“Asher?” I said softly, and more gently than I had intended. “Asher, it’s time. They’re all waiting.”
He didn’t respond, so I went to his side and looked out at the rain, drizzling down cold and unwelcome, but still washing the whole city clean.
“It’s beautiful,” he said, maybe to me or maybe just to himself. “Sad, but beautiful.”
“Yes,” I agreed. I wanted more than anything to slip my hand in his, to warm myself against this bleak scene. To give him warmth. “Yes, it is.”
He turned to me, and there was no doubt now who he was speaking to, his eyes burning with something lost and hopeless and lonely. “You’re beautiful too.”
For one long, wonderful second, I thought he was going to kiss me.
But he only gave a sad little smile, and walked into the dining room.
#
I took my place next to Brody, feeling more confused than ever. What the hell kind of game was Asher playing? He and Evie were talking and laughing now, touchy-feely as hell, their hands straightening collars, combing hair, stroking arms.
But what was I doing paying attention to Asher? Brody Dalton was my date. Brody Dalton was the one I should be paying attention to. And Brody Dalton was the one who’d told me the truth about the bet. Not Asher.
I turned a blinding smile on Brody, and reached up to place my hand on his shoulder. “So, how’s business these days?”
But even as he began his answer, I couldn’t stop watching Asher. Was that a real laugh? Was that a real smile? Was he really happier with Evie than he was with me? Brody’s boring stories washed over my ears, and I tried to smile and nod in the right places, but I couldn’t make myself really pay attention or care.
Soon the rehearsal was underway, and any friend half as good as I usually claim to be would have been able to give her full attention to her best friend, but all I could focus on was my own confused and hurt feelings. The words of the ceremony washed over me as meaningless as water, and my laughter and applause lagged a half-second behind everyone else.
Then suddenly, Asher was standing. Sound crashed back into my world as he took the podium and smiled out at the crowd.
At me in particular, or was I imagining things?
“I’m not too experienced with making best man speeches,” he began modestly. “And honestly, there have been some times when I wasn’t sure I’d ever make one for Grant. I think the first time was when we went on a double date and both the girls ended up going home with him.”
There was appreciative laughter from the crowd; Grant blushed, and Lacey patted his back.
“But I’m not here to talk about those times,” Asher went on, “because I’m not here to talk about that Grant. The Grant you see here before you today is a different man—and it’s thanks to this lovely lady next to him, Lacey.
“Because thanks to her, Grant learned what love is.” Asher looked away from the happy couple then—and straight at me. “Love is more than just a word. Love is more than just a feeling. Love is a promise, and it’s one that you make again and again every moment of the day. You make that promise with your words, and with your eyes when they connect across the room, and with your heart when you feel that connection, and you know they beat as one.”
Seriously, he was looking straight at me. What the fuck? Was anyone else seeing this?
“And a marriage ceremony is conducted in words, but marriage is no more just a word than love is. Marriage is a partnership.” His eyes seemed to bore directly into my soul, his voice lingering on that last word. “Marriage is trust, and hope, and redemption, and work. And it’s a promise too. A promise that each fight doesn’t need to be the end. A promise to always be there when needed. A promise that that first promise, love, will never end, and the partnership will go on forever.
“To Grant and Lacey,” he finished, raising his champagne glass in their direction. “And to everyone who teaches us what love truly is.”
And his eyes never left me until the crowd applauded, and he sat down.
#
Brody’s limo pulled up in front of my apartment; he had insisted on driving me home even though I wanted to do nothing but be alone for a moment so I could scream into a pillow about how goddamn confusing Asher was being.
I started to get out but he laid a hand on my arm, stopping me.
“I had a really good time.”
“Yeah, it was great,” I said. “Thanks for helping me out at the last minute there, you’re a pal.”
I stressed the ‘pal’ as hard as I could without laying it on so thick as to be insulting; it was important to make sure he didn’t lose his directions on the way to the friend zone.