SWNOVELS My Ex-Boyfriend’s Brothers: Chapter 1
Christina “CeCe” Canton, soon to be Christina Heath, was even more beautiful than the exclusive lodge she’d chosen for her wedding to my ex-boyfriend, Brad. Some people might’ve said that with a level of understandable bitterness, but I was just in awe. It was my first time meeting her and despite spying on her popular social media channels, I hadn’t been ready for her beauty in person.
If a fairy had a love child with an angel, it might’ve been as pretty as CeCe. She had what looked to be naturally pale blonde hair, bright blue eyes, the cutest button nose, and lips that might’ve been partially made of filler, but I couldn’t tell because they were so well done. Her makeup was stunning. She was petite, like fit under Brad’s arm petite, but blessed with curves that dipped and swelled in all the right places. Not an ounce of bulge anywhere it wasn’t supposed to be on CeCe. Cellulite wouldn’t dare. And, of course, her lacey white pants suit looked custom made and was the one thing that stirred a healthy amount of jealousy in me.
I’d stuffed my not so perfectly placed curves into a dress that made me look great but at the cost of my lungs and other internal organs. My tits were also dangerously close to inappropriate. I’d debated in front of the mirror in my room for half an hour before throwing caution to the wind and running out to meet my ex and his fiancé.
“This place is so gorgeous in person. I was a little worried. We had a dozen other places in mind, places some of my girlfriends have gotten married, so I know they’re beautiful, but I wanted something away from the hustle and bustle of our normal life, you know?” CeCe looked around the barn we were sitting in the middle of and when she glanced back at me, she practically had hearts in her eyes. “How’s your suite in the lodge, Maggie? I told Brad to make sure you were put in something really nice. After all the work you’ve done, you deserve it.”
I smiled. Brad had made sure to put me in a single room with a full-size bed and a view of the back of the barn. I was pretty sure it was the worst room in the entire lodge but I wasn’t going to complain.
“I had to make sure our parents and family got the suites, honey. Maggie’s fine. She’s not used to places like this. You should’ve seen her apartment when we dated back in the day.” Brad, good old Brad. He was as cruel as he ever was, but, as usual, he softened his words with a kind smile and a joke that made it all feel light and playful. “Back then, I’m pretty sure a stall in a real barn would’ve felt like a vacation to us. I told you about the time Maggie’s landlord flooded his bathroom above her apartment and the ceiling caved in?”
CeCe laughed awkwardly and patted Brad’s arm. “I don’t recall. Anyway, Maggie, what do you think of this place?”
I shifted so I was facing her full on with Brad to the side of my vision. “I think you chose somewhere truly magical. This is the most amazing venue I’ve ever been able to work with. The lodge is stunning, but this event hall is unlike anything I’ve seen before. I arrived last night and I got a chance to see this place all lit up… You’re going to love it, CeCe.”
She clapped her hands happily and reached across the table to squeeze my hand. “I’m so glad you’re doing this for us. When we decided to have the wedding on such short notice, I was worried every wedding planner we found would hate us and run. Thank God for you.”
So, she was gorgeous, talented, and kind. Of course, she was. I was thankful for her kindness, though, considering how she could’ve decided to handle her fiance’s ex-girlfriend planning the wedding. “You’re doing me a favor, too. I don’t exactly live in a place where I come across a lot of chances to plan anything this large. You can rest assured that I’m going to work my butt off to make sure everything is perfect. Not only because you deserve it but because you’re giving me a chance to prove I’m more than capable of handling this.”
“I was so nervous to meet you but you have a beautiful energy, Maggie. This is going to be so much fun.”
Brad cleared his throat and wrapped his arm around CeCe. “Actually… I hate to do this to you, Maggie, but I’m not a huge fan of the sign out front. I know I specified the font I wanted and I don’t think that’s it.”
CeCe blushed. “Oh, Brad, it’s beautiful. Even if the font-”
“We’re paying for perfection, honey. I want the sign fixed.” He smiled at me and raised his eyebrows. “Is that okay?”
I nearly choked on the urge to tell him that he was paying fifty percent of my usual cost because he was a friend and because I needed the exposure. He was paying for half perfection. I’d worked with worst, though, so I kept my smile in place and nodded. “Of course, Brad. It’s not a problem. I’ll go back through our emails and see where I went wrong. It’ll be fixed before any guests arrive. Thankfully, we’ve got two weeks to work out whatever kinks like this pop up.”
“If many more of these mistakes pop up, you’ll need more than two weeks to fix them, Maggie. This needs to be perfect. Neither of us want you to look bad.” He pushed his chair back from the table and stood up, buttoning his suit jacket as he did. “I know you’re not used to anything this nice, but we have faith in you. Just make it perfect.”
CeCe stood up and hurried around the table to hug me once I stood up. She squeezed me and whispered under her breath. “He’s just stressed about some business deal he’s closing. I’ll make sure he plays nice. Thank you, Maggie. I’m so glad to finally meet you.”
I breathed in her expensive perfume and gently squeezed her back, not too hard for fear of breaking her. “It’s really good to meet you, too. I’m going to make sure your wedding is everything you want it to be.”
I stayed at the table and watched them leave the barn with a healthy amount of anger scorching my blood. Brad and his comments were going to give me high blood pressure. He loved to cut me down when we were dating and apparently, nothing had changed. I just had to survive two weeks and my business would be saved. I’d get so many leads from all of CeCe’s rich influencer friends and it would make up for having to deal with Brad. At least, I hoped so.
After they left through the two-story tall barn doors, I looked around the venue and tried to appreciate what I was seeing. The space would hold the reception for the wedding and it was truly magnificent with thirty-foot tall ceilings that were vaulted with the most stunning wood. It was rustic if rustic was a billionaire tech mogul. Tiny fairy lights covered the ceiling in translucent wire so at night, it really felt like you were looking up at the stars. Everything was beautiful and perfect. Everything except Brad.
Everything except Brad and his brother, I corrected as I locked eyes with his older brother, Jackson, standing in the corner of the barn with his hand in the very expensive crate of whiskey I’d ordered for Brad. I didn’t even know where he’d come from but there was no way I was letting Jackson Heath start drinking and make a mess of all my plans. I strode across the barn as fast as I could in my hazardous dress.
“Jackson, you are not stealing a bottle of whiskey right in front of my face. I’m not-”
“Hey, Bubbles.” His deep voice and slow drawl paired with the stupid nickname had the same butterfly effect it always had on me. Which was none. No butterflies were activated from the bottom of my stomach and I didn’t care that he looked me up and down as if I was his favorite snack. I really didn’t.