The Sweet Addiction Series Collection: Sweet Addiction, Sweet Possession & Sweet Obsession (75 page)

All the guests are waiting for us inside the reception area while Reese and I stand at the back of the bridal party line in front of the double doors. Juls and Ian are directly in front of us, stealing kisses every few seconds while Ian doesn’t try to keep his hands off her belly. And Joey and Billy are in front of them. I hear a few words of their not-so-lovey conversation over the music pumping underneath the door. Straining to hear more, I lean to the side and see Joey shove Billy before storming back toward Reese and me.

“Joey!” Billy yells.

My fuming assistant stops next to me, connecting with Billy over Juls’ head. “I’m not walking in with you. Why should I? You’ve barely spoken to me all goddamn day! Fuck you. Walk in by yourself.”

I grab his arm and yank him forcefully. “What the hell is going on?”

He opens his mouth to answer me when the doors are opened and the voice of the DJ spills out into the hallway.

“The wedding party is ready to make their grand entrance! And starting us off, we have Groomsman Billy McDermott and Man of Honor, Joey Holt!”

“Joey, get up here,” Billy harshly orders over the cheers of the guests.

Joey crosses his arms, firmly holding his ground next to me. “Fuck. You.”

Juls tries to pull him in the direction of the room. “What are you doing? Are you not going to walk in?”

“Not with him I’m not.”

We all look over at Billy who gives his forehead a quick rub. “Fine. Whatever.” He walks into the room by himself, disappearing into the crowd.

I smack Joey on the arm. “That was really mean. Now who the hell are you going to walk in with?”

He thinks silently for a moment before pulling out his phone.

I ignore him and turn to Reese. “Do you know what’s going on with them?”

He looks at me, shaking his head impassively. “Why the hell would I know what’s going on?”

Before I can answer him, the DJ interrupts me.

“And now please give a warm welcome to our Best Man, Ian Thomas, and his beautiful wife, Matron of Honor, Julianna Thomas!”

Reese and I step forward as Juls and Ian enter the room. Brooke slides past them and waves at us.

“Hey. I told the DJ. Now what?” she asks, pulling down the hem of her dress. She looks from Joey to Reese and me. “That ceremony was so beautiful. I cried my eyes out. Well played, Reese.”

Joey grabs her arm and slips it through his. “Come here. You’re being introduced with me.”

“What? But I’m not in the bridal party.” She tries to pull her hand from his grasp but doesn’t get anywhere. “No way! I’m not being introduced!” The DJ’s voice comes overhead again.

“And now our Man of Honor is ready to grace us with his presence. Everyone please show him some love. Mr. Joey Holt!”

“Joey!” Brooke protests as Joey moves her with him into the room.

“Billy wasn’t acting weird or anything when you were with him earlier?” I ask Reese as we step up to the entrance. “Joey said he was avoiding him or something.”

He places his hand over mine. “Dylan, Billy and Ian could’ve been fucking each other in front of me and I wouldn’t have noticed. I was too busy pacing the room.”

Billy and Ian? Shit. I’d pay to see that.

I give him a cheeky grin. “Oh, man. You just gave me the hottest image. Would you ever watch gay porn with me?”

Not that I have, but let’s be real here. I’ve read some crazy hot M/M books recently, and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t gotten heated over Logan and Tate’s sex scenes. In fact, Reese has benefited greatly from my extracurricular reading habits.

He glares down at me as the DJ’s voice comes booming out into the entryway.

“All right, folks. The moment you’ve all been waiting for. Everyone please go crazy for the couple of the hour, MR. AND MRS. REESE CARROLL!”

“Ready?” he asks, but he doesn’t give me time to answer before he bends down and hauls me over his shoulder.

“Reese!”

I wrap my arms around his waist as he carries me into the reception hall. A mixture of cheers, laughs, and whistles greet us and I lift my head, smiling at everyone the best I can as my hair falls into my face. Once Reese stops walking, he slides me down the front of his body, depositing me on my feet. I look around and see we’re in the middle of the dance floor, the crowd fanning out around us.

I smile up at him, watching as he lifts his gaze off my face and connects with something or someone over my shoulder. His lips part slightly, and a look of admiration washes over him as he studies whatever or whoever it is with deep concentration. I turn, looking through a gap in the crowd and instantly narrow in on what he’s looking at.

