

“My brother’s sister-in-law, Reese,” Erik said. “She just got back from New York and
dude, she is fucking smoking.”

Phillip nodded as Tate craned his neck to get a better look. She was gorgeous, but Tate’s eyes were drawn to the girl beside Reese, who chose that moment to look behind her. She seemed to be a more petite version of Reese, and had intoxicating blue eyes.

“Who’s the girl beside her?” Tate found himself asking.

Erik shrugged a shoulder. “That’s her twin sister, Piper. She’s okay, I guess.”

“Okay?” Tate asked dumbfounded.

Was he crazy? The girl was gorgeous.

Just then the music to Gavin DeGraw’s “More than Anyone” started and everyone turned as the back doors opened, revealing Lucas, a charming smile on his face as he made his way down the aisle behind the minister. He grinned at people he knew, and when he saw Tate, gave him a nod before going up the steps toward the altar. Tate turned back to the doors just in time to see Aiden grinning at him as he moved down the aisle. The little guy looked handsome in a black suit. His unruly hair was brushed to the side, and Tate could hardly believe how much older he looked as he made his way toward his dad.

Once Aiden took his spot next to his father as the best man, they turned and looked back. Tate turned, and suddenly felt like his legs were going to come out from beneath him. Coming up the aisle in his direction was his Brunette Beauty. She was stunning … gorgeous … breathtaking. His eyes ran up her body, taking in a pair of insanely high, sparkly heels before drinking in legs that disappeared into a short champagne-colored dress. Legs that had been wrapped around his body just a few days before. The dress was split down the front, showing off her fine breasts. She was mouthwatering. As his eyes settled on her beautiful face, the overwhelming need to have her hit him full force. And he thought he had gotten over her.

What an idiot.

He was so overcome with lust, he missed Fallon’s entrance. He only noticed her when his Brunette Beauty took the bouquet from her. Of course, Fallon looked beautiful, but honestly, she had nothing on his Brunette Beauty. Tate’s eyes stayed on her face; he couldn’t look away. He willed her to look at him, wanted that moment when lust would hit her like it was hitting him.

She had bewitched him.

When everyone started cheering, Tate looked toward the happy couple to see Fallon’s hands on Lucas’s face and her lips pressed to his. Somehow, he had missed the entire wedding.

“Showoff,” Erik muttered as people whistled and cheered. Everyone stood as the happy couple made their way back down the aisle, his Brunette Beauty and Aiden walking behind them. Tate smiled. She couldn’t run from him today.

“What the hell are you staring at?” Phillip asked.

Tate looked down at him. “Fallon’s bridesmaid.”

“Oh, Audrey?”

“Audrey?” Tate said, his stomach sinking.

“Yeah, that’s Fallon’s sister and Lucas’s new sister-in-law. She isn’t as hot as I thought she would be.”

Tate fell into his chair, breathing hard as Erik and Phillip made their way to the aisle to follow everyone to the reception. He couldn’t believe it. The girl he was infatuated with was his best friend’s sister-in-law and also his neighbor? The same sister-in-law who Lucas was insanely protective over.

Awesome. Just fucking awesome.

The wedding was exquisite.

Audrey couldn’t decide if the best part was when Fallon walked down the aisle with her hand gripped tightly to their father’s arm, or when Lucas held his fist in the air as he kissed Fallon. Both moments brought her to a puddle of tears. Hell, the whole wedding did. Everything was just so perfect. She couldn’t wait until the day when someone would look as intensely in her eyes as Lucas had looked at Fallon. It was so fulfilling to watch him catch a stray tear from her cheek, and smile when his own eyes filled with tears.

It was magical.

Audrey leaned against the back of her chair, her eyes locked on the happy couple as they held each other in the middle of the dance floor. As Jason Mraz sang about not giving up on the other person, she watched her sister cry in the arms of the man who she was going to be with for the rest of her life. When Lucas leaned over to kiss Fallon’s nose, Audrey’s eyes fell shut as she sent a little prayer of thanks up to heaven. She wasn’t sure how much more she could have taken of Fallon’s stubbornness if her sister had continued to ignore Lucas. Thankfully, the Lord had other plans, and now Fallon was living her Happily Ever After.

A smile formed on Audrey’s face as she watched the newlyweds. She was no longer jealous, more like so stinking happy she could scream. Lucas and Fallon deserved each other. They were made for each other and no one else. She just hoped and prayed she too would find that person. Then life would be grand.

She looked down at the little Post-it note that said
The Best Maid of Honor Ever
and smiled. Fallon was so clever with the decor. Post-it notes meant a lot to her and Lucas, and
having them as the name cards was too cute. With all the little umbrellas and soft sounds of rain falling, the wedding symbolized the start of their relationship. Audrey still got chills when she thought of the story Fallon had told her about how she and Lucas had gotten back together for good. It was something straight out of a movie. Making up in the rain and then making sweet love in the grass.

