Thirdly, it’s Liz, Mike’s wife.
Then Bev who smirks at me.
And finally, Nat strolls carefully down the petal path, offering us guys a smile. I wink at her.
Matt doesn’t see her, or any of us. His eyes are fixed on the large doors at the very back of the petal carpet. Doors that stand in the middle of the field as an entrance to the magical forest placed here for the wedding.
The music changes. The camera crew sneaks around the sides, staying out of view.
The crowd stands and turns.
They’re gasping and whispering.
My heart sinks.
We have the best view in the house.
Brady lifts his hand to Matt’s shoulder, squeezing once.
Sami and her father come through the doors and everything moves in slow motion.
She’s perfect.
A soft breeze flutters her veil as Sami and her father cross through the arched doorway.
Her veil is sheer so it catches the light, adding a sheen to her face and hair.
She’s glowing in her gown, something I’ve unfortunately seen already. She stripped naked and dragged it on for me and Carson, forgetting that I’m not gay and quite attracted to her.
And as she walks down the aisle, flawlessly, she beams when her eyes meet Matt’s, glistening with excitement and bliss.
Matt clenches his jaw and Brady appears to be crying. Nat is. Sami’s mom is sobbing, probably because she thought this day would never come for these two.
Her dad lifts her veil and kisses her cheek. She closes her eyes and leans in. I take a mental shot of that face. That expression. I have never seen her this happy.
Mr. Ford shakes Matt’s hand and hands Sami to him in that weirdly barbaric way dads do with daughters. Sami stares at Matt as he leads her to the priest. His back is to me, and so my entire view of the blessed event is of her. She smiles and blinks and loses herself in him. She doesn’t see us or anyone beyond him.
Matt’s voice shakes as he says his vows and Sami sniffles through hers. I ignore it all, taking in her glowing skin or the sparkle in her eyes. It’s intense to witness.
“You may kiss your bride,” the priest says happily and everyone erupts.
They kiss and it’s intimate and weirdly delicate.
“May I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Brimley!” the priest shouts and the crowd claps louder.
Mike slaps me on the arm as he wipes his cheek.
I nod at him as Matt leads her away, leaving me to stare at the back of the beautiful dress.
Brady takes Nat’s arm, she’s a complete wreck now, and escorts her out. We each take our turn until I end up with Bev as my partner. She grins and pats my arm as we walk down the aisle together. “How ya holding up?”
“My feet were getting sore,” I lie.
“Yeah, I was talking about your heart, dipshit.” She nudges me. “You might have everyone else fooled, but I can smell a lovesick idiot downwind from five miles.”
“What?” Is she high?
“You know that scene in Love Actually where the guy is making the video of the wedding and all he does is film the bride obsessively?” Bev asks with a whisper.
“No.” I’m lost. “What’s Love Actually?”
“Dear sweet baby Jesus, save me from this moment. How you gonna be the guy who wants his best friends’ girl and not know Love Actually?” She groans and waves at some old lady I don’t know on Matt’s side of the aisle. She takes charge, gripping my arm, and walks us right to Carson who’s standing next to Rich.
“That was everything,” Rich gushes, his eyes darting to where the camera crew films and photographs Sami and Matt, something Matt seems to be tolerating but his patience is on a countdown to the end.
“This fool has never seen Love Actually,” Bev brings them into our conversation.
“What?” Carson wrinkles his nose, obviously lost on it as well.
“Oh my God, Colin Firth is so hot in that movie. When he’s struggling to talk to his love interest, and he’s fumbling it because he’s so awkward—” Rich exhales sharply. “I think about that scene sometimes randomly. It’s perfection.” His eyes dart to Carson. “Anyway, you have to watch it.”
“Yeah, whatever,” I mumble absently as my gaze is fixed on Sami for a second, watching her pose and smile, making a kissy face for the camera. She’s back to being herself.
“Lori!” Nat shouts at me as she waves us over. “Picture time!”
“Kill me,” I whisper, making Carson and Rich laugh as Carson kisses Rich goodbye and joins the rest of the wedding party.
“Deep breaths, Lawrence, deep breaths.” Bev grips me tighter and forces my feet to move toward the massive wedding party.
“I think you’re about a decade late on my infatuation with Sami. I offered to be her baby daddy because she would have been ruined to the society crowd.”
“Okay, sure,” she patronizes me.
When we get to them, Brady nudges me. “Dude, your resting bitch face is showing. Nat swears it’ll be thirty minutes, then we’re free to go to the reception. It won’t be that bad.”
“Thirty minutes at the first spot, dumbass.” Bev scoffs, sounding as excited as I am. “Clearly, you didn’t read the itinerary. After this we have two other stops. The dock and then the gardens and after that she wants us to pose in front of the barn before we’re allowed in the reception.”
“What?” Brady growls, “But the sun’s setting.”
“They have that movie-scene lighting so it will look like natural light.” Bev laughs. “Sami’s set up a whole photo studio.”
“Are you joking with me?” Brady’s eyes narrow on Nat. “I was definitely not told about this shit.”
“Well, buckle up, princesses, this is about to get excessive. Matt figures at least two hours of photos.” Bev laughs and drags us to the spot where the photographer is pointing.
“Kill me now,” Brady grumbles and I can’t help but laugh bitterly.
At least I’m not alone in my misery.
15 Cougar Town
Jenny
The wedding is stunning. I’m
