Suddenly, I had a much better understanding of why their budget was so strict, why they’d insisted on Cyrus helping them and not getting a wedding planner. I also felt even greater motivation to make theirs the most special wedding ever. “Peter’s in plumbing, right?”
“Right.” Jenny’s chest swelled with pride as she spoke about him. “With his help, his company became subcontracted to the city a couple of years ago. It was a big win for them, and he’s moved up some in the ranks there since, but the amount of maintenance they have to do makes for long hours.”
“I can imagine.”
“I’m sorry we haven’t been able to help more with the wedding. I know it’s not fair to expect Cyrus to do everything we’ve asked him to, but Peter insisted he wouldn’t mind helping out, and our working hours are just too long to get it all done ourselves.”
I walked up to her and took her hand, giving it a soft squeeze. “It really has been a pleasure. I totally understand. If I may ask, though, why is that date so important to you? Wouldn’t you have liked to have some more time so you could be more involved yourself?”
A wistful smile spread on her lips. “It was my parents’ wedding date. Neither of us want to wait another year and I really want to share an anniversary with them. They were so nauseatingly in love and they set the example of what I want out of my life with Peter. I couldn’t think of a better way of kicking off our marriage than saying our vows on the same day they did.”
“Oh, wow.” My voice was strained, my own throat now closing up with tears. My eyes became wet, and I tried swiping below them before Jenny saw, but she did anyway.
Reaching out to squeeze my hand this time, she lifted her free index finger to wipe under her own eyes. “You really get it, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I really do.”
Before we could both break down into sobbing messes for love lost too soon and the profoundness of their chosen date, Jenny cleared her throat and nodded toward the door at the back of their kitchen.
“Let’s go sit outside. I’ve set up a picnic table for us out there. It’s too nice out to have dinner inside tonight.”
Peter and Cyrus came into the kitchen and grabbed a beer each before all four of us made our way into their garden. It was small but well kept. Flower beds in bloom lined the white fence, and at the center of the mowed lawn was a wooden table that had a bright pink plastic cloth over it.
Plates, silverware, and napkins were already set on it. Down the middle of the table, Jenny had placed glass jars with electric candles in them.
The sun was setting above the towering tops of the trees beyond their garden, casting a warm glow over their yard. A contented sigh fell from my lips before I could stop it. Yeah, this is definitely much more my speed.
“This is perfect,” I said to Jenny. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” she replied, then took Peter’s hand and descended the three steps from their porch to the lawn.
Cyrus came to stand next to me. The back of his hand brushed mine, but he made no move to take it. “You okay? It looked like you guys were crying back there.”
“I’m fine. We just had a moment,” I said and then, because I had to lighten the moment, I teased him. “You wouldn’t understand. It’s a romantic thing.”
“You and Jenny were getting romantic? Because I’d pay good money to see that.” His eyes crinkled at the sides. “Peter probably wouldn’t be too happy though. I’m not sure he’d be okay with sharing Jenny, even with you. He’s convinced she’s the love of his life.”
“I’m convinced of that, too.” I shoved him with my shoulder. “And you know darn well I didn’t mean we were getting romantic. I meant you’ve got to be a romantic at heart to understand why we got a little emotional and you have no romance in your heart.”
“Thank fuck for that,” he muttered, then jerked his head toward the table. “Shall we?”
“We shall.” I took his elbow when he offered it, like he was escorting me into an award ceremony instead of a simple picnic dinner in his brother’s backyard.
Peter watched our approach with interest but didn’t mention how Cyrus wrapped his hand over mine in the crook of his elbow or how close we sat down to one another. He picked up the conversational ball first, asking about my shop, my hobbies, and just getting to know me.
Although I had heard so much about them, I enjoyed asking them about their lives too and soon felt like I’d known them both for years.
“Our office moved to East Alaska Street a couple years back,” Peter said, the fine lines around his mouth deepening on his smile. “I love the look of confusion people get when I tell them we’re in Alaska, Manhattan.”
“I know, right?” I laughed. “I live on West Alaska and even the mailman gets confused sometimes.”
“Really? You’re only a few blocks away from my office then.”
I nodded. “You know the old boardgame shop that’s been converted into a Games Cafe now?”
“Yeah?”
“My apartment is in the same building. Our entrance is right around the corner from theirs.”
“We should have a games evening there sometime,” Jenny said, her shoulders pulling back and a competitive gleam entering her eyes. “I finally have another girl to be on my team. We’re going to annihilate you.”
“You like board games?” I asked, surprise and excitement mingling in my belly.
“Love them,” she replied.
“I think I may have just found a new best friend.” I lifted my palm for a high-five. “I feel the same, but the only other person I know who loves them as much as I do is six.”
Jenny laughed and slapped my hand, then rubbed her palms together and eyed her fiancé evilly. “You two might just finally have some competition.”
Peter scoffed and slung his arm over her shoulders. “You wish, babe. I love you, but Cy and I have been dominating every game one can play as a team our whole lives. No one matches us. I’m sorry, it’s just not possible.”
“We’ll see.” She shimmied her shoulders and winked, then turned her attention back to me. “You want to come help me put the platters together? We’re doing picnic food tonight.”
I nodded and followed her back inside. As the evening wore on, the food kept coming and the drinks kept flowing.
When it was eventually time for us to leave, Cyrus got us an Uber and decided to pick his car up tomorrow. Peter hugged me goodbye, holding on to me for a minute longer than necessary to whisper in my ear.
“Take care of my brother, okay? He’s a good guy underneath the dick demeanor. Just don’t give up on him too easily.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, but Cyrus was eyeing us suspiciously, like he knew his brother was talking to me.
Nodding, I pulled away from him. “I won’t, don’t worry.”
It felt like another lie, though. Cyrus wasn’t mine to give up on, but I would take care of him. For as long as I could. At least he had Jenny and Peter to do it once I couldn’t anymore.
Chapter 24