The Very Best Man Read online

  Tears escaped Jane’s eyes as she said, “That long ago? At Thanksgiving and Christmas when we were all a happy family, did you know, Mom? Know about the baby? About what was supposed to be my baby with my husband?” She turned toward the minister, adding, “Alan’s child won’t be mine. The baby will be my niece or nephew for the rest of my life. I need to get out of here, I can’t breathe.”

  Her mother blocked her, hissing, “Jane, control yourself. I know this isn’t good, but…”

  “No, this is not good for me. In fact, this is really bad.” Jane hadn’t let her voice get above a whisper. She wiped tears from under her eyes and glanced at Susan and Alan. “Don’t worry, though, I won’t ruin their happy day with my temper tantrums.”

  “Don’t start with me, young lady!” Mrs. Lawson’s hands clenched. “Do not throw a fit!”

  Jane turned from her mother to face the large group and smiled. “Well, folks, it seems we have a change of plans, or rather, of brides. Susan is really the one for Alan, but I’m wearing the engagement ring.” Her voice shook. “Isn’t that a hoot?” She took off the diamond and handed it to Alan. “This can’t be mine.” Jane pulled off the veil and tiara. “And this isn’t appropriate for anyone but the bride.” With a final smile and her chin lifted, Jane brushed past her sister.

  Grabbing Jane’s upper arm, her mother pulled her back and almost off her feet. Mrs. Lawson growled, “March your butt back into place and quit making a spectacle of yourself.”

  “Too late! Your darling little Susi already did that for all of us.” Her mom twisted her arm hard. Jane gasped from the pain and the pop sound from the action. “Mom! Stop it!”

  Through her teeth, the woman ground out, “Come with me.” In a grip making Jane wince; she pulled her daughter to the side of the altar and into a back room of the church.

  David looked around at everyone. The minister’s face appeared sullen, Susan and Alan began kissing again while the congregation muttered and fidgeted in the pews. Their father sat in his seat, seeming bored. David waited, wondering if he should interfere or let things happen. Just as he decided to see if she needed any assistance, Jane and Mrs. Lawson both walked up to the altar. He felt uneasy, having spent enough time around her mother to be worried about Jane. The younger woman seemed smaller, somehow, and her face was unreadable by him.

  Once at the front of the room, Jane addressed the attendees. ”Sorry for the rude display, everyone.” She shrugged. “But really, I was the first bride and deserved some attention, right?” The crowd watching chuckled in unease as she turned to David. Her smile faltered when she asked, “Could you please continue to be best man?”

  David’s heart ached in sympathy for her. “Of course, whatever you want.”

  Susan stopped kissing Alan, lifted her chin, and reached out to shake Jane’s shoulder. “I want Alan’s sister to be my maid of honor and you can have a seat. I’m sure you don’t mind.” She crooked her finger at Becky, and the teenager hurried to where Susan formerly stood.

  David watched as Jane sat with her father, followed by her mother. He’d peek at her during the ceremony and hated the slight smile she wore throughout. She sat, her hands folded, every so often wiping the corner of an eye. He tried and failed to pay attention to the minister. Facing the couple, David gave up listening to their vows and continued to sneak glances at Jane. She seemed so vulnerable sitting there, trying to not cry. Hurt and anger on her behalf fought for supremacy until Alan nudged him.

  “Dave, where’s the wedding ring?”

  “In my pocket, why?” Even as he asked this, David saw the three, no, four including the minister, looking at him in anticipation. “You’re really marrying her today?”

  “Why not?” Every one of Alan’s capped teeth shown in his grin. “I love her.”

  He took a fleeting look at her, wondering if she overheard this conversation. “With Jane’s ring?”

  Alan followed his gaze and leaned in to reply, “I know, I don’t like it, either, but I can exchange it later. It’ll fit on Susi’s pinky.”

  Susan interjected, “This is what I want. Hand over the temporary ring, already.”

  “Ok, you got it.” He gave Alan the band.

