Was there a certain protocol to kissing the bride? I wasn’t sure. Maybe that was something I should have checked on before standing up in front of everyone, clutching her face, and planting a solid lip lock on her… with tongue. Based on Casey’s zealous reaction – and that of her female relatives, whom I’d caught fanning themselves after the steamy kiss – I’d scored solid tens across the board. However, I hadn’t taken into consideration the rest of the judging panel; namely her father and brothers, who seemed not nearly as impressed as the females. If I had to guess, my combined scores would have come in somewhere in the average range.

All in all, though, a solid showing, given the way I’d been feeling after seeing Casey walking down the aisle at the beginning of the ceremony. If anything, the kiss was a reflection of her splendor. I’m not trying to be overdramatic here, but it really was like an out-of-body experience… as if I were looking down on the proceedings wondering who the hell the lucky bastard was who got her. The fact that the bastard was me became clearer and clearer the closer she got. If human eyes could bulge like those of cartoon characters, mine would have been a few inches outside their sockets. Casey was beyond all expectation… my tailor-made princess. Her purity and grace were magnified by the beautiful face under the veil. Her expression was serene, like a woman who was sure of her choice in soul mate. It struck me then that Casey was so much more than I deserved. Had she not met me, her life would have been a whole hell of a lot easier. But I’d fought hard for my bride, and selfish or not, I wasn’t going anywhere until I made her mine.

And making it official was just what I’d done. Casey and I stood facing the guests, soaking in the applause and well wishes. I couldn’t remember a moment I’d felt as happy as now. We were husband and wife. Life, from here on out, would be lived together. I’d promised her to try harder… and I would. Giving her everything she wanted was my priority even if it meant facing the ghosts of my past.

I glanced at my bride only to find her peering up at me with a glint in her eye and a conspiratorial grin on her face. Maybe she was remembering the searing kiss. I know I was still fevered from it. But when the music started, I realized that smile of hers had nothing to do with the kiss at all… Casey had something more sinister up her sleeve. She was taunting me with weddings past.

“Don’t look at me like that, babe,” she said, laughing. “You know exactly what’s happening here.”

My eyes left her in order to stare down the wedding party. Surely they weren’t a part of this shakedown – but one look at all those expectant faces and I knew Casey had turned them against me. I made eye contact with Keith, but he shrugged. My brothers, even? Dammit. Defectors! All of them.

“We are not doing the wedding dance!” I protested. I’d managed to dodge it once before at Mitch and Kate’s wedding, but like a case of aggressive crabs, it was back to haunt me. I really had no choice. Either I looked like a douche for not finding Casey’s joke whimsically fun, or I looked like a total idiot for pretending to be a happy participant in one of the stupidest ideas any bride or groom had ever come up with to entertain their guests.

Casey nudged me forward, her eyes pleading for my cooperation. Well, shit. This was happening. I was doing the dance. Mentally preparing myself for the humiliation, I looked to Casey for guidance just as the music suddenly stopped, and the entire church erupted in laughter.

I looked around, not sure what was happening, but certain I was the butt of the hysterical joke.

Casey grabbed my shoulders. “I’m just kidding,” she said, laughing. “I’d never do that to you.”

“So we’re not…”

“No dancing, Jake… just your standard wedding fare.”

What the hell? Twice! She’d gotten me twice with the same damn joke. How could I not have known? I bent over and grabbed my knees, exhaling audibly. When the shock passed, I looked up at my new bride and said, “You suck.”

“I love you too. Now walk me down the aisle.”

* * *

Because of the helicopters overhead, the outdoor portion of our wedding pictures was canceled and everything was taken inside the church after the ceremony. It was just as well since the temperature had already hit triple digits. I’d planned my tour schedule around an August wedding, giving myself four weeks off between the end of the European leg of the tour and the beginning of the Asian shows. Since the decision to move the wedding from Southern California to Arizona happened after the tour had already been set and tickets had been sold, there was no option but to marry in August… when it was hot as balls outside.

Because of security issues, those of us from the wedding party were given a police escort to the reception where our other guests were waiting. Originally the plan had been for Casey and me to leave the church in our own limo, but we didn’t want the police to make a separate trip just for us, so we hitched a ride with Kyle, Kenzie, and Keith.

The crowd of well-wishers who’d been pushed back earlier in the day were now crowding on the small two-lane road leading out from the church. Some people held signs or flowers, but one committed woman stood on the curb in a wedding dress and veil.

“Ahh she’s pretty,” Casey cooed. “And look, we’re twinning.”

“Uh-huh, and by the looks of it,” Kyle said, “You’re both marrying the same guy. I’m honestly surprised she’s not splattered with pig’s blood.”

“She doesn’t have to be a creepy stalker, Kyle. Be more sensitive. What if she was just jilted by her fiancé? Those things happen,” she said, elbowing me in the ribs. “Right, Jake?”

Before I could respond, the woman on the curb answered Casey’s question by lifting up the top of her two-piece wedding gown to reveal ‘marry me’ written across her bare breasts.