Um, yes, please sign her up!

As the song ended, she glanced up to see Lucas kissing Fallon deeply while everyone clapped loudly. It was extra loud with the whole Assassins hockey team there, but they did make the wedding even more gorgeous. It wasn’t hard to pick out the hockey players. They were all dressed to impress and, man, were they scrumptious. She should really work the room, she thought. Maybe her Lucas Brooks was sitting at a table, drinking it up without her.

She snapped out of it when someone pulled at her arm, yelling, “Come on, A.A., it’s our turn!”

Audrey smiled over at her favorite little guy as she stood. “Let’s go, punkin’!”

Aiden looked fantastic in his minisuit and with his hair brushed to the side. Like always, everyone forgot to get the little guy a haircut, so he resembled Justin Bieber. She, of course, thought he was the cutest little guy ever and was proud to walk beside him toward the DJ. It was time for the speeches, and Aiden was excited about it, though she was still a little nervous. The DJ was already holding a mic out for Aiden, who took it eagerly, a big grin on his face as he turned toward his parents.

“Now if I can have everyone’s attention, the best man would like to say a few words,” the DJ said loudly into his mic.

Aiden’s grin grew as everyone cheered. Who wouldn’t, though? The kid was a doll baby!
Audrey watched as Fallon and Lucas’s eyes zeroed in on Aiden, both with blissful grins. Aiden cleared his throat and began, “I couldn’t ask for a better mom or dad,” then glanced back at Audrey, and took her hand in his, “or a better A.A.”

Damn kid! Audrey’s eyes filled with tears as she squeezed his hand. She loved him so much.

“My mom and dad are both great, but what makes them even better is when they are together and not fighting.”

Everyone laughed as Fallon leaned into Lucas.

“I love you both so much and I’m so happy that we all get to live together. Now all I need is a brother. So I’m gonna need y’all to go get me one. I’m lonely, you know!”

A roar of laughter rang out as Fallon shook her head and Lucas clapped his hands while yelling, “I’ll get to work on that tonight, bud!”

Audrey shook her head while she swore the room got louder. Aiden smiled, bringing the mic to his lips again. “I love you guys, so much. Thank you for getting married.”

Tears streamed down Fallon’s cheeks as Lucas gathered her in his arms, kissing her temple. Fallon had done an amazing job raising such a perfect little boy, but Audrey could see that Aiden had grown even more since Lucas had come into his life. They really were the perfect little family.

“Your turn, A.A.,” Aiden whispered.

She smiled wide as the DJ said, “And now the maid of honor, Audrey.”

Everyone clapped as all eyes fell on her. She looked down, taking a deep breath. The words were there but she wasn’t sure if she would be able to say them without crying. When she glanced up and locked eyes with Fallon, the words and some tears poured out of her.

“I have always been jealous of my sister.” Fallon’s eyebrow cocked as everyone chuckled softly. “She is beautiful, amazing, smart, and really, the strongest person I know. We are ten months apart, and growing up, I always wanted to be the older one, because then I would run everything.” Everyone laughed as Fallon shook her head. “I wanted to tell her what to do. I wanted to get the car first. I wanted the credit card first. Yeah, we were spoiled. Thanks, Mom and Dad!”

Audrey looked over at her parents to see them laughing along with everyone else. “But most of all, I wanted to be the one the boys saw first instead of second. I wanted to be Fallon. She could walk into a room and all eyes were on her, so when she left for college and it was my turn, let’s just say I didn’t miss her that much.”

“Liar! You called me all the time!” Fallon yelled as everyone laughed.

Audrey smiled and her cheeks reddened. “Okay, maybe I missed her a lot, but what I am trying to say is, Lucas Brooks, you are one lucky man.”

Lucas nodded as she went on. “And yes, Lucas, she has driven you crazy. Hell, she’s done it to us all, but you’re the one who stood there and wouldn’t let her go. You are by far the most amazing man I have ever met, and I couldn’t have handpicked a better man for who I see as the best, most loving sister ever. So here’s to you two,” she said as tears streamed down her face. She held her glass up to Fallon and Lucas, and they held theirs out to her. “To you two whose love will be one for the ages. Who not only will love each other for the rest of their lives, but also their children. I am so proud of both of you, and I love you so much, more than you’ll ever know.”

The room broke out in clapping and cheering for Lucas and Fallon. Audrey shared a long, tender look with her sister, ignoring the raucousness around her.

I love you
, Fallon mouthed.

Audrey nodded. “I love you,” she said back.

The reception was in full swing. Everything was amazing, the food, the music, the company. Audrey was having a hoot of a time even with Levi staring at her through the whole thing. Let him stare, she wasn’t going to him. If he had something to say, he could come to her. She was done chasing after that man. There were thirty-something guys at that wedding, all single and ready to mingle, damn it.