My plans to find Emery today were fruitless. I was ushered into getting ready for pictures from the moment I woke up—so many pictures. We posed on the beach for hours with Mason, the famous photographer my sister hired taking her sweet damn time. But this is my sister's wedding, so I tried to put the fight Emery and I had on the back burner so I could be present. I smiled and interacted, despite how uncomfortable it felt, but my eyes kept straying to the docks a mile down the beach, wondering if she was on them.

I finally found her seated in the third row during the ceremony, and the expression in her eyes when she first spotted me was something I hadn't seen before. It was so intense that it completely took my breath away. The suit I wore felt too tight. I was sweating from the beaming sun, sand already in my dress shoes, and the only thing I wanted to do was go back to my hut, sink to my knees in front of Emery, and ensure whatever features lined her face to create that expression never disappeared.

But I have to focus. Just a few more minutes, and I can talk to her.

Tearing my gaze from hers when the violinist starts to play, hating that there is so much left unsaid between us, I'm momentarily distracted when my sister comes into view with my father.

Izzy has always been stunning, but she looks breathtakingly beautiful in a wedding dress she created. With a sweetheart neckline, the mermaid-fitting bodice clings to her body before delicately flaring out above her ankles, tiny diamond-encrusted sparkles shining from the sun's glare. Half of her blonde curls are pinned behind her head to frame her face, and her veil is almost as long as the aisle behind her.

Connor leans into my ear to whisper, "You owe me a hundred bucks."

I fight the urge to roll my eyes as pictures continue to be taken, realizing Mason is, in fact, a blubbering mess. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that he'd cry, but I at least thought Izzy would make it down the aisle before he started. Connor was right that all it'd take was one look.

"Now is really not the time to bring up a bet," I whisper-hiss.

"Why?" He continues lowly. "Afraid I'll take this opportunity to make a bet on when you will cry at your wedding?"

It's an effort not to laugh, and it has nothing to do with the fact that he's probably right. I think I will cry when I marry Emery. Not if, but when. However, when we decide to marry, it won't be in front of my family. They won't be there to witness it. An extravagant wedding as big as this is beautiful, but I want the moment I commit myself to Emery for the rest of my life to be just between us. Sure, we can throw a party afterward where my family can be present, but I've never been comfortable with big gatherings like this. I want our ceremony to be intimate. Sacred. A place where my brother isn't whispering about a bet on whether or not I'll cry.

"Hey, dipshits," Uncle Ethan mutters in warning. "Focus on the ceremony and quit talking."

Connor does a fake little gasp, hardly audible for anyone around us to hear. "In a place of worship? That's disrespectful."

"Last time I checked, this wasn't a church," he replies with a flicker of amusement. "Stop being a smart ass. You're too much like your father."

"So I've been told," Connor hums.

We collectively quiet down when Izzy reaches Mason, her bottom lip trembling. My father blinks away tears as he leans over to shake Mason's hand. A look passes between them, one that promises death if he ever breaks my sister's heart. With a dip of his chin, Mason seems to communicate whatever my father is looking for, so he turns to Izzy and pulls her close, placing a kiss on the top of her head. "You'll always be my little girl, Iz," he says in a choked whisper.

"Always," she repeats with a sniffle. "I love you so much, dad."

My father moves to sit beside our mother, who is practically sobbing into a tissue as Mason helps Izzy up the steps to the podium. The sun is just starting to set behind us, a mixture of red and orange, and, almost as if the ocean wants to hear the ceremony, too, it's gone from a dull roar to only a gentle lapping of the waves.

"I've never seen someone as beautiful as you," Mason says.

"Beautiful enough to have a few minutes to ourselves after the ceremony?" She teases.

Typical Izzy response.

Connor snorts behind me, and our Uncle releases a heavy sigh as Mason replies, "Already planned on it."

The officiant clears his throat to begin the ceremony, and my eyes flicker back to Emery, who looks drop-dead gorgeous beneath the sunset. Her hair is in an intricate bun on the top of her head, but the two strands framing her face whip around from the wind. I run my eyes over the round shape of her face, to the tiny dusting of freckles that aren't visible from here but I know are there. There are too many people seated in front of her to see what she's wearing, but I know that whatever it is will take my breath away. It always does.