“Whoa!” we all screamed in unison, not having expected such a bold proposal. Casey playfully tried shielding my eyes.

“Damn, that was so unexpected,” I said, my vision still trained on the words written on her bosom. It’s not like I hadn’t been flashed before, but this was the first time by a woman wrapped in white satin.

“What did I tell you?” Kyle said, a smug look of satisfaction on his face. “Stalker.”

“You know, Jake.” Keith smirked. “If you’d just held out a day longer, you and the flasher could have been so happy together.”

Kyle was peering out the window with a puzzled expression on his face. “You know what I wonder? How did she write that on herself? Wouldn’t that be upside down when you look in a mirror?”

“Try backwards, dumbshit,” Keith insulted, slapping him on the backside of his head. “Kenzie, I thought he was getting smarter dating you.”

“Look, bud.” Kenzie addressed him directly. “I do the best I can, but I only have so much to work with here.”

Kyle grabbed for her as she squirmed away. “You don’t diss me and get away with it,” he said, throwing himself over her as she squealed in laughter.

“Oh, Jesus. Happy couples everywhere,” Keith complained. “Why didn’t I ride in the kids’ car?”

“I thought you had a girlfriend,” Casey said. “You asked to bring her to the wedding, anyway.”

“I never said I was bringing her. I just wondered if I could invite someone on such short notice. But she wasn’t my girlfriend. We went out twice. I didn’t bring her because I didn’t want to introduce her to the family and get her hopes up.”

“Her hopes up?” Kyle grinned. “Yeah, Keith, you’re the catch of a century.”

“Well, I’m no Uncle Paul, but…”

Kenzie looked around, confused. “Who’s Uncle Paul?”

“Only the hunkiest old guy alive today. And did anyone happen to catch a glimpse of his date?” Keith asked.

I thought back to the guests in the church but had no memory of even seeing my dad’s older brother… and a fifty-five-year-old man with One Direction hair and a dark, leathery tan was not easy to miss. Nor were the types of women he normally dated. Knowing Uncle Paul, his date would be ravishing. When we were younger, the women he brought around had always starred in our wet dreams. “I did not. She was that good, huh?”

“Dude. She was bangin’… and our age. I mean, I totally bow down to the man. How does he do it?”

“It’s the surfer thing,” said Kyle, in all his infinite wisdom. “Doesn’t matter how old you are, girls just dig it. Right, Kenzie?”

“Oh, yes. I love it. Kyle’s super sexy when he arrives home smelling like seaweed and trailing sand through the apartment. I especially enjoy when he comes to me crying about chafing and wants me to rub soothing ointment in places I don’t want to talk about.”

“Um, FYI Kenzie, I don’t cry. I simply articulate, in a very manly way, that I have sand collecting in areas of my body that terrify me.”

“I told you, Kyle, you can’t get kidney stones if sand collects in the tip of your penis.”

“And you know this how? Do you have a medical degree that you forgot to mention?”

“If it bothers you that much, go see a doctor,” Kenzie said. “Or better yet, Google it.”

“Right, because the Internet is the place for sound medical advice.”

Casey put a stop to their bickering by pressing Keith for more information on the mystery woman he had been thinking of bringing to the wedding but didn’t. “You’re talking about the woman you met at the studio, right? I thought you said she was perfect for you.”

“Yeah, I thought she was, but turns out I was wrong.” Keith shrugged, seemingly indifferent to the conversation. “There were red flags from the beginning.”

Both Kyle and I groaned in unison.

“What? You guys are assholes. You didn’t meet her so don’t go hating on me.”

Keith always found some excuse for why he couldn’t get serious with a woman, and usually it was the pettiest excuse you could imagine. He dumped one for wearing red toenail polish and another because he didn’t like the way she ran her tongue over her teeth.

“What horrible disorder did this one have?” I asked. “A hangnail?”

“I’m not sure I know what you’re referring to.” Keith knew full well where this line of questioning was going but was playing coy for laughs.

“You don’t think it’s just slightly weird that you won’t call a girl back because you don’t like the way she pronounces ‘caramel’?”

“Okay, I stand by that one. Caramel is not three syllables and you know it!”

I groaned. “You’re the nit-pickiest person I’ve ever met.”

“I like what I like.” Keith slid down in his seat, hooking his hands behind his head. “Big deal.”

“You never told us what this one did,” Casey asked, clearly excited for the answer.

“She probably blinks too much,” Kyle said.

Keith’s lips curved in delight as he caught our amused expressions and matched it with his own. “Well, now I don’t want to say.”

“Did she have a crooked toe?” Kenzie suggested.

“Or bad breath?” Casey guessed.

“You make me sound so shallow.” Keith beamed. “If you must know, she parts her hair in the middle.”

The four of us traded puzzled expressions.

“You know, like smack dab in the middle. I’m telling you, it’s a total deal-breaker.”

Laughter swept through the ranks. Even for Keith, hair parts were stretching it. He hadn’t always been this way, but since breaking up with his ex, his focus was all off. Keith needed to just let her go and move on. I couldn’t tell yet if being in the same room with Sam after so many months apart would be good for him or not, but at least we didn’t have to contend with either of them bringing a date.

