Chapter 34
“I never thought this day would come,” Alex began, holding his glass of non-alcoholic champagne in his hand. “Nickolas Carter, the playa of all playas tying the knot…never thought it would happen.” He smiled at Nick, who looked like he wanted to smack AJ upside the head. Andrea squeezed Nick’s hand, and the expression on his face softened.
“And it’s quite obvious to me why you were the girl to catch him,” he said to Andrea, taking note of the effect her hand squeeze had on her new husband. “You have an effect on this man that I’ve never seen anyone have on him before. You two compliment each other like milk and cookies, and it wouldn’t be the same having one without the other. But most importantly, Andrea, you love this man like he deserves to be loved. He is my brother, and I have never been happier for him than I am at this very moment.” AJ paused, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye before it could escape the confines from which it originated.
“Nick, little brother, I love you. Seeing you finally happy is one of the best things I can think of for you. It takes quite a woman to understand your career, your life, and everything the two of you will be going through together, and it takes quite a woman to promise to love you, honor you, and keep you until death do her part and hold to those vows knowing all of this. You have quite a woman sitting next to you, never forget that.”
AJ paused, this time picking up a glass of water from the table and taking a sip of it. What is my problem? I can’t even find the right things to say. I am marrying Annie, and I love her. Why am I thinking about her instead of my fiancé? AJ returned the glass of water onto the table and picked his champagne flute back up. “I guess what I’m trying to say, but having no success doing it, is that there is not a better woman to be married to, and you should always remember how lucky you are to have her—” his eyes locked onto Andrea’s without realizing it, and he continued to ramble. “Because there are men out there that would have loved to have a chance with her, to try and make her happy the way she deserves, to hold her in his arms, to feel her lips on mine—”
“Ahem, Alex, you’re zoning out,” Annie whispered to her fiancé, gently tapping him on the leg. She didn’t catch on to what he was saying, nor did anyone one else in the room.
“Oh, sorry,” he began again; his deep eyes poignantly fixated on Andrea’s. “Speeches were never really my thing I guess,” he chuckled, the guests laughing along with him. But that’s a complete lie, he admitted to himself only. “I am just going to wrap this up instead of rambling on and on, something I know all of you will appreciate,” he said, cracking another joke, hoping no one would notice his distraction. “I guess the best thing I can say is no two people were ever matched so perfectly--” There’s another lie. “And I could not be happier that the two of you are husband and wife.” And the lies keep coming. He raised his glass, everyone else doing the same, and he slammed the liquid down in one gulp, wishing desperately that it had been real champagne.
What in the hell was all that about? Andrea wondered to herself and she partook in the toast and sipped her champagne. She continued pondering the nuances she had heard during Alex’s speech and was so deep in thought she didn’t hear the wedding coordinator making the announcement that dinner will be served in ten minutes. I need to talk to him. I need to find out what his problem is.
She walked over to Alex and gave him a hug, knowing that everyone was expecting her to thank him for the lovely speech. Instead of whispering gratitude into his ear however, she whispered instructions for him to meet her outside on the terrace. “We need to talk,” she told him as she exited their embrace and made her way towards the doors that led out of the reception hall. She walked up to her husband, informed him she needed to use the restroom and promised to be back before the food was served.
The still winter evening, although peaceful and absolutely breathtaking as the light from the almost full moon reflected off of the crisp white blanket of snow that covered the ground, was cold and as Andrea stood outside on the beautifully lighted terrace waiting for Alex she shivered. Her wedding dress was basically sleeveless, with only an inch and a half of fabric making up band that draped off her shoulders. She had a wedding cloak, made to match her dress exactly, that she wore during her time outdoors throughout the day, but she had not grabbed it as she left, knowing that it would look odd for her to be taking it with her when she was supposed to be in the bathroom.
She rubbed her icy hands up and down her frozen arms in hopes of warming then somewhat, but was not succeeding. Her teeth began to chatter as she heard footsteps behind her. She felt warmth surround her as Alex placed his tuxedo jacket around her shoulders.
“You must be freezing,” he said as he stuck his hands in his pants pockets to keep them warm. “Only you would want to get married in the middle of winter in Antarctica.” She turned around to look at him, the smile on his face forced, but still enough to make her knees wobble ever so slightly. “But it is stunning, just like you said it would be, just like you are.” He took a step closer to her, creating what to most people would have been an uncomfortably close parameter, but to Andrea it felt welcome. And that feeling confused her.
“Alex, what are you doing?” she asked him, her eyes avoiding his.
“I don’t know,” he responded honestly. “I don’t know what’s happening. I just know that I wish I was the one you would have married.” Andrea gasped as he said this, having no idea what to do and what to say.
“Alex, it’s not right. It can’t be like that. I just married your best friend, and you are marrying mine in seven days. Where is this coming from? You’ve never even….all this time to say something….pretending to like Annie….now you say something….I, I don’t, I don’t even know what….I can’t breathe—“ she thrust her arms behind her and grasped onto the railing as her only means of holding herself up. Alex saw her falter and rushed into her, his arm wrapping around her back.
“Hold on baby, I got you,” he said softly as he cradled her. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I love Annie, and I want to marry her. I just can’t stop these feelings I have for you.”
“What do you expect me to say Alex?” she asked, finding it even harder to breathe now that she was encompassed in his arms. “All this time, you could have said something, you didn’t even flinch when the priest asked if there was anyone reason Nick and I should not be wed.” Her mind was racing a mile a minute, question after question jumping to the front, smothering the question ahead of it before she could even ask it.
“God, you smell so good,” she sighed. No matter how she tried, she could not slow her brain down, and decided with one careless thought to abandon all the sense and practicality she had and let her entire body crumble into his warm, strong arms. She did not think about her husband in the other room, probably wondering what was taking her so long, she did not think about her cousin who would never forgive her if she did something to be regretted later, and she did not think of all the guests in the other room celebrating her marriage while she was in the arms of another man. The only thing on her mind at that very moment was the feeling she had being held by AJ, the same feeling she’d had every other time they’d embraced so innocently before.
She was about to run her left hand across his face when the moonlight caught the diamond on her hand. She looked at it, tears filling her eyes. AJ noticed it too, and he knew he was about to lose this moment, and her, forever.
“Alex, I can’t—“ she started, but was interrupted by his soft pink lips crashing into hers. He kissed her madly, and although she was trying her hardest not to kiss him back, he felt her respond towards the end of the kiss, right up until they heard a loud voice yell “What are you doing?” and she pushed him off of her.
