“Generally, yes, Troy is full of shit.”
James took a step back from him. “Generally?”
“Look, it’ll be fun! There will be drinks at the surf club before the escape room. You’ll be escaping under the influence.” He made it sound as exciting as he could. Which wasn’t a lot, judging by James’s frown.
“And this is what Andrew planned?” His annoyed frown became a worried one. “Is he okay? He’s not . . . backsliding into how he was before?”
Brian went from teasing to pissed off in two seconds flat, but he kept his expression neutral and his tone calm. “He’s fine. Better than fine, okay? And the last fucking thing he needs is people constantly questioning his state of mental health.” Simone and Elle’s comments to him about Andrew were still smouldering away in the back of his head as well. “You’re the one who badgered him into being your best man, and he’s doing what he thinks is right, okay?”
Apparently he didn’t keep his anger under wraps as well as he thought he had, because James bristled and visibly worked to hold something back.
Right then, Brian didn’t care. He still wasn’t okay with James and Elle thinking they had a right to demand this of Andrew. Truthfully, he wasn’t one hundred percent okay that they’d started up so quickly after Andrew and Elle split, and a little bit less okay that they’d got together at all.
James shook out some of the tension in his body and took a deep breath. “Does Andrew not want to be best man at all? Because that’s all I need. Another fucking mess to do with this wedding.” His tone had started out reasonable but got tenser as he went until he was clenching his jaw and his fists.
Andrew had told Brian about the racist pastor and the comments from Elle’s family, and he saw the build-up of those things, and the usual wedding stress, in James’s body. So, for James’s peace of mind, he answered honestly. “He really does want to be your best man. You’re one of his best mates, so of course he does.” He sighed helplessly. “And you know he is physically incapable of denying Elle anything.”
It helped a bit, but not enough to totally relax James’s shoulders. “Yeah, I know. When she and I were discussing it, I told her I’d do the asking and for her to not say anything. I wanted Andrew to say yes because he wanted to do it, not because Elle asked.”
For the first time, Brian wondered if James was worried about how close Elle and Andrew still were. Normally, James appeared supremely unconcerned by it, but perhaps the accumulated strain was getting to him.
“I know Andrew best, right?” Brian gripped James’s shoulder reassuringly, waiting until he got a nod. “He’s going to be standing up there for you, not Elle. Okay, a little bit for Elle, but mostly you. You’re happy, so he’s happy. Got that?”
“Yeah. Thanks.” James looked around, saw Troy and Andrew still comparing shoes, and then gave Brian a bro-hug that went on a little longer than its strict definition usually allowed. “I’m really glad I have you morons in my life, you know?”
All of his lingering ire fading, Brian snorted. “We morons are happy to have a wanker in our lives too.”
James laughed and shoved him away.
When they’d all found appropriate shoes, it was on to the hairdresser to make appointments for a couple of days before the wedding. The woman they were talking to pulled James aside to discuss why his hair was so dry and Troy motioned for Brian to go outside with him.
“Saw you and James having a moment before. What’s up?”
“James is worried about the bach party.” Brian punched his shoulder lightly. “Good job on feeding him false information, by the way. He’s worked out your clues already.”
“He has?” Troy frowned at James, who was in a chair and being chastised by the look of the stern finger being pointed at his head by the hairdresser. Andrew was nodding along with her and trying not to laugh. “Hmm. This one’s wilier than we thought. We might have to step up our game.”
They discussed ideas for further throwing James off track, then the groom-to-be was released back into the wild with a bag of new shampoo and treatments for his dry hair. James bitched at Troy for not sharing his hair issues even though they spent the same amount of time in the water.
“I already have all that shit she just gave you.” Troy tossed his head like he had a flowing mane of shiny, curly locks instead of an undercut.
After stopping for donuts, the four of them piled into James’s Patrol and checked out a couple of cars for the bridal party. Brian’s Jag wouldn’t fit Elle and her bridesmaids, so they needed a second car that wouldn’t look out of place beside the pearlescent classic. At the second wedding car place they found a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud in glittering white that Brian approved of.
“It’s a bit more expensive than I wanted to pay,” James murmured, even as he ran a longing hand over the curve of the fender. “The guy said he’d give us a discount only if we got two of them for the day, not just the one. And they won’t fit the ribbons if one car isn’t theirs.”
“We’ll chip in,” Troy offered.
“I can’t ask that of you guys.”
Brian shrugged. “Then don’t. Since the other car is mine and it’ll barely fit Elle in her pompom, I’ll hire this one as a wedding present for you and Elle.”
James looked on the verge of tears. “You don’t have to do that.”
He’d have to watch his budget for a couple of weeks, but . . . “I want to. I didn’t know what else to get you anyway. I’ll go organise it now.”
Brian went back inside the office, booked the car, paid a deposit and was doing the mental math as he walked back out, only to be surprise tackled by James into a bear hug.
“Love you, dude.”
Brian huffed a laugh and patted his back. “Right back atcha.”
James motioned at Andrew and Troy. “Get in here, morons. I have a sudden abundance of affection for all of you.”
“I fuckin’ love you guys.” Troy threw himself at them.
“Yeah, yeah,” Andrew muttered, coming in on the other side. His grin was wide even if his tone was dry. “It’s one big bromance.” His face ended up very close to Brian’s and he mouthed, “Love you,” just to him.
It was the first time Andrew had said it to Brian since the night that started it all. And he had to pick right now, while Brian was squished between two other men, to trot it out and make his heart swell and his belly warm and his goddamn insatiable dick twitch.
“Yup,” Troy said dreamily. “And we’ll still love you too, Bri Bri, even if you’re gay.”
“What the fuck?” Brian broke out of the tight hug and stepped back, starting at Troy in confusion. “What the fuck was that?”
“Not cool, Troy,” James said. “I told you it wasn’t a thing.”
“Sorry!” Troy threw his hands up, part helpless, part apology. “Sorry, it just slipped out.”
Brian transferred his frown from Troy to James. “What? You told him I’m gay?”
Oh shit. Andrew went to Brian’s side, ready to hold him back if he launched, though he seemed more shocked than angry. “Calm down. We’ll sort this out.”