When the pair paused before Sed, Aggie pinched Jace’s ass and then patted it, her grin a bit devilish. She winked one bright blue eye at Sed before moving to stand behind Rebekah. Walking a bit stiffly, Jace moved to his spot behind Eric. Sed was pretty sure Jace’s stance wasn’t the only thing stiff about him.
He caught a flash of white out of the corner of his eye and his head swiveled toward the head of the aisle. Jess?
No, damn it. Just the breeze blowing the gauzy fabric around the tent at the head of the aisle.
Sed clenched his hands into fists and blew out a steadying breath. This had to be the longest five minutes of his life.
Trey and Reagan walked the aisle next. Jessica’s female friends from college immediately started twittering among themselves as Trey charmed them with his on-your-knees smile. Reagan was wearing her trademark combat boots with her formal. She kept nervously sliding her hand over her retro fifties dress and glancing at the front pew, where Ethan, her other boyfriend, sat. Ethan had assured her time and again that he was fine not standing up for Sed since Sed and Ethan hardly knew each other. Trey was the one he and Jessica had asked to be in the wedding party, and Sed had made him pick which of his lovers he wanted on his arm. Trey had seemed to think that ex-cop, bodyguard Ethan wouldn’t appreciate having to wear a dress and standing on Jessica’s side as a bridesmaid. Though Ethan had readily agreed, Reagan hadn’t thought Trey’s joke was funny at all. Sed wondered how in the hell they made their relationship work. Awkward situations had to come up on a regular basis.
Ethan blessed Reagan with a wide smile, and she relaxed at Trey’s side. Maybe she just thought Ethan would have hurt feelings for being left out. Trey was oblivious to the dynamic. He just accepted the little hiccups as part of the relationship that made him happy. Sed wondered if the man was capable of not going with the flow.
As Trey passed him, Sed twisted to look at the four men standing behind him. He’d never doubted his band of brothers would be here for him. They were always there—come Hell or high water or crazy mother-in-laws. But to see them lined up that way—fidgeting in those stupid ties and fancy tuxes on his behalf—made him smile. There was no one he’d rather have at his back than these guys and no one he’d rather have at his side than his Jess.
Surely it was time for her to take her rightful place.
He sucked in a steadying breath and turned back to the aisle to wait for her approach. The anticipation was killing him. This was far more extreme than waiting in the wings to take the stage.
Elise came down the aisle next, on the arm of their cousin Wayne.
Oh for fuck’s sake. How many people were in this wedding party? A thousand?
Elise was smiling so brightly at Sed, she could have lit the heavens. And even though it meant he had to wait a while longer to see the star of his show, he was overwhelmed by the pride he felt at seeing her. He wasn’t sure when his baby sister had become a woman, but that red dress was showing entirely too much skin. He would have words with Jessica later about why Elise wasn’t wearing the dress he’d liked. The one with the high neckline and matching jacket. Elise winked at him before taking her spot. Sed actually groaned aloud when his other—usually more sensible—sister came into view. Kylie’s dress was even less nun-like than Elise’s. If any of those guys from Jessica’s law practice so much as looked at his sisters, he’d be having lawyer gonads for his wedding feast. The guys in his band knew better than to make a move on his sweet sisters, though he was glad they were all hooked up with women of their own so he could let his guard down a little. But just a little. There were other rock stars in the crowd that could stand a close eye. Especially that Dare Mills character. Sed knew firsthand what Dare’s little brother was like and he didn’t want his sisters having any part of that.
The first notes of the wedding march sounded, and Sed straightened, his head whipping around to catch sight of the only person he needed to see today. His heart. His Jessica.
Two ushers swept the gauzy white curtains aside to reveal the bride to the standing crowd.
As he stared, Sed’s breath escaped him in a rush.
His heart shattered into a million pieces and all the light went out of his life.
Jessica wasn’t there.
Chapter Four
Jessica yanked her bouquet out of her mother’s hand. “I’ve had enough,” she said. “You have been making me crazy for months. If you want to watch the ceremony, fine, but this is my day, not yours. I don’t even want to look at you right now! I don’t give a flying fuck that Johnny Depp didn’t come, and no, we are not going to wait a few more minutes to see if he arrives late.”
In the brief pause of her tirade, Jessica heard the unmistakable sound of the wedding march scrambled by the blowing wind. Eyes popping wide with panic, she gathered her skirt in both hands and dashed into the tent where she was supposed to be standing before the march began. The curtains had already been drawn back, so her entrance had been completely ruined.
None of that mattered when her gaze landed on her groom.
Sed’s jaw was set in a harsh line, his stare fixed on the ground before him. She could tell by the look of devastation on his face that he thought she’d stood him up.
No. No, no, no. This was not how this was supposed to go.
The ushers were supposed to sweep the curtains aside and her eyes would meet Sed’s from a distance and she’d slowly take her practiced steps in his direction, her gaze never leaving his. The love would flow between them as they anticipated touching, anticipated becoming physically connected, just as they were psychically connected.