Chapter Two – Will

“So, I’ve known this bastard my whole life, and he’s always been a crazy fucker.” As I pat my hands on Landon’s shoulders, I wonder if that’s too many curse words in one sentence. Landon won’t care, but I don’t know the bride’s family at all. Maybe I should tone it down a bit so I don’t offend. “When I heard that he was getting married, I was shocked. I didn’t think he ever would. I mean, this is the man who left the country for a month to escape a one night stand one time.” Yep, there’s a lot of laughter, but only from one side. “I didn’t think he would ever want to commit. But there’s something about Annabelle that’s gotten to him. She must be his one.”

A murmuring breaks out from among the crowd. While everyone talks I glance down at my best friend, who’s grinning wildly at me, but his bride not so much. She’s glaring at me as if I’m the devil. Shit, I must have offended. I guess it’s time to tone down the anecdotes and cut this short. I don’t know Annabelle well, but I’ve seen her wasted before and it’s never a pretty sight. She’s wild. But maybe that’s what Landon likes about her. Maybe he likes to be kept on his toes, maybe he enjoys the insanity that comes with never really knowing where he stands. That isn’t really for me, but I suppose as a police officer that’s my life at work. I don’t need that when I come home as well. If I ever do meet someone, I want it to be someone who love comes easily with.

“So, when Landon asked me to be his best man, of course I said yes right away. We met in school when we were about five years old. I was on my own, sitting in the playground, and he came over to me and demanded that I be his friend and work in his shop for him. I jumped at the chance because no one else wanted to play with me. What I didn’t know then was that this was the start of a very successful business empire… one that he still wants me to work for.” Everyone laughs again. Landon gwafs the loudest. He never really asks that, I’m kidding.

“There’s no way I want a cop working for me, you’d be a nightmare!” he calls out. “Can you imagine? Health and safety are bad enough without you crawling up my ass all the time, driving me nuts.”

I’m about to retort back and start some banter between us, but before I can, something catches my eye. Or more… someone. A very beautiful red head in the crowd. She has soft pale skin, sparkling blue eyes, and a captivating smile. She’s gorgeous. Not as overtly sexy as the women I usually like but still… she’s awesome.

Normally, depending on my mood, I want a platinum blonde fake woman with large round tits and dresses to show all. Or sometimes I prefer a crazy tattooed brunette who I can have a wild time with. Never someone with a soft natural beauty because they’re the women who want more. I’m only twenty seven years old, I don’t want to settle down yet. All this marriage stuff might be okay for Landon, but not me. Not yet. I have a stressful, time consuming job, I don’t have the time for a relationship. And more than that, I like playing the field. I like the sex without the annoyance of actually having a girlfriend. I can’t always tell someone where I am and what I’m doing, I can’t always commit to dates, I’m not one who can be the man any woman needs in a relationship. I’m married to the freaking job, I’m always on call and that isn’t going to change any time soon. Especially not with the case that I currently have at hand. Right now, and for the last year or so, I’ve been consumed by it. Sex helps me to blow off steam. Having to talk afterwards won’t do me any good. I never want to discuss what I do.

But, I suppose weddings have different rules. They tend to bring something out in women and none of them want to go home alone. They’re all looking for someone to get their sexual frustrations out with and I’m more than happy to be that person to help them along with that. Especially this chick, she’s foxy.

“I think we should all toast to the bride and groom.” I hold my champagne glass high as I cut my speech short. I had more to say but it’s all gone from my brain now. “And wish them a happy and healthy life together.”

Everyone follows me and we all call out congratulations to the bride and groom, but there’s only one person that I have my eyes on. The red head is more than foxy, she’s adorable too. There’s something about her, it’s like a glow around her head. I can’t seem to drag my eyes away from her however hard I try. She has me locked in place, completely helpless as I stare at her, and it’s a sensation that I don’t hate. I don’t mind relinquishing control to her for just a moment. Even more so when she looks back at me.

I take my seat, trying to patiently listen to the rest of the speeches, but it’s really hard when all I want to do is talk to her. I want to know her name, I want to make her giggle, I want to take her back to my apartment at the end of the evening… usually, I prefer to go to a woman’s home so I can make my escape easily without having to have all the awkward conversations around it, but on special occasions such as this one, where my pad isn’t too far away, I’ll make exceptions. Especially if that’s a glint I can see in her eye…

Just be calm, I remind myself. I can’t run out of here right away. I’m the best man!