"I'm moving my bet up to two hundred for yours," Connor teases.

I turn my head over my shoulder to stare at him, narrowing my eyes. "And I'll move up my bet to five hundred at your wedding when—Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot the woman you are infatuated with left without giving you her name or her number."

When silence falls between us, I grin wickedly.

Game point.

"Low fucking blow," he grumbles.

The ceremony doesn't last long. When Mason and Izzy are pronounced husband and wife, cascaded with petals as they exit the aisle, I make a beeline for Emery, but my Uncle catches me by the sleeve of my suit jacket. "More pictures," he says.

"More pictures? Why the hell do we need to take more?"

"We have to take them with both Izzy and Mason now."

I point to the newly married couple currently disappearing to the nearest hut. "I think they'll be awhile."

A knowing smile falls onto his face. "The photographer wants pictures of the groomsmen and bridesmaids together. Mason and Izzy will join us in a few minutes. Come on, lover boy, you'll see her soon enough."

***

Being a groomsman was a lot more than I signed up for. After the pictures, we had to wait to enter the reception area, where we were called out in front of everyone to the tune of Beyonce's Love on Top. I hated being the center of attention, but I plastered a smile on my face even though my stomach was grumbling with hunger, and I still hadn't spoken to Emery.

Around a hundred guests came to the wedding, and they're scattered at an arrangement of tables surrounding a dance floor in the middle of the room while they wait for dinner to be served. White draping hangs from the beams in the ceilings, and chandeliers wrapped in greenery glimmer from above. This is the first time of the day I've had time to myself, and I need to find Emery.

"Everett."

Fucking shoot me.

I twist my head around to find Liam approaching me. He's truly the last person I want to speak to right now. The conversation between us will need to be held eventually, but it's not the time or place to have it here. Plus, I want to speak with Emery first. Where the hell is she?

I move around the edge of the room to try and get a better view of the tables. Wasn't there supposed to be a seating chart?

Liam follows close on my heels, apparently unable to take a hint. "Everett," he repeats.

"No offense, Liam, but I really don't have time for this right now."

"But I think you need to hear what I have to say," he urges.

"What?" I call over my shoulder. "That you're not willing to let her go? That you're going to try and get back together with her? A couple of months ago, I wouldn't have stood in your way, but if it's not obvious by now, I'm not willing to give her up either. You'll have to fight me for her, Liam, and I'm damn sure going to make it to her before you do tonight."

"For fucks sake, Everett, stop! You have no idea what you're talking about."

The music from Izzy and my father's first dance is pounding through my ears, or it could be the racing of my heart. I'm unsure which as I continue to scan the room. "There is nothing you could say that will make me stop and listen to you," I shoot back, clearly annoyed.

"Not even the fact that I'm gay?"

Time stands still as my feet abruptly stop my pacing. Apparently, there is something he could have said to get me to stop, and as I slowly turn to face him, my brows are etched together, uncertainty rolling off of me. "What?"

He takes a step closer, scanning my eyes to try and decipher my reaction. "I'm gay," he repeats. "Elias and I are dating. Have been for about a year. I would have told you in a more drawn-out way, but before you spoke with Emery, you needed to know, so... There's the rushed explanation."

"You're gay," I say, my mind reeling. "You've always been gay?"

His lips twitch, threatening a smile. "Pretty sure that's how it works. Yeah."

But if he was always gay, then that means...

"You used her." He flinches when I take another step closer until we're face to face, and everything begins to click into place. "You didn't want your family to know you were gay, so you used her as a cover-up."

"I...I wanted to be straight, Everett, and I wasn't blind to the fact that Emery was pretty. I wanted to be attracted to her, you know? And I did fall in love with her, but not in a romantic way. We were best friends, and I was afraid if I finally came out to her, she would disappear from my life completely."

