The Best Man's Baby
Prologue
“To Holly and Quinn,” Jake Manning said, holding up his champagne flute.
Claire Holbrook raised her glass, toasting to her best friend and her new husband. Holly’s cheeks were flushed with an unbridled happiness. Her eyes glistened with tears, and her smile hadn’t wavered all day. Holly had claimed love, Quinn, and happily ever after.
“Welcome to the family,” Evan Manning said, leaning down to give Holly a kiss.
“You’re the only woman I’d wear a tux for,” Jake said, giving Holly a hug.
Claire’s heart dipped, but she held her smile intact. And she should. Today wasn’t about Claire and her ridiculous, lifelong crush on Jake Manning. Or the fact that he’d basically just said he’d never wear a tuxedo again, which pretty much meant he was never intending on getting married. She forced those thoughts aside and focused on these last few minutes with the bride and groom.
“It was a gorgeous day. Everything was perfect,” Claire said with a smile, her eyes taking in the Edwardian ballroom again. The event had been straight out of an issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. The ceremony in the charming chapel had been poignant, and the reception a true celebration of the couple’s new life together. But now that the night was coming to an end, only a few guests were still meandering around the ballroom. The live band was playing soft music, and Holly and Quinn’s daughter, Ella, was dancing with a few children on the dance floor. The five of them were standing together for one last chat before Quinn and Holly left for the night.
“Thank you all for everything. Claire, you’ve always been like a sister to me. Evan and Jake, you’ve made me feel like family right from day one and I will never, ever forget that. I never thought I’d have a family again—and now I have one that is better than I could have imagined,” she said, tears filling her eyes. Quinn wrapped his arms around her from behind, still holding his champagne flute. Her friend leaned back into her husband. They were perfect for each other, and anyone who saw them together knew it. Felt it. Today all of Holly’s dreams had come true. She had married the man she’d loved since she was a teenager.
“To the best men,” Holly said, smiling and holding up her glass to Evan and Jake. Quinn’s brothers had shared the honored position, and Claire spent the day being sandwiched between the two of them as maid of honor.
“To the best men,” Claire said.
“And to the maid of honor,” Quinn said, smiling at her.
“And to Mom and Dad. Quinn, I know they’d be really proud of you today,” Evan said, holding up his glass.
“All right, Schmaltz family, I think we’re done with the toasts,” Jake said wryly.
“To me!” Ella came charging through and stood in the middle of the circle they’d created. They all laughed as she bounced around in her pink dupioni silk gown, which was now horribly stained and wrinkled. Quinn picked her up, and the half-eaten cupcake she was holding came precariously close to landing on his shoulder.
“Okay, for Ella we make an exception. To Ella,” Jake said, giving his niece a kiss and holding up his glass. Claire’s toes curled at the sight. Two-and-a-half year old Ella had her uncles wrapped around her little finger.
“To Ella,” they all agreed and she clapped her hands, cupcake landing on Quinn’s tuxedo.
“I think it’s time for us to make our exit,” Holly said, turning to give them all a kiss.
Her friend stopped to hug her tightly. “I love you, Holl,” Claire managed to choke out as tears clogged her throat.
“I love you too,” she whispered, her own eyes filled with tears. Claire looked up at Quinn, who was smiling at them both, Ella sitting wide-awake and alert in his arms.
“I love you, Auntie Care,” she said and blew her a kiss.
Claire blew her one back and waved at them over Quinn’s shoulder as they left the room.
She, Jake, and Evan stood still, silently watching them leave.
“I always knew Quinn would be the first to get hitched,” Jake said after a few minutes, downing the rest of his champagne.
“Me too. He was always the sap in the family. Soft,” Evan said with a nod.
“Like the Pillsbury Doughboy,” Jake said, still staring at the doorway.
“You guys are horrible. You’re both speaking out of insecurity,” Claire said, looking back and forth between them. They made quite the pair, the two brothers. And if she had to bet on the next contender for marriage she’d put her money on Evan. He was a levelheaded, handsome doctor who should have been exactly her type. Unfortunately, it was Jake she’d been infatuated with since adolescence.
