You brought rocks to the wedding?” asked Simon, a wide smile on his face. He was already in his best-man tux, a red carnation pinned to his lapel. He picked up one of the creek stones and weighed it in his hand.

“See, I told you guys, it’s fucking genius,” said Pete. “If any Crays show up to the wedding, pow, right in the skull-bone.”

“It’s supposed to be symbolic,” said Rex. He was still struggling with his tux, trying to shove the shirt-tail into the pants, making himself a rumpled mess. “If you ask me, Lucas deserves credit for being thoughtful about the present.”

“Thoughtful, sensitive ol’ Lucas,” said Pete. “Gushy, sentimental ol’ Lucas. He’s a Valentine’s Day card of a man.”

Lucas wouldn’t look at them. He didn’t want to be reminded of yesterday. Good friends leave their problems at the door. They don’t drag down the mood at their best friend’s wedding.

Time to settle in, stand where he was supposed to stand, wait for the vows, and then go drink.

He hadn’t slept well last night. The whole evening, he’d tried to think about how to find out who was after the land…whether or not it was Ash. Could he walk into Cray Reliable, go into Ash’s office, and ask him? Not the sort of thing you handle with a phone call.

His thoughts had been interrupted though because last night was Karl’s final night as a single man, and so they threw one final game night as five single guys. Every other bachelor party on earth might’ve involved going to strip clubs, but this was the quarry gang, and they’d spent the night playing Ghoul’s Night Out, a board game about zombies.

His tux was still on the hanger, and as he slipped on his shirt, he looked over at his friends.

Simon, Karl’s brother, was wiping off his hands after touching the rocks. Mr. Responsibility, Simon had always been the common sense of the group…at least until he’d started dating Evan Cray. At least Evan was just a cousin of the two bad Crays. Lucas couldn’t help but wonder what Simon saw in Evan. They’d been engaged for months now. As much as it pained Lucas to realize it, he might not attend when Simon and Evan got married. It would just be too hard, having a church full of the whole Cray family there. One man against his entire army of enemies.

Oh, stop that. They’re not your enemies. They’re irrelevant to you. They’re in the past.

Ash Cray, in particular, is so far in the distant past that you shouldn’t think about him at all.

…so why is he trying to buy the land?

Karl, the man of the hour, wasn’t here. The preacher had whisked him away to a separate room to get dressed. Karl had been the brains of the group, in a way. Maybe more like the Brainiac of the group. Always sticking his nose in where it didn’t belong, always offering opinions nobody had asked for, yet Lucas loved him like a little brother.

Pete was helping Rex with the shirttail situation, and in deference to Rex’s nervousness, wasn’t doing his usual jokes. Or maybe he was nervous too, a little unusual for Pete, who was normally so cocky. “I hope you don’t need me to tie your shoes too,” Pete said to Rex.

Even though all the guys were best friends, Rex was probably Lucas’ best-best friend. He’d been through a rough spot a few years ago, and Lucas had offered to let him stay with him, setting him up in the old groundskeeper's house on the property. Rex had taken to it with gusto, doing the landscaping around the compound, enjoying the land as much as Lucas always had.

“Is anybody else a little sad about it?” asked Rex.

“About the way you can’t dress yourself?” said Pete.

“About Karl. It’s the end of an era, isn’t it? One of us is actually getting married.”

“Yeah, I figured it would be Simon first, landing his rich-ass boyfriend,” said Pete. “Why aren’t you first, Simon?”

That made Simon laugh. “Because my beloved is married to his job. So much for being a gadabout millionaire playboy. I made him promise me we’d have an Actual Wedding as soon as the company gets stabilized.”

All this talk of the Crays… Lucas was so uncomfortable. It was one thing to make jokes about them. But these constant reminders that they were close by, it made him nervous.

He couldn’t say anything about it. They all thought they knew how Lucas felt. They all expected Lucas to be full of bitter hatred for the Crays.

Life was more complicated than that. He wished the Crays would just disappear, to make his life easier.

He blushed when he realized Rex was glaring at him. Lay off, he thought, I’m on my best behavior, don’t worry.

“Is Evan coming to the wedding?” asked Pete. “We do have some rocks to throw at him, if necessary.”

Simon nodded. “I told him he had to come, even if I had to drag him out of his damned office to get him here. But I think he’s glad of the break. They’ve been working crazy hours lately. This will give him a chance to unwind, and then tonight he’ll be babysitting, which he always loves.”

Lucas blinked. It was hard enough to believe Simon was in a relationship with a Cray, but a Cray with a son?

“I miss the old days when everyone was single,” said Rex. “Wait, am I jinxing things if I say that?”

“Now you’ve cursed us all to get married,” said Pete. “You’ve shattered my dream of the future, when it’d just be me, you and Lucas, lonely old bachelors with our bald spots and dentures, arguing about who stole the arthritis ointment.”

Lucas buttoned his tuxedo jacket, then looked at himself in the mirror to make sure his lapels were smooth. “Speak for yourself, Pete. If I’ve got to be alone, it will be with a quiet dignity.”

“Yeah, we know, you’re the gentleman farmer. A bard on a tractor. A poet with a hoe.”

Simon’s phone pinged and by instinct they all glanced at him.

“You’re keeping your phone in your tux?” Lucas asked. “You'll ruin the lines.”

“I told Evan to message me if he was going to be late,” Simon said, pulling his phone from his pocket.

He read the message. He glanced up at Lucas, then back down at his phone.

“Did the air just get a few degrees colder?” said Pete.

“He’s not standing you up, is he?” asked Rex.

Simon slipped his phone back into his pocket. “No, no. Just the opposite, actually. He was telling me he’s not coming alone.”