“Damn, that girl with the middle part must’ve been hideous.” Kyle shuddered, fixing his stare on Kenzie with a mischievous grin wide across his face.

“Hey.” She jabbed him with her thumb. Her hair was currently being worn with a part smack dab down the middle.

“No offense.” Keith said, offhandedly. “It looks good on you.”

“Oh, right. Thanks.”

I watched her run her fingers through her straight hair, flipping a few strands here or there to lessen the stark appearance.

Trying to be nonchalant with a question she really wanted an answer to, Casey asked, “Did you see Sam at the church?”

“She was in the back, but yeah, I saw her.”

We all watched him.

“What?”

The stare down continued.

“I’m not sure what you think is going to happen, but I can assure you, we aren’t getting back together. Samantha made that perfectly clear.”

* * *

We arrived to fanfare. Boris had made certain of that. Because we were robbed of the church exit we’d been hoping for, a cascade of white feathers floated down on us as we entered the reception hall.

“Please tell me Boris didn’t pluck the feathers off live doves for this,” I whispered in Casey’s ear, while keeping the obligatory smile on my face.

Casey leaned into me. “Maybe if you were a little more involved in the planning process of our wedding, you would know that there are a thousand naked birds convalescing in the avian hospital as we speak.”

“Did we at least send them get well cards?”

“We did. They should be up and flying in a few years’ time.”

I blew a feather out of my face and smiled at my wife before giving her a kiss on the cheek. Seconds later we were surrounded.

* * *

Casey’s parents were standing at the end of the welcoming committee, and Linda immediately embraced me. “I’m so happy you’re officially part of the family. Now I don’t have to pretend to be nice to you anymore.”

“Oh, were you being nice before?” I asked, meeting her mischievous grin with my own. “I couldn’t tell.”

Linda grabbed my face and kissed my cheek. “You know I love you. And I especially adore how much you love my daughter.”

I leaned in to give my new mother-in-law a hug. “I’ll make her happy, I promise.”

“You already do.”

Linda and I had hit it off on our very first meeting, and our friendship had only grown from there. And now that bond extended to the rest of Casey’s family. Just as I would for my own flesh and blood, I’d do anything for the Caldwell clan. Such an attachment might seem natural to most people, but for me it was a somewhat surprising development. I’d spent so many years cut off from others, believing I didn’t have the capacity to develop feelings of love toward anyone who hadn’t been in my life from the very start.

Casey had proved that theory wrong when she charmed her way into my life overnight. Still, that could be explained away as romantic love. Caring for a whole group of people – that was a different story. Yet that’s what happened when I was first introduced to the Caldwells. They’d welcomed me in with open arms, accepting me despite my unusual profession… and highly checkered past. Spending time with them never felt forced and I found myself easily bonding. It just went to show that there was no chokehold on my heart and there never had been. The limitations I’d placed upon myself were entirely of my own doing, and once I let go of them and opened up to the possibilities, I was able to blend them into my world. When I exchanged my vows this afternoon, I hadn’t just gained a wife, but an entire family.

Dave placed his hand on my shoulder and, maybe it was just me, but it felt like his fingers were digging into my flesh a little more aggressively than they should have been. One look in his direction told me he wasn’t feeling the love like his wife was.

“Really?” he asked, shaking his head at me. “Was that really necessary?”

I knew exactly what he was referring to – the kiss – and I smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. It wasn’t planned, if that helps.”

Dave made a show of swallowing an invisible lump before saying, “No, it doesn’t go down any easier. Here’s the deal, Jake. I know my daughter’s an adult… it’s just… I’d rather not have her romantic life, for lack of a better term, shoved down my throat. You know what I’m saying?”

“I definitely do.”

“Good. Nice chat.”

His fingers disengaged as he walked away, and I followed after him with my stunned eyes. That was badass! When had Dave, the mild-mannered office manager, become an ex-CIA shakedown artist? One thing was for certain, in the future, it would be wise to keep the steam level in the ‘dad-pleasing’ mild range with Casey for the rest of our lives.

Luke came galloping up, shaking my hand and slapping my back in unison. “Welcome to the family, bro. Is this a good time to ask for a loan?”

The smile on his face was contagious. Luke was just a good-natured person, who shared so many admirable traits with his sister. It really was impossible not to like him. Over the past two years, Luke had taught me a thing or two about not taking life so seriously. He really could teach a class in positivity. After all, this was a guy who, when told to ‘have a good day,’ always responded with, ‘Have a better one.’

“Don’t do it, Jake,” Miles said, coming up behind him and putting his brother in a choke hold. “I loaned him money in the second grade and he never paid it back.”

“It was a gumball machine,” Luke said, performing an awkward pirouette to extract himself from Miles’s grasp. “I cannot believe you still bring that up. Would you like me to pay you back? Would that make you happy?”

Luke made of show of checking his pockets for change, and when he couldn’t find any, he asked, “Jake, do you have twenty-five cents on you?”