As irritating as it is, certain things are expected of me today. First and foremost, I need to be there for my best friend. This might well be the only wedding that he has and I can’t fuck it up. Who knows, maybe by some miracle I’ll be the one needing him one day to do the same thing. Perhaps…

Once the speeches were done, all the food was eaten, and the drinks had been flowing freely, I start to slip away. Right now, Landon seems very much consumed by his new bride which is my chance to find her. I lost sight of her a while back when the crowds started to mill about and I want to find her quickly. Much as I don’t see any other man as my competition, I would still prefer to be the one to get in there first.

It takes me a while, I get stuck talking to lots of my old friends along the way, but soon I see her. She’s standing near the bar, which is perfect because I can talk to her without looking like I’m a crazed stalker, but right now she’s having an intense conversation with a woman who looks like an older version of Annabelle. It must be her mother. I want to ask her what she thinks about all of this, but I can’t because it isn’t my place to do so.

It’s a shame that Landon’s parents aren’t here really, I always remember them being awesome people, but something happened about five years ago which tore the family apart. Landon won’t ever talk about it, even to me, so I guess it’s something that I’ll never know. If he wanted to, booze would have loosened his lips at some point and he would’ve confessed all. it must have been something terrible, even the wedding hasn’t brought them together. I guess maybe they don’t know about it, they did move to another state last year, but still… it’s strange.

Right, I think with a sheer happy determination. Let’s get this show on the road.

I take a determined step forwards, keen to finally talk to the one person who’s captivated me all day long, and I somehow manage to catch her eyes. She glances towards me, as if there’s a magnetic force pulling her in, and her lips instantly curl up into a smile. There are dimples at the sides of her lips which make her look even cuter, and the way that her eyes light up as she spots me makes me think that maybe she’s noticed me too.

‘Hi’ I mouth at her, starting the communication silently.

‘Hello’ she replies with a small nod.

There’s something there, a connection that’s weirdly deep for someone that I haven’t actually spoken to before. I don’t know what it is but I presume it’s some chemical, sexual thing. Maybe she’s the sort of woman who looks all sweet and innocent on the outside, but is actually a freak in bed. Only one way to find out…

“Cici!” Annabelle suddenly shrieks at top note. “Cici, where are you, I need you now?”

She parts the crowds like Moses parting the red sea and she grabs the red head’s hand almost angrily so. She yanks her away from me and drags her towards the bathroom, practically screaming incoherently at the same time. Clearly, something has happened to shatter the peace, she isn’t the angelic bride anymore. I guess we should’ve all known that this was going to happen the moment there was booze made available.

“Cici,” I mutter to myself with a smile. I like that name. It only makes me want to learn more about her. Cici, who’s clearly close to the crazy ass bride. Unfortunately, for now, I’ll have to wait.

“Will, what’s Annabelle yelling about?” Landon asked me wearily. “What happened?”

“I dunno.” I offer him a one shouldered shrug. “I couldn’t really tell. She sounds drunk. I think that you might have to take her up to bed soon before she freaks the hell out.”

Landon rolls his eyes. “Oh yeah, I can really imagine that going down well! Can you imagine?”

I suppose he’s right. The girl who loves to be center of attention won’t want to miss even one moment of her wedding day. “She went into the bathroom with some girl named Cici…”

“Oh yeah.” Landon nods knowingly. “That’s her cousin.”

Her cousin? For a moment, I’m stumped. I never would have imagined that. Does that mean there’s a part of Cici that’s like Annabelle? As hot as she is, I don’t think I’m ready to tackle that. But then, she doesn’t seem like her cousin, and there’s no real way of assuming that she’ll be the same.

“Her cousin… right. Well, she stormed off to the bathroom with her yelling. She doesn’t sound impressed. What have you done?”

“Why do you always assume that it’s me?” I give Landon a look. “Okay, okay, I don’t know to be honest. I must have said something that pissed her off. Sometimes, I can’t say anything right.”

“And you’ve married into that.” I pat him on the back sympathetically. “Good luck for the rest of your life.”

“No, no, she’s great really, and she puts up with a lot from me,” he tells me, a little mysteriously. “I just wish I knew what was going to set her off that’s all.”

“Booze,” I mutter, not really meaning to say that aloud. “But I’m sure if you just go and talk to her you’ll be able to fix things. I mean, you love each other, right? You can get through anything. That’s why you got married isn’t it? To face stuff together. Don’t fall apart within the first hour!”

He nods slowly and stares towards the bathroom door. While he goes to make whatever he did wrong, right again, I have a vague sympathy for him, but as long as it’s him not me, I don’t really care. I won’t be the one getting myself into that situation any time soon, no way!