Page 32 of Dirty Like Brody
Once Dylan gave the nod that they were in place, he went out the door himself to head up front and take his seat with Ash and Paulie. “All I Want Is You” faded out. There was a quiet pause, and Zane stepped into placebesideme.
I took his arm, then took abreath.
Then the guys started playing another song. It was The Beatles, “And I Love Her,” with Ash and Paulie on guitar, Dylan on bongos, and all three of them covering the vocal parts. It was a beautiful, slightly rocked-out arrangement I’d been lucky enough to hear them practicing just afterlunch.
Taking his cue, Katie’s dad opened the door to the ladies’ dressing room. Katie emerged, followed by her mom, her sister, her niece and Devi, who were all fussing with her dress. Katie’s brother-in-law swept open the doors into the hall, leaving them open for the rest of us. Then, as the guests seated in the hall turned to watch, he walked Katie’s mom up theaisle.
Zane and I were next. I was really glad I got to go early, so I could see everything from up front; the setting was nothing short of utterlybreathtaking.
It was a clear, early evening and beyond the cathedral-like windows, the last of a molten amber sun was melting into the horizon beyond the cove. It seemed unfathomable that they didn’t do weddings here on a regular basis. According to Maggie, this was only one of a select few they’d ever allowed. I had no idea what magic Brody had worked to make this happen, but he’d done well. Better than well. And I wanted to remember everydetail.
The music, the flowers, the people… the look on my brother’s face; crystalize them forever in mymemory.
Brody and Becca, who followed us up theaisle.
Devi, Katie’s stunning maid ofhonor.
Owen, adorable as he strutted up the aisle in his little suit, the rings on his little blush pillow… followed by his sister, Sadie, with her basket offlowers.
Finally Katie’s dad appeared, with Katie on his arm in that incredible dress. I watched her take a little breath as she stepped into place beside her dad, gripping his elbow. He said something to her and kissed her cheek. Then shelookedup.
She looked straight down the aisle, like there was not one person in the giant hall. Not one, except my brother. And when she saw him waiting for her in his crisp suit and silk tie, grinning like a man in love, a sweet smile lit upherface.
* * *
My big brother,Jesse Mayes, married Katie Bloom just after five o’clock on a clear winter evening in front of their dearest friends andfamily.
He didn’t ditch her at thealtar.
She didn’tthrowup.
ChapterSeven
Jessa
“Okay,all you single bitches—oops, sorry, Mom. All you singleladies… keep your horny asses on the dancefloor!”
Katie’s sister had strut onstage and taken over the mic, just as Wet Blanket was heading off. They’d wrapped up their set with a hot and heavy cover of The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me,” and a whole lot of blissfully drunken wedding guests were now screaming their appreciation of the night’s entertainment—at the same time, screaming their lament of Zane and his band leaving the stage. Myselfincluded.
Although after last night, I was pacing myself on the booze; I was currently rocking a mild but pleasantchampagnebuzz.
“If you’re not alreadyonthe dance floor,” Becca added, “you’ve disappointed meandZane, but you’ve still got time to redeemyourselves.”
As he departed the stage, Zane tossed a bunch of flowers stolen from the table arrangements into the crowd, laughing, and shouted, “Don’t worry, kids, the party’s just getting started!” As I was jostled about in the crowd, I could feel the effect Zane’s stage presence, in particular, had on the women around me, and I had to grin to myself. It was still kind of strange to reckon that shirtless sex symbol in low-slung jeans and leather vest, all washboard abs and piercings, with that cute but annoying boy I grewupwith.
But a sex symbol he definitely was, and the other members of Wet Blanket weren’t exactly guys you’d kick out of bed. A supergroup put together by Zane and several of his rock star friends from other bands, they’d get together now and then, usually in L.A., and put on a random show, playing cover songs for those friends and family lucky enough to get an invite—pretty much for shits and giggles and their shared love of music. The fact that they were here was pretty epic, and a testament to their affection for mybrother.
Even better, I’d just learned that Paulie, one of their shit-hot guitarists, was joining Dirty as their new, permanent rhythm guitarist. Officially, no one was supposed to know yet; Dirty was planning to make the announcement at a special show in Vancouver next week—also a secret—but Elle had spilled both tidbitstome.
“You’re Dirty,” she’d told me with a dismissive shrug. “Jesse or whoever will tell youanyway.”
And I was glad she’dtoldme.
Hearing those words—You’re Dirty—went a long way to reminding me that I belonged here, and not only because it was my brother’s wedding. I had more family here, after all, than just Jesse. And that reminder helped to counteract the incredibly opposite vibe I’d been getting from Brodyallday.
After the cutting of the wedding cake—which, good for me, I did not put my ass in—I’d spent most of the night chatting and dancing with Elle. Maybe I figured she and I had some kind of special kinship now—like we’d made it into some crappy club. Elle had wanted my brother, but in the end she’d lost him, and now here she was at his wedding to Katie. And here I was, gazing longingly across the room at Brody, all smoldering in his dark suit, like some mute,adolescentdork.
Of course, Elle had no idea about my… issues… withBrody.