He’d been asking for loans since the beginning of our relationship – not for the money, mind you, but for the laugh he got by pointing out my income. “Not for you,” I responded.

“Eh, that’s okay. I wasn’t going to pay Miles back anyway, the tightwad.”

My mother, her arm hooked in Casey’s, arrived to give me a hug, but we ended up doing a weird three-person one instead. “That was such a beautiful wedding,” she said, her eyes filling with tears.

“Are you crying?” I asked, smiling my amusement by her predictable display of emotion.

“What?” she said, slapping my shoulder as a smile spread across her face. “Why is it that you and your brothers insist on finding enjoyment in my tears?”

“They just come at such random times, is all.”

“There’s nothing random about it, Jake,” Casey said, pushing me. “They’re wedding tears.”

“Exactly.” Mom dabbed hers dry with a far-off, dreamy look. “There’s just something about being on the cusp of life with your whole world waiting for you that slays me every time. It’s going to be a beautiful ride.”

Her normally stoic posture sagged under the emotions of the moment. There was more to her words than just standard sentiment. The life she spoke of, the one waiting for me, had only been made possible by my mother’s undying devotion. I gathered her into my arms and whispered in her ear, “Thanks to you, Mom.”

* * *

With the ceremony behind us, it was time to focus on fun, and that’s just what I intended to do. After last night’s challenges, I needed to relax and just let loose. The free flowing alcohol helped with that. If there was ever a time to celebrate, it was now. I’d just married the woman I loved and was surrounded by a group of people who wanted only the best for us. The steady stream of well-wishers kept Casey and me busy nearly the entire reception. There would be no sneaking off to a hidden balcony tonight or a trip to some corner table to rest our weary feet. Tonight we took center stage, and it was our happiness that was on display.

Well, that and all the amazing touches Casey and Boris had put into making this an unforgettable night. The two had outdone themselves. The way they paired and blended items to capture both our personalities made the reception seem almost homey to me. From the hanging floral centerpieces, each featuring floating glass balls resembling bubbles, to the single most unique party favor I’d ever seen – a crystal-encrusted guitar-shaped calculator – it was clear that every detail had been planned and executed with care. The best part of all, not having been an active participant in the planning process, were the surprises that awaited me at every turn. I had to hand it to Boris. He was well worth the exorbitant amount of money I’d paid him.

Perhaps my favorite part of the evening’s touches was the menu, which Casey had handpicked to feature everything I loved to eat. It wasn’t a fancy dinner meant to impress, but a downhome meal of tri-tip and baked potatoes. While I chowed down, Casey was busy holding court and looking effortlessly ravishing in her wedding gown. Not able to help myself, I frequently leaned over to give her kisses, just because she was so incredibly beautiful and I loved her so damn much.

Midway through dinner, Casey and I were surprised by a performance by Quinn, accompanied by Emma on the piano. He’d stepped up to the microphone, appearing not only confident but also older and wiser than I’d ever seen him. He caught my eye, almost defiantly, as if he thought maybe I’d shoo him off the stage or something. Suddenly I felt bad for the interaction we’d had last night. He’d probably been working on this song for weeks in order to surprise me, and I’d been a total dick to him.

Quinn gripped the microphone. “I have a confession to make. I was Jake’s youngest and first fan. When I was a little boy, I used to hide in the family room to listen to him play. It wasn’t just that I loved his music, which I did, but I actually imagined myself being him. I swore I’d be as good as that someday. Well, I’m still trying, but the thing with Jake is that catching up to him is a losing battle because the better I get, the better he gets. Still, it’s a challenge I take on every single day of my life. I’m committed to making him proud no matter how long it takes. Jake, you’re my brother, my mentor, and my inspiration. And Casey – I liked you from the very start. You’re a great addition to the family. Congratulations to both of you.”

And with those heart-felt words, Emma led the way on the piano and then Quinn began to sing. For the first time in my life, I really listened. The subtle nuances in his voice, the tonality, and his superior guitar playing skills shocked me. Quinn was no hanger-on. He was the real goddamn deal. How had I not seen this before? He wasn’t looking for a handout. Quinn just wanted my approval. I swallowed hard, feeling like a total jerk for the way I’d been treating him.

Casey gripped my hand, no doubt sensing my inner turmoil. Leaning in, she whispered in my ear, “It’s never too late to work things out.”

No, she got that right. I had a whole lot of groveling to do.

* * *

Kyle’s best man speech followed a number of heartfelt toasts, and without even knowing what was on his notecards, I suspected he would bring the fun… and, of course, I wasn’t disappointed.

“Hi, everyone. Can I have your attention please? My name’s Kyle, and I’ll be your best man for the evening.”

After pausing for the applause, as well as a few chuckles, Kyle continued. “I’d like to start by saying thank you to whoever’s bright idea it was to have a wedding in August… in Arizona. I’m sweating in places I never knew I could sweat. Now, I’m not pointing fingers at anyone, Jake and Casey…” Kyle dropped his voice to boom our names out over the microphone. “…but I’d really like to know the thought process behind that selection. I mean, I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t always make the smartest choices. In fact, some might say my decision-making skills closely resemble those of a squirrel when crossing a busy road, yet even I would have thought twice about having a wedding in the desert at the exact time of year when birds are forced to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.”

