Playbook (The Holland Brothers 2)

Twinkle lights hang above us and a band plays a 90s ballad while people eat cake and mingle at the circular tables. Sierra and Ben’s wedding was beautiful. The ceremony and reception were held at the zoo where Ben works. Dinner, dancing, and laughter. So much happiness and laughter.

The zoo has a cool vibe at night. All the greenery and random animal noises. After the vows, guests were able to walk around the park, although London had to stay for pictures so I didn’t partake. The reception was a full sit-down dinner with toasts from friends and family. My girl cried as she wished her sister a lifetime of happiness. Not gonna lie, I teared up too.

It really is an amazing thing. Two people committing to love each other and having each other’s back. The world is a bitch. Made harder by bad parents, personal fears and anxiety, and just the millions of ways we all fuck up every day. It’s not an easy or simple thing to agree to do for another person.

The bride and groom have already left, and the last of the guests are clinging to the final hour of the magical night.

“This has got to be the coolest wedding I’ve ever been to,” I say as London and I sway to the music. We’re one of only a few other couples dancing. Most have given up and are sitting at tables, talking and covering yawns.

“It really was.” She’s had a dreamy smile on her face all night.

“And you look gorgeous, sweetheart.”

“You mentioned that.”

“And I’m gonna keep mentioning it.”

She looks up at me, smiling, then rests her head on my chest.

“Where’s your dream location for a wedding?” I ask. I’ve been to destination weddings, church weddings, backyard receptions, and everything in between. Hendrick and Jane did a Fiji wedding with just family and a few friends, and that was pretty awesome too. I don’t know what I picture for my own. I always thought of weddings as just another party until London. Now I understand why there’s all the fuss. A wedding should say something about the kind of life you want to have with another person. Or maybe I’m just getting sappy in my old age.

“I’m not sure.” She tilts her head up, but keeps it leaned against me. “Small. Not a lot of frills. I don’t care about place cards and flowers and all that.”

“No?” I’m surprised she doesn’t care about the details. She’s an artist after all.

“No. After helping Sierra, I think I’ve had enough wedding planning for a lifetime.”

“Leave it to me, then. I’ll plan us the best wedding ever.”

“Oh, we’re getting married, are we?” she asks. We haven’t talked about it, but I know I can’t live without her and the thought of her having my last name makes me giddy.

“Hope so.”

She hums and nuzzles back into me. “We’ll see.”

I smile, knowing it with every fiber of my being. She’s my endgame.

“I’m gonna buy you a big diamond so everyone knows you’re mine. You’ll wave and blind anyone within a mile of you.”

She chortles. “Not a bad idea. Maybe I should get you one too. My cousins are staring a little too hard.” She glances over to a table of young women. They are in fact looking so I tip London’s chin up and steal her mouth.

She tastes like champagne and forever. My forever.

“How about I just do that a whole lot?”

Her lashes flutter open slowly. “That would probably be okay too.”

I steal one more and then wrap my arms around her and breathe a sigh of contentment.

Someone taps me on the shoulder and when I turn, Chris stands there.

“Mind if I cut in?” he asks. “It’s tradition for the best man to dance with the maid of honor.”

London says nothing, but one dark brow arches and she inches closer to me.

“Ah well, don’t worry about it. You’re not much of a best man anyway, right?” I cuff him on the shoulder and then give him my back.

London drapes her arms back over my shoulders with an amused smile. “He and Gretchen broke up,” she says.

“Shocker.”

“Yeah, apparently she ended things with him because he’s, and I quote, ‘a terrible human who can’t back up the big dick energy.’” Her smile widens.

“Aww, poor Chris,” I say sarcastically. I don’t feel the least bit sorry for the guy.

When the music ends, I take her hand and we walk through the fading reception. London’s father steps in front of us.

“Hello,” he says, nodding to me and then smiling at London.

We haven’t talked all night, and although I have rehearsed a dozen apologies, at the end of the day, I’m not sorry about what I said, only that I let my own shit muddy the message I wanted to send him.

“Tonight turned out beautifully,” he says.

“Yeah, it did.” London leans into me, and I wrap an arm around her waist.

“I apologized to London, but I feel like I need to do the same to you,” he says, locking eyes with me. “I let my fears and worries cloud my judgment. She’s talented and hardworking, things I already knew, but you reminded me. Thank you. I don’t know how long it would have taken me on my own, but I’m grateful I don’t have to find out. You’re a good man. She’s lucky to have you.”

“Not as lucky as I am,” I tell him.

London steps forward and wraps her arms around her dad’s neck. “Thank you.”

When she pulls back, he clears his throat and then extends a hand to me. We shake and he excuses himself.

Neither London nor I say anything as we head out of the reception and walk through the park toward an enclosure where bears sleep in caves that are too dark to see in at night. The final song of the night plays.

“You worked things out with your dad, huh?” I ask finally. I haven’t pressed her on the family situation. All things considered, I didn’t feel like I had any right. But she quit her job at the news station and we celebrated the hell out of that.

“We talked. It’s a start. I’m pretty sure he still hates that I don’t have a fallback career, but he did buy a copy of one of my book covers and brought it for me to sign.”

“No way.” For some reason the image makes me laugh. But also, damn, why didn’t I think of that?

“Yep.” Our steps slow and she swings our hands between us. “I think maybe we’ll be okay. I can live with him thinking I’m making the wrong choices, and I can live with him saying I told you so if I fail.”

“You won’t fail.”

“I know. I believe in myself and that’s enough. Maybe that’s the lesson.” She turns her head and smiles at me. “Would you rather be a bear or a lion?”

My lips part on a smile at the question and topic change. “That depends.”

“On what?” She stops walking and turns to face me.

“Are you a bear or a lion?”

“Female lions do all the hunting. I’m not sure I’m cut out for that.”

“So a bear then?”

“They are cute, but I’m not a big fan of fish.” She wrinkles her nose.

“You want to be a bear, I’ll get all the best berries for you. And if you want to be a lion, we’ll shuck social norms and I’ll do the hunting.”

Her grin widens like she thinks I’m kidding. There isn’t a lot I wouldn’t do for her.

“I want to be whatever and wherever you are.”

“Me too.” She wraps her arms around my neck. “Let’s be us. That seems to be working pretty well.”

Better than pretty well. I’m having the time of my life.