Our cake.

He takes my hand, moving me with him across the dance floor. He holds a finger up to the DJ before we slip through the mass of people and step in front of the dessert table. He leans down and studies my creation with great interest as he tightens his grip on my hand.

“Do you like it?” I ask, expecting him to glance over at me. But he doesn’t. He doesn’t take his eyes off our cake.

“It looks like your dress,” he says, moving around to the side and back to the front, making sure he takes it all in.

“And it’s all mint chocolate. The icing. The filling. Pretty much the whole cake.”

That makes him straighten up and turn to me. He brings our conjoined hands up to his mouth and kisses the back of mine. “The perfect union of flavors.”

I nod, motioning with my head toward the center of the room. “Dance with me, handsome.”

After he escorts me out into the middle of the dance floor, he wraps one arm around my waist, taking my hand and holding it against his chest. ‘“Look After You’” begins playing overhead and I smile up at him as we share our first dance, letting him lead me all around the floor. When we get close to the bridal party, I notice Joey standing as far away from Billy as possible. And I also notice Billy’s anxious eyes and the fact that they are glued to his heated boyfriend. As the song comes to an end, I steal a kiss from Reese before we’re instructed to take our seats at the bridal table.

I snap my fingers at Joey, gaining his attention once he sits two seats down from me. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

He leans back, seemingly insulted by my question. “Me? Nothing. I’m not the one acting like I want nothing to do with my boyfriend. I’m so sick of this shit.”

I look over my shoulder at Billy who is seated at the opposite end of the table next to Ian. He seems to be lost in thought, fidgeting nervously with his napkin and tearing it into tiny pieces.

Shit. My mother better not see that. It’ll be the cloth-napkin debacle all over again.

The sound of a woman’s throat clearing overhead gets my attention and I turn back around, seeing Juls standing behind me and holding a microphone. She smiles at me before looking out over the crowd.

“Can I have everyone’s attention for a moment, please?” The sound of shushing fills the room before the silence. “I don’t think there’s a person in this room who knows Dylan better than I do. Well, except for Joey.” She places a hand on his shoulder and he smiles up at her. “We’ve been best friends for as long as I can remember, and I have seen every side of her. Her pissed-off, slap-happy side. Her tipsy, nickname-giving side. Even her focused, career-driven side. I’ve seen every emotion. Every personality trait. Except one.” She focuses on me. “I’ve never seen my best friend in love. Not until she met Reese.”

His hand squeezes mine and I look over at him, smiling before Juls continues.

“She fought it. She was scared, but there was no denying what that man did to her. Or what she did to him. And I loved watching it. I loved seeing them completely blissed out on each other. I also loved seeing them both lose their shit over the other person.”

“Julianna,” my mother scolds from her seat. She shakes her head disapprovingly, glaring at me like I’m the one who just used profanity.

Juls laughs into the microphone, and we all join in. “Sorry.” She clears her throat, dropping all humor. “Anyway, I love you both very much and I couldn’t be happier for you. To the bride and groom.”

Everyone cheers as I stand and wrap Juls in a hug. She kisses Reese on the cheek as I take my seat again.

“And now, the Man of Honor has a few words,” she says, handing the microphone over to Joey as he stands out of his seat.

“Actually, the Man of Honor isn’t saying anything.” He looks over at me as he walks off the platform. “I, uh, put together a little video instead. I hope that’s okay, cupcake.”

I nod, bracing myself for what I’m hoping isn’t some slideshow of my awkward years. I was at a wedding once where the Maid of Honor did that to the bride. But I’m sure Joey knows better. I’m not afraid to use any of the utensils in front of me if a picture of me with braces pops up. And he knows that.

He steps in front of the DJ booth, leaning close and exchanging some words with the man. Everyone turns in their seats as the video is cued up, projecting on one of the walls. Soft music begins playing and I glance over at Reese who is watching intently, completely focused. And then I see a baffled expression set into his profile and look up at the wall, following his gaze.

Pictures of Joey and Billy begin filtering onto the wall. Selfie shots of the two of them together, and others of just Joey when he isn’t looking at the camera. I glance over at the DJ booth and see the puzzled expression on my Man of Honor’s face.