"But that was her decision to make, and you robbed her of it. You robbed us of—" I shove a hand through my hair, feeling utterly conflicted. This is a huge moment for Liam coming out to me, but I also can't help but feel betrayed. He knew this entire time that he was gay, leading her on and thinking something could form between them when he was never attracted to her. And Emery's insecurities... All of them stemmed from what he failed to admit.

We politely smile at a couple that passes by us heading for the buffet before he says, "I fucked up. I've always known you've had a thing for her, and I took away time that both of you could have had together. I knew that coming out to you both meant I could lose you, but I've carried this guilt for way too long. I needed to come clean. If that means you won't want me in your life anymore, then I'll understand. I'm so sorry, Everett."

"Does she know?"

He nods. "I told her last night. She was...very accepting of everything, but you know how Emery is. She has too big of a heart. Even when she should be upset with me, she forgave me instead."

I do know that, which is why we mesh together so well. We both may be afraid to let people in, but Emery has never let that affect her kindness or her generosity to others. The woman radiates like the fucking sun, and when life threatens to rain on her, she works double-time to ensure the sun continues to shine. But with me in her life, I won't let others walk all over her. She may have forgiven Liam, but he deserves to be held accountable for his actions.

"You hurt her," I tell him bluntly. "I've spent the past six months working to fix what you broke within her, regardless if you meant to or not. She may be too kind for her own good, but you know I've never been that way, and I'm not just going to let you off the hook with it. What you did was wrong on so many levels. You led her on for eight years, Liam. Eight fucking years."

"I know," he replies, voice clipped. He's trying to hold his emotions back as he clenches his jaw, gulping loudly.

"However, I'm not going to stand here and tell you that I don't understand why you did it. I'll never be in your shoes, but I know it must have been difficult to hide who you truly were for so long."

He snaps his gaze to mine. "You're accepting that I'm gay?"

"Why the hell wouldn't I? I could give two fucks what your sexual orientation is. You've been like a brother to me since we were kids. Whoever you choose to end up with is going to be the luckiest person out there."

"So long as it isn't Emery," he adds.

My lips tilt up in a grin. "Correct, and I'm not saying I don't want to be friends, but it's going to take time to get back to the way things were. It just comes with the territory after what you did. Someone has to hold you somewhat responsible. If it won't be her, then it'll be me. I love her too much to let her throw away years of pain as if they meant nothing."

"Understandable," he agrees. "Can we—"

Elias butts into our conversation, throwing an arm over Liam's shoulder. "Please tell me everything is out on the table?"

"It is," I confirm, fighting a grin at the flush working its way up Liam's neck. Liam has always been the shy, quiet type. But Elias is the exact opposite. He's adventurous, outgoing, and annoyingly charming.

"Thank god," he drawls, moving the friendly gesture into a more intimate one, wrapping his hand around Liam's. "I want to dance."

Liam eyes me warily, but I usher with my hands for them to leave. "Go," I tell them.

"Are we okay?" Liam asks.

"We'll get there," I reply. "Just give it time."

That seems to be the assurance he needs because he smiles, allowing Elias to drag him toward the dance floor. Nobody is on it yet since dinner was just served, but the two of them don't seem to care. Elias pulls him close, wrapping his arms around his waist, and Liam throws his head back in laughter. I wonder if this is the first time he's been able to fully relax and be himself in public, knowing his secret's finally out.

A gentle tug on my arm has me glancing down to see Izzy by my side. She's staring out at the love birds on the floor, an enormous grin on her lips painted perfectly with lipstick. "He finally told you," she admits.

"Why does it not surprise me that you knew? Is that why you flew him out here to attend the wedding? So he could be Elias's date?"

She shrugs. "Partly. But it was more for you than it was for Elias. He needed to tell you. I was over the back and forth between you and Emery, and while my means may have been a little aggressive to get him to come out, and I do apologize for them, making you mad was the only way I believed Liam would come clean. It wasn't my place to say anything. That's his business to tell, you know? But I knew he wouldn't let you both remain in a fight."

"Seems like you spent more of your wedding planning matchmaker than actually enjoying it."

