“Earth to Jaxon. Yoo-hoo.” Jameson snapped his fingers in front of my face.
“What?” I snapped.
“You’re worse than a love-sick puppy. You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?”
“Jaxon, Jameson, it’s photo time,” Boden called out, waving us over.
“Duty calls.” I smirked and started to walk away.
“My question never stood a chance.” Jameson huffed on my heels.
“Aw, don’t be jealous. I would have pled the Fifth anyway.”
“Jealous? Me? Not likely, bro.”
“Heard you set the alarms off on your baby-moon at the airport, needed a full pat down.” I couldn’t resist the urge to razz him. “And that the incident had the guy contemplating an early retirement, having said something like ‘he was too old for this shit anymore.’”
“With the amount of shit you talk about my piercings, I’m starting to think you’re the one who’s jealous?”
“You know, if confidence ran on delusion alone, you’d be loaded.” I squeezed his shoulder.
“I’m already rich where it counts. Rich inlooove.” He patted his chest proudly.
“Are you preparing for a Hallmark movie audition that I don’t know about?”
“It’s called character development. You might want to give it a try sometime.”
I shook my head with a chuckle and looked out at the crowd of wedding guests. “Have you seen Ford?” I asked, not seeing him anywhere.
“Yeah, earlier on his phone, then talking with mom. He looked tense.”
“It’s the All-Star Break, and the trade deadline isn’t until the end of this month. Do you think there’s a possibility he’s being traded?”
“I hope not, but somewhere closer to us wouldn’t be a bad thing either.” He shrugged.
We stopped walking a few feet short of the photographer, who was taking pictures of Lakelyn, Brooke—Boden’s sister—Lily, Jenna, and Arizona, who proudly cradled her baby bump. “In all seriousness, you’re going to be an awesome dad. I can’t wait to meet your little princess.”
“Thank you, that means a lot.” Jameson then turned inward toward me and whispered, “But between us, I’m scared shitless that I’ll mess up somehow.”
“Nah, I know you. Even when things get tough, you’ll always show up, and that’s what will make you an exceptional father. She and Arizona are very lucky to have you.” I paused, swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat. “I’m proud to call you my brother.”
“I feel the same. From wombmates to partners in crime for life,” he joked.
Our parents taught us to be comfortable with affection and that it didn’t have to be awkward. So when I pulled my brother into a familiar, easy hug, it was a silent confirmation of love, loyalty, and solidarity. A simple gesture that, as I got older, I never took for granted.
“Aw, guys! You’re making me cry.” Arizona’s voice wavered from beside us. We pulled apart, and both turned to look at our better halves. “My hormones can’t take it, but I’m happy to see you’ve kissed and made up.” Her eyes bounced between my brother and me before settling on mine for a beat. “You seemed a little tense before, Jaxon.”
“Red, these lips belong to you and no one else.” Jameson stepped toward his wife and kissed her tears away affectionately.
“I like hearing that,” Arizona cooed.
While everything outside of Lily faded into the background, I bent and kissed her bare shoulder. Breathing in the divine sweetness of her perfume, which smelled like her namesake.
“I missed you.”
“I was barely gone a few minutes.” Her fingers tightened around my tuxedo’s lapels.
“On our wedding day, promise you’ll never leave my side,” I said, slipping my hands around her back to pull her close.