“Uh, this isn’t… what the hell?” He turns around and begins talking to the DJ, motioning over his shoulder at the wall. “Where’s the video I gave you? Where did you get this?”

I turn to look back at the strange collage when Billy begins walking off the platform and over toward Joey. I squeeze Reese’s hand as tightly as I can, remembering Billy’s words to me before my rehearsal last night.
“This is the grandest gesture I can think of.”

Oh, shit.

Billy steps up next to Joey and takes the microphone, moving into the center of the dance floor. Joey remains glued to his spot, mouth gaped open and eyes full of panic and curiosity.

Billy brings the microphone up to his mouth while his eyes scan the room. “Umm, so this obviously isn’t the video Joey put together for Reese and Dylan. I watched him put that video together and it’s really sweet, and I guess he kind of inspired me. I don’t know. I’m not really good at this sort of thing. I’m really private, and I’m kind of freaking out right now.” He rubs the back of his neck with his free hand before looking up at the wall. “Reese isn’t the only guy who met the love of his life at a wedding. I did, too. But unlike Reese, I’m not the kind of guy who sends deliveries or writes his own wedding vows.” He looks up at the platform, connecting with my husband. “Seriously. You kind of make us all look bad.” He ignores the laughs he’s just earned and turns around, focusing on Joey. “I know I’ve been a complete shit today, and I’m sorry. I’ve just been really nervous about this, but not because I’m not sure about what I want. I am. I’m very sure.” He pauses in thought briefly before continuing. “I’m sorry I’m not the kind of guy who does these romantic, grand gestures like Reese. I might not ever be. But I am the kind of guy who will risk a major rejection in front of hundreds of people if you don’t agree to marry me.”

My free hand slaps over my mouth as I gasp, hearing Juls’ dramatic reaction next to me. I glance down at movement on my lap and see Reese’s other hand, holding out a bunch of tissues for the two of us.

I look at him. “Did you know about this?”

He simply smiles his response as Juls and I both take the tissues, readying them for use.

“Joey,” Billy says, his voice much softer now but somehow steadier. “Can you come over here, please?”

Everyone’s eyes are on my dear assistant as he falls apart, head down, shoulders shaking with his cries. I want to get up and console him, but I know these are happy tears. So I stay put next to my severely emotional, pregnant, best friend, and my husband who apparently knew about this all along.

Joey makes it to the center of the dance floor, slowly, but he gets there. And when he does, Billy drops to his knee in front of him. I’m a mess. Makeup be damned; there is no stopping my tears right now. Billy holds the microphone to his mouth, ready to ask the most important question of his life. Until suddenly, he brings it down and sets it next to him on the floor. He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a ring box, holding it open for Joey as his lips begin to move. Juls and I lean in, wanting to hear Billy’s words, until we both realize this moment is for the two of them. His words are only for Joey. And we must sense it at the same time because we both sit back together.

Billy’s face breaks into the biggest smile I’ve ever seen him have before he stands up and grabs Joey’s face, kissing him passionately in front of everyone. I stand, along with everyone else, and cheer for them at the top of my lungs. Once they break away from each other, which seriously takes a good several minutes, we all join them on the dance floor to congratulate them.

“Oh, my God! I’m so happy for you!” I scream, wrapping my arms around Joey. Juls does the same and when she pulls back, he holds his left hand out for us to see.

“Look how good my baby did!” he squeals. A platinum band with diamonds set into it adorns his finger, and we marvel over the beauty of it. “God, I’m so fucking happy right now. I’m engaged!”

“And now we can plan your bachelorette party. Naked men galore!” I yell, earning a curious expression from Ian who is congratulating Billy. Juls and Joey both laugh as the man who surprised us all walks over to us.

“Thank you for giving me that moment, Dylan. I can stop the slideshow and play your video now,” Billy says into my hair as I hug him.

I lean back. “No. Leave yours on. It’s the sweetest thing.” I reach up and ruffle his hair. “I’m so excited for you.”

“Holy shit! This wedding is insane,” Brooke declares with her drink in her hand as she comes up to the group. She motions with her free hand toward the rest of the crowd that are all mingling and dancing. “Side note. There is zero play for me at this shindig. You all seriously need to find some more single friends.” She winks before grabbing Joey and Billy, congratulating them. Juls and Ian begin dancing and I look around for my groom, only scanning half the room before I feel him behind me.