Page 30 of Dirty Like Brody
“You are so not fine,” Devi said, examining her face. She handed over a bottle of water and Katie took a few sips, breathing slow, deep breaths in-between.
“Katie tends to blow chunks when she’s nervous,” her sister explainedtome.
“Oh.”
“I do not!” Katie protested. “I’m just excited. And maybe a little hungover,” she added, squirming in her dress. “This thing is kinda tight. I think I ate too many cream puffs lastnight.”
“Just tell me if this is gonna turn into a scene fromBridesmaidsso I can get the hell out of the way,” hersistersaid.
“Aw, shit,” Devi muttered, and in unison, we allsteppedback.
Katie leveled her sister with a dark look. “I hate you. And I was just about to say, if you’d let me get a word in, that I love you. All of you. And before we go… out there… I want to thank you for being here.” Her breath hitched and her bottom lip started to quiver. “My last wedding was… a total disaster,” she said, her eyes starting to fill with tears, “and you ladies are my team. If Jesse ditches me at the altar, I’m really gonnaneedyou.”
Lastwedding?
If he ditches her at thealtar?
Holy.Shit.
Someone ditched Katie at thealtar?
I heard the sharp intake of breath as someone stepped into the room. We all cleared a path for Katie’s mom and her niece, Sophie, the flower girl. Mrs. Bloom was staring at her daughter, open-mouthed, tears quickly forming in her eyes. “Oh, my girl,” she gushed. “Youlook—”
“Don’t say it,” Becca cut her off. “You hated my wedding dress. I don’t wanna hear it. Tell her later, when I’mdrunk.”
“Well, it was so short,” Katie’s mom said. “But this… Now this is a dress.” She fluffed up Katie’s tulle and fussed with the ruffles. “That white thing you wore, you know, last time,” she half-whispered, “it wasn’t you, with the stiff, straight lines and all the lace. This… thisisyou.”
“Because we picked it,” Devi said. “Last time, mother-in-law-zillapickedit.”
“Almost mother-in-law,” Katie’s momcorrectedher.
“Almost.” Katie smiled as her mom kissed her cheek, but it was forced. Her lips trembled and her face started to crumple. “Mom… I am gonna feel so fucking stupid in this thing if he doesn’t go throughwiththis.”
“Are you kidding me?” Devi said. “You lookgorgeous.”
“So, so pretty,” her momagreed.
“If he doesn’t go though with this, I’ll kill him myself and you can wear it to his funeral,” her sisteradded.
Katie laughed and sniffled, hugging hersister.
“Stop it right now.” Devi dabbed carefully at Katie’s cheeks with a tissue. “You’ll ruin yourmakeup.”
As I waited my turn to give the bride a final pre-ceremony hug, I felt more than a little honored that she’d asked me to be here; that she considered me part of her team. I liked Katie. A lot. And the thought of her so nervous on her special day, or throwing up on that beautiful dress, her guts turned inside-out, just because some asshole walked out on her… I moved to stand in front of her and took her handsinmine.
“Katie.”
She looked up into my eyes, sniffing. Her blue-green eyes were wet, shining, and pink at the corners. “Jessa,” she saidsoftly.
“Jesse is not going to walk out on you,” I told her, squeezing her hands. “You know how Iknowthat?”
“How?” shewhispered.
“Because he loves you. And my brother does not walk out on people he loves.”Unlike me, I thought, and a wave of something like nausea rippled through me. Katie wasn’t the only one who’d drank too much last night. I took a deep breath to settle my stomach and my nerves. “I’m going to go out there and see him now, okay? Make sure the guys have their shit together. Is there anything you want me to tell himforyou?”
Katie squeezed my fingers, tight. “Just tell him I lovehim,okay?”
“I will.” I kissed her cheek and hugged her close. “You look beautiful,” Itoldher.