  His friend took the simple ring and placed it on Susan’s finger. She grinned at Alan then frowned at her hand. “Of course, I’ll want something nicer.” The minister cleared his throat and she smiled up at him. “Because of course, our love is so much more and true, right, sweetheart?”

  “Right.”

  The minister closed his bible while saying, “You may now kiss the bride.”

  The couple kissed as if sewn together. After what seemed like forever to David, the minister added, “There will be a honeymoon to follow the reception, my children.”

  As the congregation tittered at the comment, David saw Jane slip from the room. He didn’t blame her and wished he could leave, too. Jane’s broken heart hurt his. He and Alan’s sister, Becky, linked arms and followed the groom and his new bride down the aisle. Despite every minute falling a little more in love with Jane, he’d been hands off with her. The thought hit him. He could scoop her up, throw her over his shoulder, and carry her off like a caveman. After this, that no poaching agreement he and Alan had since preschool held zero weight.

  Now that he’d married Susan? Alan had let Jane go and had no right to say anything about anyone she dated or even married. He vowed to have her fall in love with him. Might as well marry her since she already owned him heart and soul. He stopped at the thought. David smiled at Becky’s questioning look from his stalling. “Sorry.” They resumed moseying down the aisle. Ushers led first Alan’s parents, then the Lawsons from the main church into the foyer leading to the reception area.

  As soon as the large doors closed behind them, Mrs. Lawson barked, “Where the hell is she?”

  Chapter 2

  Jane took another deep drink from the champagne bottle. This stuff is good, she thought. After burping like a truck driver, she laughed. Went straight to her head, too. “Because probably the alcohol bubbles like the, well, bubbles,” she said aloud. While slouching on the dressing room’s couch, another swig emptied the bottle and Jane examined the empty container. “I am going to need more. Much, much more.”

  “There you are!” Her mother barreled through the door followed by Alan’s mother and Susan. “You were supposed to stay during the entire ceremony.”

  She sighed, not happy more champagne was so far away. “I did stay through the vows. I even stayed during the ring thing, but have a low tolerance for spit swapping and left during the exchange of tongues.” Jane laughed. The idea of such a trade amused her champagne fogged mind. Or did, until she saw everyone else’s frowns. “Sorry about that.”

  Mrs. Lawson picked up the empty bottle from the sofa. “You drank this whole thing?”

  “Yup.” Jane sat up, gathering her skirt. “I’m not drunk, just a little more happy with this whole fiasco.”

  Susan plopped down beside her and kicked off her shoes. “Janie, rub my feet, they hurt from these heels.”

  “They hurt from you being knocked up and foot massages are your new husband’s job, not mine.” Jane pushed Susan’s feet from her lap and stood, arms crossed.

  “Susan, please,” Alan’s mother began, frowning at her new daughter-in-law.

  “Please what? My feet hurt.” Susan pouted, looking at Jane. “Is she going to wear that dress in the receiving line? She’s not the bride anymore and it’ll embarrass me.”

  Before Jane could protest, the door opened a little. “Is everyone decent?” Alan’s voice sounded through the opening.

  “Baby!” Susan sprung up from the sofa and ran over to him. She flung open the door so hard it bounced off the wall. She clung to Alan, kissing his face. “I’ve missed you already!”

  David appeared in the doorway behind them, obvious disgust on his face. “Come on, guys, get through this evening, then get a room.”

  Jane nodded to herself. Good. The alcohol had worked and numbness now settled in. Seeing them kissing still stung, but not as much as if she were sober. She’d need a bathtub or maybe a swimming pool of wine in her stomach before this scene stopped hurting altogether. She hoped to distract their make out session by asking, “Susan, are you going to have wedding pictures taken before the reception?”

  Mrs. Lawson interjected, “Enough of all this. Jane is right for once, pictures, receiving line, reception, and honeymoon. In that order, please.”

  Susan kept her arms around her new husband. “She’s still wearing that dress. I don’t want our wedding pictures to have her in them wearing it.”

  “I agree,” replied Jane. “In fact, don’t you think the photos would be better if you and Alan were the only people in them?”