The reception guests laughed, and I settled into my seat. Kyle was off to a good start, a few jokes to lighten the mood. There was no need for concern.

“Let’s move on to why I’m here… to deliver a mildly funny, heartwarming best man speech to honor my brother and his beautiful new wife.” Kyle stopped to look down at his notecards before throwing them up in the air and watching them cascade to the ground. “Nah, we don’t need these. I’ve always been more of a seat of the pants kind of guy. What do you say? Should I wing it?”

No. No winging it. Anything but winging it. By the amused smirk on Kyle’s face, I knew it was already too late. He was improvising, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Buckling in, I held on for the ride.

“First off, I’d like to acknowledge my brother for picking me. Dude, I know you had options, and, honestly, you probably should have taken them. This could very well become the second very bad decision of your wedding.”

The crowd applauded his cocky warning, seemingly bloodthirsty for some good old fashioned dirt. But although Kyle certainly had the mud to sling, I had faith that he’d never bury me under a pile of sludge. Kyle was nothing if not loyal. He had my back even when I gave him no reason to and had never, in all the years, waivered in his devotion to me. So even though he was clearly planning on embarrassing me, I was certain his ribbing would be all in good fun. After all, Kyle knew the boundaries and had never been one to toe the line.

“So where to start? I met Jake in the 90’s and, to be honest, when we were first introduced, I wasn’t all that impressed. He’s not a bad-looking guy now, but back then, ladies, he was bald, chubby around the middle, and he had these short, stubby little legs.”

“I was a baby,” I called out.

“Jake, please don’t interrupt. See, this is the type of thing I have to deal with on a daily basis. Anyway, as I was saying, our dashing groom wasn’t what we’d consider classically handsome back then; and to make matters worse, he wobbled around when he walked, stumbling into walls… and, you know, the way he carried that bottle around, I’ll admit I thought he had a drinking problem. But thankfully our little sumo wrestler grew out of the awkward stage and became a pretty cool toddler – then an even more impressive kid. I took to following him around just so I wouldn’t miss anything. And that, in a nutshell, is our relationship today. The end.”

I pushed back my seat and abruptly stood, clapping for him, as if it truly were the end of his speech.

Kyle acknowledged my presence, grinning, before saying, “Sit down. I’m not finished with you yet.”

And that’s when I got to hear his retelling of the time when I was eleven years old, at a waterpark with my friends, and they dared me to go down the slide both headfirst and backward. The string on my swim trunks had broken earlier in the day, and I’d tied it loosely together to keep them up. Well, the minute I hit the rushing water my shorts ripped clean off and I rode the whole way down naked.

And, of course, he couldn’t forget to tell the story of the flock of geese that flew over the stage during an outdoor concert and began dropping shit-bombs on those of us performing below. Yes, I looked up at the most inopportune time and took a direct hit. The creamy white concoction splattered all over my face, invading my eyes, mouth, and nostrils. The concert was postponed fifteen minutes so I could go backstage to take a shower… and throw up.

He then retold the story of his first meeting with Casey and how he knew the two of us were meant to be when I refrained from murdering Quinn after he made me eat the booger bean in the Bean Boozled jellybean game we were playing.

“Casey, on behalf of our family, I want to officially welcome you. And now that you’re a McKallister, you’ve got to start behaving like one. So just to make things easier for you, I’ve compiled a list of the family rules that we’d like you to follow.

Number One: Refrain from laughing at our father’s jokes. They aren’t funny, and by doing so, you’re only encouraging the behavior to continue.

Number Two: Whoever sees the cat puke on the floor has to pick it up. Playing ignorant and pretending not to see it only works when no one else is home.

Number Three: When you get up from your seat to move about the room, do not expect your spot to be there when you get back. The McKallister household honors the rule of ‘Move your feet/lose your seat,’ and those who fail to comply will be senselessly beaten. Please note… calling ‘slaps’ will not, in any way, protect your spot. However, carrying the chair with you throughout the house is not only acceptable, but also encouraged.

And finally, Number Four: Life is short. Break the rules and have fun doing it. But for the love of god, don’t let Mom catch you doing it. Oh, wait, that one was for me. Anyway, on a serious note, Casey – I think I speak for all of us when I say we’re proud to call you family.”

Kyle paused once more, before clearing his throat and addressing me directly. “And to my big brother who I’ve loved and admired all my life: I couldn’t be happier for you. I know you weren’t looking for love the day it came pounding on your door, but you never faltered, and now look what you have to show for it – a woman who loves you unconditionally. You’ve been blessed, man. Never forget it. And just remember, Jake, as you embark on this journey of love and marriage, that the very last person you think about right before you fall asleep is the one your heart belongs to. So, with that in mind, I’ll make sure to text you every night before bed. Love you, brother.”