“To Holly and Quinn,” Jake Manning said, holding up his champagne flute.
Claire Holbrook raised her glass, toasting to her best friend and her new husband. Holly’s cheeks were flushed with an unbridled happiness. Her eyes glistened with tears, and her smile hadn’t wavered all day. Holly had claimed love, Quinn, and happily ever after.
“Welcome to the family,” Evan Manning said, leaning down to give Holly a kiss.
“You’re the only woman I’d wear a tux for,” Jake said, giving Holly a hug.
Claire’s heart dipped, but she held her smile intact. And she should. Today wasn’t about Claire and her ridiculous, lifelong crush on Jake Manning. Or the fact that he’d basically just said he’d never wear a tuxedo again, which pretty much meant he was never intending on getting married. She forced those thoughts aside and focused on these last few minutes with the bride and groom.
“It was a gorgeous day. Everything was perfect,” Claire said with a smile, her eyes taking in the Edwardian ballroom again. The event had been straight out of an issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. The ceremony in the charming chapel had been poignant, and the reception a true celebration of the couple’s new life together. But now that the night was coming to an end, only a few guests were still meandering around the ballroom. The live band was playing soft music, and Holly and Quinn’s daughter, Ella, was dancing with a few children on the dance floor. The five of them were standing together for one last chat before Quinn and Holly left for the night.
“Thank you all for everything. Claire, you’ve always been like a sister to me. Evan and Jake, you’ve made me feel like family right from day one and I will never, ever forget that. I never thought I’d have a family again—and now I have one that is better than I could have imagined,” she said, tears filling her eyes. Quinn wrapped his arms around her from behind, still holding his champagne flute. Her friend leaned back into her husband. They were perfect for each other, and anyone who saw them together knew it. Felt it. Today all of Holly’s dreams had come true. She had married the man she’d loved since she was a teenager.
“To the best men,” Holly said, smiling and holding up her glass to Evan and Jake. Quinn’s brothers had shared the honored position, and Claire spent the day being sandwiched between the two of them as maid of honor.
“To the best men,” Claire said.
“And to the maid of honor,” Quinn said, smiling at her.
“And to Mom and Dad. Quinn, I know they’d be really proud of you today,” Evan said, holding up his glass.
“All right, Schmaltz family, I think we’re done with the toasts,” Jake said wryly.
“To me!” Ella came charging through and stood in the middle of the circle they’d created. They all laughed as she bounced around in her pink dupioni silk gown, which was now horribly stained and wrinkled. Quinn picked her up, and the half-eaten cupcake she was holding came precariously close to landing on his shoulder.
“Okay, for Ella we make an exception. To Ella,” Jake said, giving his niece a kiss and holding up his glass. Claire’s toes curled at the sight. Two-and-a-half year old Ella had her uncles wrapped around her little finger.
“To Ella,” they all agreed and she clapped her hands, cupcake landing on Quinn’s tuxedo.
“I think it’s time for us to make our exit,” Holly said, turning to give them all a kiss.
Her friend stopped to hug her tightly. “I love you, Holl,” Claire managed to choke out as tears clogged her throat.
“I love you too,” she whispered, her own eyes filled with tears. Claire looked up at Quinn, who was smiling at them both, Ella sitting wide-awake and alert in his arms.
“I love you, Auntie Care,” she said and blew her a kiss.
Claire blew her one back and waved at them over Quinn’s shoulder as they left the room.
She, Jake, and Evan stood still, silently watching them leave.
“I always knew Quinn would be the first to get hitched,” Jake said after a few minutes, downing the rest of his champagne.
“Me too. He was always the sap in the family. Soft,” Evan said with a nod.
“Like the Pillsbury Doughboy,” Jake said, still staring at the doorway.
“You guys are horrible. You’re both speaking out of insecurity,” Claire said, looking back and forth between them. They made quite the pair, the two brothers. And if she had to bet on the next contender for marriage she’d put her money on Evan. He was a levelheaded, handsome doctor who should have been exactly her type. Unfortunately, it was Jake she’d been infatuated with since adolescence.