  Her voice shrill, Mrs. Lawson said, “Now look here, the parents need to be in the wedding album, too. I don’t know who you think you are, but you can’t just come in here and decide these things for Susan. This is her event, now.”

  “Of course, Mom.” Jane stared at the ground. “I was just thinking of her and Alan together alone without all the extra people in the way.”

  Susan giggled as Alan kissed her neck. “How about pictures taken with just us and our parents?” She squirmed away from him when he began tickling her.

  Mrs. Lawson smoothed back her daughter’s hair. “Is that what you want, sweetheart?”

  “Yes, mom, I want just us three couples in the formal photos and maybe other people in the candid ones.”

  “Very well, let’s get started.” She made shooing motions with her arms.

  “So did you want us to stay for the reception?” asked David.

  Giving him a cold look, Mrs. Lawson retorted, “Of course. Why wouldn’t you? A lot of importan
t people are here and it’s up to all of us to present a united front. We can’t do that with half the wedding party missing.” She left the room, following the others.

  Jane sank to the sofa as soon as the door clicked shut. “Thank God and any other deity listening she’s gone.”

  He sat next to her, leaning back in an unconscious echo of her posture. “I agree.”

  She paused for a moment. While sitting in the pew watching her sister take away her future plans, she noticed how no one in either family seemed surprised at the new couple’s romance. Plenty of others, including the minister and Dave, appeared as shocked as Jane had been. How good of an actor was either of them, she wondered. Jane looked up at a guy she considered a friend and needed to know. “You and I spent a lot of time planning all this. A lot of time that neither Alan nor Susan helped, leaving them free for each other. You did this almost eagerly, something not a lot of guys would do.”

  Understanding and a little frustration showed on his face as he looked her in the eyes. “You’re asking how much I knew about those two, maybe how much did I help?”

  “Yes and please don’t lie for them. I’ve had enough for one day.” He took a deep breath and she braced for bad news. She expected him to say something about doing whatever he could to keep her in the dark.

  “All right, I’ll tell you everything I saw and thought then, and what I think now.” At her nod, he continued, “I spotted them together at lunch one day. Susan was her usual flirty self and Alan looked uncomfortable, like I’d caught them at something. But, they were downtown and near a lot of little stores. So when Susan said something about shopping and don’t mention it to Jane, I assumed they’d been shopping for you. Putting myself in Alan’s place, it’s what I would be doing with your sister in the middle of the day.”

  Jane grinned, wanting to believe him. “Right, because if she came on to you, the first thing you’d think of was buying me a present.”

  His eyes narrowed, his expression intense. “If I were marrying you? Yes, I would be thinking of that. Alan has made a big mistake, in my opinion.”

  Not quite believing him, she managed to remain neutral. “Thank you for saying so.”

  David’s eyebrows rose. “You sound skeptical.”

  Jane worked to keep her tone even and not sarcastic, angry, or bitter. “I am. You’ve not dated Susan or even been one of her targets.”

  “She’s a, well, I would say nice person, but today disproves that.” He paused. “She’s pretty, charming, and flirty.” David shook his head. “But, I think you’d be my first and last choice.”

  She laughed and scooted over to lean against him. “You’re very good at propping up a dead ego.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Um hm.” She rested her head against his shoulder. After a few moments, she asked, “Are you all right? I’m not so sure all this didn’t bring up memories of Marcy for you. I noticed you looked really sad a few times during the ceremony.”

  “I’m ok. Your events overshadowed anything else. I’m more upset for you than anything else.” He shifted to face her with an odd expression. “Besides, I like remembering that day and wouldn’t mind reliving another one just like it.”

  Jane almost felt an allergic reaction to the idea of another wedding. “Oh no no, when you remarry, don’t even begin to ask me anything about weddings. I don’t want another ordeal to plan.”

  He crossed his arms. “The planning part wasn’t bad. Just the result.”

  Had she hurt his feelings, Jane wondered. It seemed so with his suddenly defensive body language. She patted David’s knee as she stood. “You’re right. The best part of this disaster was doing errands with you.”