* * *

Kyle’s speech earned him a standing ovation and my undying respect. It also ended the dinner festivities, and Casey and I headed to the center of the stage to share our first dance. The song was one I’d written for her soon after we’d fallen in love, and it had become one of my greatest hits. Titled Shades of Blue, it was more than just a song about falling in love; it was also a song about falling back into life. I hadn’t realized how dark and monotonous my day-to-day existence had been until Casey came along and painted a bright swath across my normal path, and suddenly the sky was bluer, the grass was greener, and my world exploded into a kaleidoscope of color.

Casey, her eyes glimmering, stepped into my arms and I gently took her face in my hands and kissed her. Unlike last night in the hallway, this kiss was tender and loving, mirroring the incredible love I was feeling for her in the moment. Dropping my hands to her waist, Casey glided effortlessly in my arms as we swayed to the music. I tucked my head into her shoulder and softly sang the words of our song for her ears only.

* * *

After sharing our first dance, we began the mingling portion of the evening. And that’s how I found myself here, trapped in an impossible conversation with a pair of sisters I’d been told were Casey’s second cousins.

“So is this your first trip to Arizona?” I asked the wide-eyed females.

Giggles, then more unintelligible words erupted. I hastily looked away, fighting to hold off the laughter that was threatening to override my good manners.

I had spent the last seven minutes of my life trying to have a conversation with these women, and although they were able to speak in full and complete sentences for Casey, neither one of them had been physically capable of communicating with me. So far I’d only been able to decipher nine actual words. Figuring it was a nervous habit these sisters had, I didn’t want to appear to be making fun of them, but with every garbled word they spoke I could feel my resolve fading.

Casey lightly brushed her finger against my hand, and we glanced at one another. The slightest tip of a smile on her lips forced me to bite down on my tongue. She was just goading me now. I gave her the ‘Can I go now?’ look that a small child might give his mommy, but she wasn’t letting me off the hook so easily.

With a sly smile on her face, Casey said, “Louisa, why don’t you tell Jake about the trip you took to Mexico recently?”

And when Louisa launched into her giggle chatter story, I had to stop her.

“I’m sorry. I need to catch my brother real quick before he leaves. When we see each other later, I’d love to hear the end of it.” Or even a couple words of it, for that matter.

And without meeting Casey’s traitorous eye, I kissed her cheek and hurried away.

“Quinn,” I called to him. He saw me coming and abruptly turned to leave. Great. Was this the state of our relationship?

“Hey, hold up.”

Quinn stopped and slowly rotated until we were facing one another. His body had taken on a rigid stance and that jaw of his was, once again, tightly clenched.

“I’m sorry, okay?” he said, immediately defending himself. “I shouldn’t have said those things to you last night. And I definitely shouldn’t have flipped you off. I lost my cool and I regret it. But I meant what I said about not bothering you anymore. You’re right. I need to do this on my own.”

“No, you don’t. I was being a jerk. You’re my brother, and I should be helping you out.”

“That’s the thing, Jake. I don’t want you to feel like it’s an obligation.”

“Look, even if I wanted to help your band get a spot on my tour, I can’t. The opening bands aren’t my decision. My label picks them. Even if I went to bat for you, it wouldn’t matter.”

Quinn put his hand up to stop me. “There’s no band. Not anymore.”

My eyes widened. This was news to me. “You quit?”

“Something like that. When I asked you to help me with my songs, it’s just me. I’m going solo, and I’m nowhere near tour ready, so relax.”

We both stood there silently. I could feel the chill between us and wasn’t sure how to remedy the situation without making things worse.

“That song you wrote…”

Quinn’s cheeks flushed as he looked down. “I know I messed up the second chorus.”

“Did you? I didn’t hear anything.”

“Don’t lie. I know you did.”

He was right. I had heard it. But the song had been performed with such heart that it hadn’t mattered. “I was going to say – it was great.”

You would have thought I’d told him I was sporting a third nipple by the way he reacted with such shock.

“Are you being serious? Or is this just your way of trying to smooth things over?”

Every word that came out of Quinn’s mouth was riddled with skepticism. He either had no faith in himself or no faith in me. Somehow I suspected it was somewhere in between.

“I’m dead serious. You were incredible.”

Quinn just stood there staring at me, a mix of emotions playing out over his face. I swear his eyes misted over before he cleared his voice and said, “Thanks.”

“Hey.” I nudged him. “I’m proud of you.”

He met my eye again, only this time the only emotion to be found was anger. “Now I know you’re lying. You’re never proud of me. You don’t even like me, Jake.”

“What?” How could he think that? “You’re my brother. Of course I like you.”

“No. You like Kyle and Keith. You just tolerate me. Don’t deny it. Every time I talk to you or ask you anything, you brush me off.”

Did I? It was true I didn’t spend much time with Quinn, and yeah, I flaked on him on a regular basis, but it shocked me that he would think I didn’t like him.

“Quinn.” I reached for him, but he backed away, and now I could clearly see the hurt in his eyes.

“Forget I said anything,” he hissed through clenched teeth.

