Backseat Driver (Wilkins Brothers Book 3)

Chapter 39

JASPER

“You’re pacing.” I glare over at Tate who is sitting comfortably, sipping on what I’m sure is a cocktail of some sort, like there is no care in the world. I flip him off and pull out my phone to check the time again. “What’s wrong, Jas? You afraid she’s going to run on you?”

“What the fuck. Tate? Why would you say that?”

He has the audacity to laugh while standing up and crossing the room to where I was standing. He slaps his free hand on my shoulder and then holds up the glass to me, “Take a drink.”

“I’m not going to drink whatever crazy concoction you already had the bartender make. If I smell like alcohol when I get up there, Landry might kick my ass right there at the alter.”

“Although that is true, you’re not going to get drunk. Just have a drink and let it calm your nerves a bit. If you’re really worried, Bellamy packed mouthwash into the bag she gave me this morning.”

“Mouthwash?”

“I guess it was part of the bachelor bag she saw on Pinterest or something. I don’t know. Probably a good idea to check your breath regardless. You don’t want to have stank-ass breath when you see your bride for the first time, huh?”

“Why in the world did I pick you to be my best man?”

“I’m not entirely sure.”

“You’re supposed to be helping me calm down and making me less anxious and all you’re doing is cracking jokes and trying to get me drunk.”

“I’m not trying to get you drunk. I’m just saying that you’re nervous as fuck right now and maybe a drink would help you focus a bit. If you don’t want it, I’ll keep drinking it just fine. I’ve literally never seen you like this, it is insane.”

I grab the glass from him and drink the entire thing in one gulp. I waited for the burn that never came so I handed back the class with a questionable look on my face, “Was that Coke?”

He laughs, setting the glass on the nearby table, “Yeah, I tried to get a rum and Coke, but the bartender said he couldn’t start serving alcohol until cocktail hour.”

“How the hell was Coke supposed to help me?”

“To be honest, I didn’t think you were going to take it so I didn’t think it would matter.” He places both hands on my shoulder and I look up to my brother, “Jasper, You love Landry and she loves you. I don’t know how you’re feeling and I won’t pretend to understand what this moment means for you, but today is the day that you get to tell the love of your life that you’re going to be hers forever. The two of you are meant for each other in every way possible, there is no reason to be nervous or anxious. I’ve never seen two people more meant to be married and I’m even talking about Mav and Gruff in that category.”

“You mean it?”

“Yes. I won’t even crack a joke this time. What the two of you have is special and words don’t come close to describing it. I’m so happy for you and I know that today is going to be a perfect day.”

“Thanks for being my best man, Tate.”

“I’d say anytime, but this is a one-time deal. If you fuck this up with Landry, most of us will be disowning you.”

“Good to know. If I mess it up I deserve to be disowned.”

Thirty minutes later, Tate and I were standing in front of the ceremony site at the Paseo with the Superstition Mountains in the backdrop. The chairs were set in two sections, but we had them put up a cutesy sign about picking a seat and not a side. Almost everybody that we were inviting today knew us both. I smiled at my mom and Jetson who were sitting in the front row. She was already crying, I loved my mom so much. Next to her was an empty chair that would soon be filled by Hazel and then Darren was seated at the end.