  He put his hands behind his head as if relaxing. “I agree. Even the things a man isn’t supposed to enjoy were fun.”

  “You did taste a lot of cake.” She bent and patted his tummy. “I thought you’d like helping me pick up honeymoon lingerie, but you seemed so pained just during the shopping. Be glad I didn’t model the outfits for you.”

  “Imagining swimsuits on you was bad enough.” He stood, putting his hands in his pockets. “I’m glad to have passed on underwear shopping. If you’d modeled anything for me then, I’d have done whatever it took for you to jilt Alan instead of the other way around.”

  She scoffed inside at the idea of him pursuing her, but it was still nice to hear. “After today, jilting him would be a treat.” Seeing his bow tie a little off balance, she straightened it, brushing his neck. “Speaking of which, there’s booze and cake waiting. Since Mom is expecting us to be in the receiving line, my crying breakdown has been scheduled for later.” David frowned and before he could say anything, Jane turned, her back facing him. “I know you’ve done this a dozen times during all this, but could you unzip me for the last time?”

  “What? I hope it’s not for the last time.” David undid the small hook above her zipper. “I enjoy this particular task.” He eased the zipper down to the small of her back. “Next time you need help taking your clothes on and off, I’m volunteering.”

  “How chivalrous of you, but no, I’m never shopping for a wedding dress again.” She undid each pearl button at the sleeves’ cuffs. “Lesson learned. I’ll call for your help with any other dress, but never a wedding one.” She let the fabric fall to the floor. “Susan has stolen her very last man from me.”

  Dave couldn’t stop staring. He hadn’t seen this much of her since Labor Day. Even then, she wore a regular bikini. Seeing her very lacy underwear with that contraption meant to hold up stockings spiked his blood pressure. Glimpses of her bra clasp when he helped outside the dressing room had been a thrill. Now, watching her hang up her wedding dress while near naked stunned him. “You know I have red blood, right?”

  She rushed around the room, gathering up her things and shoving them into a white duffle bag she’d bought just for this purpose. “Sure. Right after it leaves your lungs, your blood is very red. Why?”

  Working hard to ignore her bent over in front of him, he replied, “Because you in that get up is reminding me I’m very much a red blooded male.” He watched as she put on a simple ice blue dress. “Who is now sad to see you with clothes on.”

  “Oh!” She laughed. “It has been a long time since you’ve dated anyone. Poor guy, even the rejects are starting to look good, huh?” She came over and hugged him. “Don’t worry, with all this mess over with, I’ll quit hogging your life and you can go back to swimming in the dating pool. You really have been the best man in all of this.”

  Dave silently cursed as he breathed in her perfume. He’d purposely not thought ahead to when she’d be married to Alan, not wanting to consider when she’d have no time for him. The planning and filling in Susan’s role as maid of honor kept them together and busy. He’d loved every minute spent with Jane and she was the only pool he wanted to swim in.

  Resting his lips in the part of her hair, he tilted his head. His gaze followed down her forehead to where her long lashes rested against her cheeks. She had the cutest nose he’d ever seen on a grown woman. Dark red fingertip shaped marks on her upper arm caught his attention when Jane snuggled into his hug. “Aw hell,” he murmured against her scalp.

  “What’s wrong?” She pulled away from him.

  “This.” He lifted her arm, turning it to better see the bruising. “I’m pretty certain I know when this happened.” He peered at the skin already turning purple.

  “Yes, well, I resisted and mom is strong.” Jane shrugged, her wrist still held in his hand. “Serves me right for refusing to give into her wishes, right?”

  Dave let her hand slip from his hold. “Wrong.”

  “No, I’m not.” Jane straightened her sleeve as if seeing how much of the marks the fabric covered. “If I go along and do what she wants, things like this don’t happen.”

  His chin lifted. How many kids had he treated said the same thing when pressured? Dave took a deep, calming breath. Sure, Jane was an adult, but abuse enraged him no matter what the victim’s age. “You are wrong on this so much. I can’t even begin to explain.”

  She put the duffle bag in the corner. “Good, because we don’t have time and I’m not wrong.”