“Hera, huh?” Madi smiled big into her Zeus’s handsome face. “I like that.”
“Well, I mean, if I’m Zeus then that’s who you are, Sunflower.”
Madi smiled big, loving that he was claiming her—and as the queen of the gods too. Then a thought occurred to her. “Hunter knew, didn’t he?” she asked, guilt hitting her gut at that moment.
Brett nodded and bowed his head. “I wanted to come to you and beg you not to marry him. Beg you to choose me instead, but I loved you too much to put you in that position. You were in love with Hunter, not me. I couldn’t do that to you, no matter that it meant ripping out my own heart in the process.”
“Oh, Brett, I’m so sorry. I should’ve—”
“No, Madi. No more wishing to change the past, no more regrets. We have here and now, and we have each other. Let’s just start from where we left off. That night in college would be a good place, don’t you think?”
Tears of joy came to Madi’s eyes and she smiled big, loving how at peace she felt in the arms of the man she loved…the man she’d always loved.
“How do I look, buddy?” Hunter asked Brett, even as Brett scowled, looking at his best friend in the mirror. How could Brett be his best friend when he wanted Hunter’s bride for himself? He was horribly sick to his stomach, wishing that this day had never come. Yet here it was.
Despite that this was one of the most beautiful places he’d ever seen, Ireland, today was the worst day of Brett’s entire existence. All he could think about was how he’d failed, how late he was, how dumb he was. Madison Taylor would no longer be his—not that she’d ever really been in the first place. She would no longer be the love of his life because she would belong to another man. And Brett would have to—finally—let her go.
How the hell was he going to just be able to stand there and let it happen? How could he possibly hold his tongue when the priest asked if anyone had any reason why the two shouldn’t be joined? Witnessing his sweet Madi promise herself to Hunter Thomas was going to destroy him.
Brett took another swig of whiskey as he tried to hide his true feelings from Hunter. He nodded and sighed, “You make a fine bridegroom, my friend.” It was an honest statement. Hunter had cleaned up nice compared to their late night in an Irish pub singing with the locals in Irish Gaelic neither of them understood, drunkenly pissing in a giant trough in the bathroom, and reminiscing on the “good ol’ days.”
Hunter approached him then, looking fairly stricken himself. “Brett, I don’t mean to get all sappy on you right now, but it’s my wedding day and I want you to know that I’m really glad you’re here. I’m glad I met you. I’m glad you were my QB, and I’ve enjoyed knowing you for the last four years. I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, I haven’t been the greatest of friends, but you’ve been the best friend I’ve ever had. You’ve been there for me through everything. You mean the world to me and to Madi. I’m not perfect, not by any means, but I’m gonna try my damnest to love her the way a better man would.”
Brett frowned. Better man, huh? Is he talking about me?
“What I’m trying to say is: I love you, like a brother, and I’m honored to have you for my best man.”
How could Brett say anything to discourage that? “You too, man. Glad to be here for you.” You fuckin’ liar!
“You’re family, man, always.”
“You too, buddy.”
Hunter pulled him in for a hug and Brett returned it, patting his back, all the while wishing he could earnestly not hate the man. Hate and love, the space between the two was where Hunter took up residence in Brett’s heart: best friend, favorite teammate, worst enemy all bundled into one.
“How’s my bride?”
Brett gave him a little shrug when he pulled back, wanting to be hammered drunk by the time the ceremony was done so he could numb the pain this day promised.
“Why don’t you go check on her? I know she’ll be sweatin’ bullets, worse than I am, I’m afraid.”
God, please no? Why would I torture myself even more than I am now?
But he simply nodded and left the room.
Brett wasn’t sure how long it took him to get there, or how long he stared at the door to the bridal suite, before he finally got the guts up to knock. He felt his heart bleeding torrents of emotion before the ancient wooden door opened and Brooke smiled at him, a brow going up.
Brett came in, his heart racing and his breath hitching as his eyes fell on the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. Madison Hope Taylor in an elegant, white lace gown. He could have fallen to his knees before the shining angel that stared back at him.
Tears hit his eyes and he covered a hand over his mouth as he took her in, a vibrant smile across her gorgeous face.
“Wow, Madi, ho—” He was speechless and had a difficult time swallowing.
“I’d say I look pretty good by your reaction.”
He shook his head. “Good? Good doesn’t even cut it. You’re stunning, Madi, absolutely the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Hunter’s gonna…” he trailed off.
This should be my moment, he thought. Not Hunter’s.
Every cell in Brett’s body, every thought in his mind, urged him to beg her to call this wedding off. To reconsider the match between herself and Hunter, to choose him instead. As broken as his tattered heart was, he couldn’t bring himself to utter the words. Today was Madi’s day. And because he worshipped her, loved every fiber of her being, he wouldn’t do