"Are you kidding?" Gazing lovingly upon Mason across the room, his eyes meet hers, a soft pink tinting his cheeks. "Today has been the best day of my entire life, but you're my brother, and you deserve to have a day like this, too. I wasn't going to let you throw your chance away."

Suddenly, a familiar tune begins to play from the speakers, and my heart catches at the sight of Emery standing next to the DJ booth. Elias and Liam exit the floor, heading to their table, but all I can focus on is Emery.

Izzy squeezes my arm. "I let her take control of the music for a song or two. Go get her, Everett."

I'm rooted to the floor, unable to take my eyes away from the actual goddess standing a mere ten feet away from me. The off-the-shoulder navy blue dress clings to her hips, falling in an elegant drape on the floor, and she raises her brows expectantly, jerking her head to the dance floor.

I break my gaze away from her to stare down at my sister. "Thank you," I tell her. "And not just for tonight, but for...everything. For always being my soundboard. For being there."

She blinks rapidly at the ceiling, muttering a curse. "I swore I wasn't going to cry anymore today."

"I love you." Pulling her in for a side hug, I kiss the top of her head. "Go be with your husband. You deserve all the happiness tonight, Iz."

With a final squeeze to my hand, she heads back to the table overlooking the dancefloor to sit beside Mason.

Normally, I hate being the center of attention, but the crowd around us doesn't even matter as I walk the remaining feet between Emery and me, standing directly in front of her as Five More Minutes by the Jonas Brothers plays softly through the speakers.

There are a million things I could say to Emery, but I'm speechless as I stare into her eyes. The warmth of honey is utterly consuming, something I could drown in forever, and I'm starting to believe that Connor should have upped his bet because it's not even our wedding day, and I'm seconds away from allowing the blurriness of my vision to transform into tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, and I almost fall flat out on the floor from the admission. She is sorry? She has nothing to apologize for. "I should have chased after you when you walked away that night. You've never been chosen first, and you've said there have been times when you weren't ever the priority in someone's life, but you have to know..." Her bottom lip trembles, and I'm just now realizing when I glance down that she's twirling a bracelet between her fingers. "You have to know that you're the only priority in mine, Ev. I'll be the one to fight for you even if you think you don't deserve it, which is why I'm here in front of everyone to tell you that I love you. I'm in love with you, and I'm not leaving this beach without you by my side."

I'm shaking when she grabs my hand, sliding the bracelet back onto my wrist. "I stayed up late last night to add a few things to it. A sun, because you will always be my brighter side, and an infinity symbol because I don't want us for five more minutes. I want an eternity with you, Ev. And if you don't feel the same, I'll have to accept that, but at least I will have—"

My lips crash against hers before she can finish her sentence. My hands are in her hair, deepening the kiss, and we're both smiling like crazy, a weight seeming to lift off our chests. For the first time, nothing is standing in our way. Eternity is an attainable thing. This woman can be mine forever, and I can't think of anything else to do than kiss her. Love her. Worship her.

"I love you," I pant. "I love you, I love you, I love you." I can't stop saying it, never want to stop saying it. I have a lot to tell her. Mainly my father and I's conversation, but all of it can wait. Right now, the only thing on my mind is her. Wine lingers on her lips, coating my tongue, and her skin is so fucking soft. I skate my fingers down her back, loving that the dress is open, revealing her spine. She always used to complain about her love handles, and it doesn't go over my head that tonight, they're on full display. She shivers when I squeeze them, almost as if she's remembering the same thing.

"I know this is your sister's wedding," she starts, "but Everett, the way this suit looks on you..."

I crack a grin, my hands inching lower despite my knowledge of everyone around us. I bend down to her ear to whisper, "We can sneak away for an hour. Don't you think?" My nose grazes her ear, eliciting a tiny gasp that goes straight to my cock. "I want it all with you, Emery. The babies, the house, the future... Our forever is just beginning, baby. I'm not going to waste another second of time."

Author's Note:

I'M SO EMOTIONAL

TWO CHAPTERS LEFT.

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