“No. I want to talk about this. I’m sorry if I made you feel that way. I promise you, it wasn’t intentional.”

“It’s always been this way. Ever since you came home. You never wanted anything to do with me. I try so hard to get your attention. I mean…” Quinn laughed bitterly. “I try to be you every goddamn day. It’s just never enough. Ever!”

It hit me then, like a baseball bat to the head, why our relationship was what it was. Quinn was dead right. I did treat him differently, and now I knew why. He was me… had I not been kidnapped all those years ago. Quinn represented everything I could have been. He had the childhood, the girlfriends, the sports, the garage band with his friends, the prom, the graduation. And now, without having to go through any of the trials I’d faced, Quinn was going to have my career. Holy fuck! I was jealous of him.

“Are you okay?” he asked, forgetting his own hurt feelings to tend to me. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

No, not a ghost… just a giant dose of reality. I blinked in rapid succession, trying to make sense of what my mind was telling me. My behavior was responsible for this rift between us. I did resent him without even knowing it. He hadn’t deserved the scorn I’d heaped on him over the years. It wasn’t his fault that he’d been safe at home with his baby blanket while I was being tortured within an inch of my life. It wasn’t his fault that he’d lived the life I’d always wanted while I’d floundered for years in a sort of hellish purgatory. Feeling suddenly off, I steadied myself against the wall.

“I’m fine,” I answered, covering for my weakness. “I think I had too much liquor.”

“Oh. Okay.”

He didn’t believe me, but he also understood I wouldn’t be elaborating.

“I’m guilty of everything you just accused me of. I haven’t been listening to you but, Quinn, I heard you tonight. And trust me when I say – you are good enough.”

“You don’t have to say that.”

“I know I don’t. I’m speaking the truth. I admit I’ve been nearly non-existent in your life, but from now on, I’m going to do right by you, okay?”

Clearly emotional from our exchange, Quinn dropped his head and nodded. I stepped forward and embraced him. At first shocked by my gesture, he tensed at my touch, but as I held on, my baby brother slowly relaxed. When I felt his arms go around my back, I knew I’d been forgiven. That’s how it was with family. The ties were always there; you just needed to remember to tighten them every once in a while.

We broke apart and I slapped him on the shoulder. “I’ve got to get back to Casey. Are we good?”

“Yeah,” he smiled, looking more relaxed than I’d seen him in a long time. “We’re good.”

“And Quinn?”

“Yeah?”

“That was a killer song. You’re the real deal, man.”

* * *

I’d just rejoined Casey, who was deep into a conversation with her Uncle Alan about his spotty bowel movements, when Sam, Keith’s ex, wandered up to give me a hug.

Sam was the gold standard girlfriend. Earthy was the best way to describe her. With long, sun-streaked hair, tan skin, and minimal make-up, she didn’t need much more than her natural self to be attractive. But it wasn’t her beauty that was the most remarkable thing about her. Whether for humans, animals, or environmental causes, Sam’s compassion was continually on full display. It was probably what had attracted her to Keith in the first place. He was a wounded soul in need of saving, and that was Sam’s specialty.

The first time I met her, I knew she was different. I’d just returned home from my first tour and was trying to readjust to family life again when Keith introduced us. Interactions with strangers were awkward for me back then. Either the person was regarding me with pity or was promising me their undying love. Sam did neither. She treated me like any other teenage boy; she was the first person after the kidnapping, and outside the family, to make me feel normal.

“Congratulations,” she said. “I couldn’t be happier for you and Casey. You’re hands down my favorite couple.”

“Mine too,” I joked. “Damn, Samantha, it feels like I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“I know,” she replied, dropping her head just a smidge and appearing genuinely sad. “I miss you guys so much. When Keith and I broke up, it was like losing half my family. I had a hard time of it. Thank god for Casey, so I can keep tabs on all of you.”

“Yeah. Sorry about that.” I shifted uncomfortably, feeling strangely guilty. I had dropped her like a hot potato at the first mention of their break up. She’d been like family, but Keith was my flesh and blood, and my loyalty would always be to him. “It sucks you two didn’t work out.”

There was no denying the look of pain that accompanied her solemn head nod. “Yes, it is.”

“Samantha Anderson!” Casey squealed, enveloping her in a hug and saving me from trying to come up with something else to say to my brother’s ex. “You came, girl.”

“Of course. Like I’d miss this for the world. Jake, you should have seen your face when Casey punked you in the church.”

The three of us laughed. I still hadn’t quite gotten over it and couldn’t wait to return the favor.

I felt a sudden movement. Keith had appeared by my side out of nowhere, giving me a tight squeeze on the shoulder to let me know what a douche I had been for conversing with the enemy. “What did I miss?”

“Nothing. We were just making fun of Jake,” Casey said. “Like always.”

Keith nodded and then turned to look at his ex for the first time. “Sam,” he said, tipping his head to her in greeting.

“Keith,” she replied, mimicking his exact acknowledgement.

“You look good.”

“So do you.”

Then silence. The four of us stood there awkwardly.