“He realizes you’re the plus-one here, right?” asked Pete.

Simon sighed. “He said Ash is feeling down in the dumps. He thought it might perk him up to come to the wedding.”

Nobody looked at Lucas. They all were very careful to look in other directions.

“You are fucking kidding,” said Lucas.

“You’re not allowed to start anything,” said Rex. “This isn’t your day.”

“You’re damn right it’s not my day.”

“Promise us you will be on your best behavior,” said Simon.

“I’ll be an angel,” said Lucas.

“No. Promise. Swear on the quarry.”

“Dude, I’m not a kid, I’m not going to swear on the quarry.”

They all stepped closer to him. He had the sudden feeling of being surrounded.

“Do it, Lucas,” said Pete. “Swear.”

“Guys, come on…”

“This is Karl’s wedding day,” said Rex. “No fights with the Crays.”

“You all hate them as much as I do!”

Simon said, “You’re not leaving here until you give your word.”

“Fine, damn, people. You act like I can’t control my temper at all.” Lucas raised his right hand. “I, Lucas Phelps, being of sound mind and body—”

“One out of two ain’t bad,” said Pete.

“—do solemnly swear by the Battle of Cray’s Quarry that I shall not, by means of word nor action, assault, vilify, or otherwise bring harm to our sworn enemies, the Cray brothers, Ash and Callum.”

They all relaxed. Swearing on the quarry was serious business. They knew they could trust Lucas now.

Couldn’t they?

I will be good, he said to himself. It will kill me to do it, but I will be in the same room with Ash without chunking one of those rocks right at his head.

“All right,” said Simon. “Then let’s go have a wedding. Wait. Rex…your shoes. Tie them.”

* * *

Does anyone like weddings? Lucas didn’t ask this; he was busy ushering one of Karl’s aunts to her seat. But it certainly wasn’t his idea of a good time. Everybody dressed in uncomfortable clothes, having to be extra-quiet and reverent because they were in church, the lingering fear of tripping while walking down the aisle, knowledge that your greatest rival, your mortal enemy was right here…

Okay, maybe most people didn’t worry about that last one. But every time Lucas walked someone to their seat, he passed by where Evan and Ash were sitting. Ash stared straight ahead, clearly conscious of Lucas being there, but so fucking aloof he wouldn’t even acknowledge his presence, even though Evan had nodded at him.

He had to stop thinking about it!

Ash had always had the ability to get under his skin, even when they were kids. It was worse now, when he was all grown up, looking aristocratic and dignified and…

Actually, that was the biggest injustice of all. Why couldn’t Ash have been ugly? Just a slouchy old dog? It wasn’t fair that he had money and looks. His chiseled features, his broad shoulders, the ease with which he carried himself--

You’re seriously not even going to think about that, he told himself. He’s your enemy. If anyone ever knew…

Karl had an infinite string of elderly lady relatives, all of whom needed careful leading to a pew, and Lucas couldn’t risk having Ash too much in mind.

When his foot hit the side of one of the pews, the sound rang out through the entire church, a loud thock! He winced, bit his lip, but didn’t cry out, even though it hurt like hell.

“Are you okay, dear?” whispered the current aunt.

“Fine, ma’am,” he said, tears in his eyes. Stupid shoes. Stupid church. And knowing Ash had seen it. Was he smiling? Laughing? Lucas didn’t dare look.

Finally it was time for Karl and his fiance Burns to walk the aisle. They looked so good together, Lucas found himself feeling a little jealous.

Jealous? What happened to growing old and alone in quiet dignity?

Karl was glowing, and Burns looked like he’d lived his entire life outdoors in the sun, both so damned healthy and stable that it seemed like they’d never had a stressful day in their lives. Burns’ mom was on the opposite side of the church, crying into her handkerchief.

Lucas wished he had something to do with his hands. Some way to displace the tension of knowing Ash was right there, probably staring at him, probably thinking of how much this land deal was going to hurt Lucas.

He didn’t even hear the vows over the blood rushing in his ears. Karl, for once in his life looking like he wasn’t sure what to say, reciting words to Burns, who was so smitten that it hurt to watch. No one had ever looked at Lucas with a love like that.

Maybe, once, a long time ago…

The faster they could get to the reception and the champagne, the better.

Pay attention. This day isn’t about you.

It was Burns talking now, saying his vows to Karl, but they were something he couldn’t quite follow, comparing love to a mountain path. He glanced over at Simon, who was beaming at all this. Pete and Rex were looking on, proud as if they were the parents of the grooms. Why can’t I be like them? Why can’t I get my head straight? I’m missing the most important day in my friend’s life, because I’m so wrapped up in my own thoughts!

The preacher was speaking now. “Now, you may seal this union with a kiss,” he said, and the room erupted into applause as Burns took Karl into his arms and kissed him. Lucas looked away. Who needed this right now? Eternal happiness was for other people.

Pete nudged him. “You think they’re going to keep this kiss up forever? I gotta return the tux tomorrow.”

“Allow me the great pleasure of introducing you all to Karl and Thomas Burns-Bowden,” said the preacher, and the music started, and then it was easy to get lost for a while, watching them, listening to the delight of the families. Lucas somehow turned his mind off, at least for a little while, as he got swept into the congratulations and leading the new couple back down the aisle.

He’d made it. Survived being in the same room with Ash Cray, and hadn’t made waves. Hadn’t done a single thing to draw attention to himself.

Simon grabbed his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Thank you, man. I know that was hard for you.”

“I told you I wasn’t going to disrupt anything,” said Lucas. “I swore by the quarry.”

“Yup. Now you just have to survive the reception without talking to him.”

Oh shit. The reception.