If that redneck, trailer trash, piece of shit didn’t get his ass to this rehearsal dinner on time, Teal was liable to drive to the cabin and force him there by gun point. Those were her thoughts two hours ago while everyone sat around waiting for the best man to show up.
Trent was so late, they’d eventually replaced him with a waiter and gone through the wedding ceremony, twice without Trent. Granted, walking down the aisle didn’t take much practice, but Teal wanted things to run smoothly and that only happened with practice. The minor hiccups so far were nothing and if the wedding continued to go this smoothly, Teal planned to send Katie a large ass bill for putting up with the headache.
Now that the rehearsal dinner was coming to a close, the drinks and hors d’oeuvres were served and Teal was ready to get a drink in hand and out of her heels. “I wonder if we even need Trent. The waiter did just fine,” she muttered under her breath.
“What was that?” Didi asked as she sidled up next to her. She was fumbling through her clipboard, checking off things from the list Teal had given her.
Suddenly, the room quieted enough to hear heavy footfalls entering the room. Teal turned around in her chair to see Trent appear. His massive body demanded attention she refused to give. While everyone else stared and women fawned, Teal stood and made her way to the drink cart. Snatching up a glass of wine, Teal took a long sip and went looking for Katie. When she found her in the corner, the bride seemed worse for wear.
“Damn girl, what’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing, just nauseated.”
Teal called over a waiter with a tray of food and searched for something to help settle Katie’s stomach. She’d already ordered the food before she found out about the baby and Teal wasn’t sure Katie’s stomach could handle any of it. Instead, she asked the waiter to grab her a Ginger Ale and a cup of ice.
“I’m fine, really,” Katie insisted as Teal led her to a chair. “I wonder what kept him?” She motioned to the corner where Logan and Trent stood.
Trent seemed to be explaining why he was late and the look on Logan’s face made Teal believe that whatever story he was spinning, Logan was buying. As they sat and watched, waiting to hear his excuse for themselves, Jayden, one of Katie’s bridesmaids came over and plopped down beside them.
Fanning herself, she asked, “Who is that tall, thick, yummy glass of milk?” The sly smile on her face made Teal roll her eyes.
“Girl, you’re married.” Katie admonished.
With a smack of the lips, Teal added her two cents, “While I don’t condone calling that wildebeest a tall glass of milk, I have to say that being married doesn’t make you blind.”
She chanced an appraising glance at him and hated herself for liking what she saw. His black thermal hugged his thick chest tight enough to reveal muscles that Teal would pretend she didn’t find attractive. His distressed washed jeans pulled taut over thick legs and as she made her way up those powerful legs her eyes stopped at the package nestled between his legs. Hell no.
Jayden threw a hand up. “Preach! I’m just saying, being married doesn’t make you asexual. And Logan’s brother over there—”
“Childhood friend,” Katie corrected, just as Teal had opened her mouth.
“Well, whatever.” Jayden pointed in the direction of Logan and Trent. The women followed her finger to where the men stood. “Both of them look like big ass treats. Just plain yummy!”
Katie laughed and Teal took a swig of her wine. It would make sense that Teal was attracted to Trent. She always attracted the emotionally unavailable, unmotivated assholes—assholes being the main word there. Hence the reason she was attending Katie’s wedding alone. Another gulp of wine passed her lips.
“The dark haired one, as you know, is mine. And the blond . . .” Katie’s voice trailed off when Logan looked over to the table with narrowed eyes. “What the hell are they talking about?” Concern laced her voice.
Teal looked over again and she saw it too. Logan’s face was red and his fists were balled at his sides, his shoulders bunched and he was radiating anger.
“No. God, no.” As Katie jolted up and out of her chair, confusion swept over Teal. “Dammit. I haven’t told him yet! He came back to the room last night and started kissing on me and I got swept up.” Katie raced over to Logan.
When Teal finally understood what Katie meant, she stood ready to follow Katie as she sprinted across the room, but as she propelled past the table her red wine glass spilled and tumbled off the table nearly hitting the floor.
“Shit.” Teal cursed fiercely as she made the catch.
Jayden stood. Reaching for a few napkins she handed them to Teal. “What is going on over there?” she asked, but Teal ignored her not willing to tell Katie’s business.
Grabbing the napkins from her, she blotted up the spilled wine. Thank God she’d convinced Katie away from white tablecloths, but white tablecloths were the least of her concerns right now. Glancing around the room, Teal found and signaled a waiter. Pointing to the mess, she mouthed, “Get this,” and then added a “please” for good measure. Let him get it.
Turning around, she saw that Logan’s anger didn’t seem to be directed at Trent, but at Katie who was holding her stomach in the most telling way.
Damn, that Trent. “Fuck!” Teal struggled to keep her anger at bay. Normally, she’d have exploded in a flurry of curses and threats, but it was taking all of her to hold it back. She was sure that Trent had told Logan what he’d heard in the car from the smirk on his face to the devastation on Katie’s.
Teal made a B-line straight to Katie. By the time she’d gotten over to them, the damage was done. She placed a soothing hand on Katie’s back. Her friend was shaking, but silent. As a matter of fact, everyone was silent.
Hesitantly, Teal spoke. “What’s going on?” She looked to Katie and then Logan, keenly ignoring Trent, who appeared satisfied by the friction he’d started.
Logan took a deep breath. The ire Teal had seen from the other side of the room had faded somewhat. “Katie, can I talk to you, alone?” His voice hard and unyielding, causing alarm for even Teal. He was mad and maybe even let down, but Teal was positive that the wedding was still on. Katie’s reasons for worry were sound, but in Logan’s defense, in a marriage, secrets could be a deal breaker.
Katie’s shoulders dropped and she nodded. Logan may have been upset, but Teal believed that he and Katie would work it out.
“This is what I was talking about.” Trent’s voice broke the silence.
Teal scanned the room hoping that the drama had gone unnoticed, but no such luck. She turned to Trent. Taking a breath she calmed her nerves and in the nicest voice she asked, “Can I talk to you in the lobby?”
She wasn’t sure if there were guests out there or not, but she knew for damned sure that most of them were in the main hall staring at them as she spoke. What Teal had to say needed minimal attention from innocent bystanders.
Like the smart ass he was, Trent motioned for Teal to go first. “Ladies and liars first.” He chuckled when she growled at him.
The lobby wasn’t empty, but it also wasn’t filled to the brim with wedding guests either. Teal turned to watch as Trent exited the main hall and stood in front of her. She assumed he meant to be imposing and impossibly large to the point that she would back down, but screw that. Teal had kept quiet long enough, she’d handled every issue with grace and sophistication, but ignoring it and letting it build up, caused a meltdown in her brain. Trent’s sideways smirk just added fuel to the already fever pitched fire.
“You redneck, inbred, cousin kissing piece of shit!” There, the smirk was gone and replaced by a scowl, but oh, Teal was far from finished. “Let me guess, did daddy touch you inappropriately? Did your last girl take your balls and lock ‘em up in a jar until Trent was a good boy and earned them back?”
Teal knew men like this. They were just like the miserable bitches she’d had to deal with her whole life. Daddy touched them so they used that as an excuse to fuck every man out there including hers. There was always some fucking excuse for misery to love company, but Teal wasn’t having that shit and if she had to boot Trent out of this wedding and play best man and maid of honor, that was just how that shit would have to go down.
“Why? What was it that made you come here and try to ruin your best friend’s wedding?” She threw up her air quote gesture as she said “best friend”. This was not how shit was supposed to go.
Trent’s scowl had faded, but Teal could see that her words had reached him, but not in the way she’d hoped.