“Well, this isn’t uncomfortable at all,” Casey said. “I just had a conversation about poop that was more stimulating than this.”

“Well, here’s something that might be more pleasing to your ears.” Keith perked up. “Guess who showed up at the reception demanding to see her husband?”

“Who?”

“A certain bride, all dressed in crazy.”

“No way!” I blurted out. “Jesus. Kyle was right.”

“Sorry,” Sam interrupted. “But I feel that I’m missing a crucial element of this story.”

“Jake has a second wife, of the horror movie variety,” Keith explained. “We passed her on the street on the way here, and she flashed us some serious tit.”

“Only in the McKallister family,” Sam said, shaking her head as a huge smile appeared on her face. “See, this is what I miss about not hanging out with you guys.”

“Breasts?” Keith asked, feigning ignorance.

Sam laughed, spontaneously touching his arm, probably more out of habit than anything else. Realizing her mistake, she immediately pulled away, but not before locking eyes with Keith. The two stood there staring at one another for an uncomfortably long time. Casey poked me in the back, perhaps to initiate some sort of action on my part.

“Casey and I need to go talk to her Aunt Betty about… um… her bunions.”

That broke the spell between them, and Sam hugged us both before we left.

“Bunions?” Casey said incredulously, whispering as we walked away.

“I panicked. It was the only thing I could think of on short notice.”

We both turned back toward Keith. He’d taken Sam to a corner, and they were in deep conversation.

“So, is your heart set on a little bunion banter, or would you like a special surprise?”

“What kind of surprise?”

“Let’s just say it’s a blast from the past.”

“Hopefully not from my past, Jesus,” I said, only half joking.

“Our past, babe. I’m not a sadist, geez.”

She led me to a table with a woman and her teenage daughter. The mother seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place her until she nudged her daughter and the girl turned around. Casey was smiling like a loon when realization hit me who these two were: the mother and daughter from London. They were the ones who’d kept Casey occupied while I performed and even saved her from being chucked out of the venue for ‘pretending’ to be my girlfriend. It had been a crucial weekend for us as a couple, and by the end of those three days, I’d fallen hard for the girl. So hard, in fact, that our lives would never be the same. In a roundabout way, this mother and daughter pair were a part of our love story, and it was a cool touch to add them to the guest list.

“Do you remember us?” the mother asked, standing up to greet me. The daughter followed her lead.

“I do. From London, right?” I reached my hand out to shake theirs. “I’m terrible with names, sorry.”

“I’m Angela and this is my daughter…”

Suddenly her name came to me, and I confidently blurted it out: “Lauren.”

Both nodded enthusiastically, and Lauren, once a shy, introverted girl, caught my eye and I immediately noticed the difference in her. Not only was she wearing makeup and sporting a stylish haircut, but Lauren had also ditched the thick glasses and downward gaze that had given her the appearance of an insecure young teen.

“You remembered!” she answered, a crimson blush coloring her cheeks. I smiled. There was the girl I remembered.

“Thanks for coming all this way,” I said, attempting to reassure her that she was welcome.

“We wouldn’t have missed it. After Casey invited us, I didn’t sleep for weeks.”

“Not only that, but it was a long time to keep a secret from her friends.”

“Girl, I feel you.” Casey exhaled, blowing out a stream of relief. “I haven’t spoken a word of truth in months.”

“Says the bride moments after exchanging her vows.”

Casey gaped at me as if she were offended. “You’re the one who told me to lie.”

“Not to me,” I said, protesting her faulty accusation. “I thought that was self-explanatory.”

Mother and daughter watched our squabble with grins on their faces.

“You two are exactly as I remember you,” Angela said.

“For better or worse,” Casey replied, hugging Lauren to her. “I’m so glad you’re here. It’s great to finally see you again in person.”

Casey had periodically kept in touch with the girl over the years as a way to help bolster her self-esteem, but seeing Lauren now, so confident and outspoken, I wondered if she might have had more influence on Lauren than even she could have anticipated.

“Well, when you get back home, you’ll need a picture to show around,” I said, standing on one side of Lauren as Casey got on the other.

And as we hammed it up for the camera, I smiled in Casey’s direction. She had such a good heart. Inviting Lauren and Angela hadn’t been for our sake at all; it was to give Lauren another moment to shine. I grabbed Casey’s hand and squeezed.

* * *

Boris ushered Casey and me to the side of the reception hall where the towering cake glimmered in white frosting. Although I’d seen the masterpiece from a distance, it wasn’t until I gotten closer that I saw the personalized touch that seemed to adorn every single thing at our wedding.

Our initials, C + J, were carefully placed inside hearts that were formed by candy crystals. The hearts were scattered over the different layers. It was a simple image but the meaning for us was huge, symbolizing our unity. A ‘Cake’ cake. I hugged Casey to me. She beamed, and we kissed for the crowd.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Boris walk up with a smaller cake, and when I took a closer look at the clearly homemade confection, I laughed. It was one of my mom’s Betty Crocker cakes. I raised my brow to Casey. Could it be?

She nodded. “Funfetti.”