Chapter One
April
Finn Anderson only had to glance at Teresa Young as she weaved her way through the tables—Hey, scratch that. She’s Teresa Cyr now—to know she was on a mission. Guests called out to her, and all they got was the merest flicker of a smile in their direction, her determined stride not faltering for an instant.
“Quick, guys. Duck. The bride’s headed this way,” he said in a stage whisper. The others pretended to search with great urgency for the exit as she approached, like he’d known they would.
Teresa came to a halt behind Ben’s chair, her hands clenched into fists, resting on her satin-and-lace-clad hips. “Don’t even think about it.” That earned her a ripple of chuckles. She glanced at Finn and the seven men seated around the table, her sculpted brows arching. “Well, what do we have here? Someone put you guys all together. Go figure.”
Dylan rolled his eyes. “Gee. Who do you think did that?”
Finn was amused to note Dylan was the only one still wearing his tie. The others had loosened or removed theirs.
Teresa batted her lashes. “No clue.” That glint in her eyes told a different story.
Seb’s eyes sparkled. “Is it our turn for a grilling—I mean, our turn with the bride?” When she gave him a mock glare, he gave her a sweet smile. “That’s a beautiful dress, Teresa.”
Ben bit back a smirk. “Suck-up,” he muttered.
She performed a slow turn, her arms held wide. “Thank you.” Seb was right. It was a gorgeous low-backed dress, with a V-neck and Empire waist. The white satin hugged her slim figure down to her hips, where it flared out at the back. Lace added a filmy layer, covering her shoulders and spreading from knee point behind her in a train, its scalloped edges embellished with delicate embroidery. The fluted lace sleeves were cut to leave her hands free.
Seb rubbed his scruffily bearded chin. “Those sleeves, though…”
Teresa narrowed her gaze. “What about them?”
Finn struggled to suppress his laughter. Seb could always push Teresa’s buttons, even when they were kids.
Seb shrugged. “A bit impractical? I mean, they’re pretty and all, but you’re lucky there’s no soup on the menu, or you’d be constantly dunking them in it.”
Levi cleared his throat. “Don’t listen to him, Teresa. I think it really shows off your body.” She blew him a kiss. Levi looked her up and down. “It kinda reminds me of something I saw on Downton Abbey.”
Teresa’s eyes gleamed. “Oh my God. Yes, exactly.” She beamed at him. “Thank you for noticing.” She glanced at the friends around the table. “Actually, I came over to thank Finn for the wedding present.” She gazed warmly at Finn. “The rocking chairs are beautiful. You made them, didn’t you?”
Finn gave a half bow. “I’m glad you like them.” He’d spent several weekends working on the ash chairs with spindle backs, and he was delighted with the result.
“One would have been enough, you know.”
Finn shook his head. “You need two. They should be on your front porch, side by side, so you and Ry can sit together in the evening, like an old married couple.” Then he realized silence had fallen around the table, and he gave his friends a quizzical glance. “What?”
Seb folded his arms. “Sure, make us all look bad, why don’t ya?”
Finn frowned. “Huh?”
“I thought I’d scored pretty high, giving them an Instapot. But rocking chairs?”
From across the table, Ben chuckled. “At least an Instapot shows some imagination. I gave them a gift card.” There were murmurs of me too from Levi, Noah, Dylan and Aaron. “And you can afford an Instapot, Mr. Teacher. Some of us don’t earn as much as you.”
Shaun grinned. “I got your gift cards beat. My gift card is for the restaurant. For those nights when Ry can’t stand the idea of Teresa’s cooking.”
“Hey,” Noah piped up. “Be nice. She might have improved since high school.”
“Might have?” Teresa gaped at him. “And what’s that about high school?”
Noah laughed. “Didn’t they use one of your bread rolls as a baseball?”
Her hands were back on her hips. “Who told?”
Levi cackled. “That would be your husband, Mrs. Cyr.”
Teresa whipped her head around, her eyes narrowed to slits as she stared across the ballroom to where Ry stood, chatting with guests. “Wait till I get him alone.”
“You know, that’s supposed to come across as sexy, not menacing,” Aaron observed, his lips twitching.
Teresa blinked, then burst out laughing. “You guys crack me up.”
Finn laughed with her. Teresa had changed little since they’d graduated high school, thank God. Her temper still died down as quickly as it flared up.
Ben raised his glass of champagne to her. “Congratulations, Teresa. You make a great couple. And it’s about time, considering you and Ry shared your first kiss in ninth grade.” His eyes twinkled.
Shaun’s eyes widened. “Hey, I’d forgotten about that.”
“Did you also forget that Teresa told everyone how icky it was?” Ben glanced at her. “That was what you said, right?” He grinned. “Maybe it’s taken you till now to marry him because you were waiting till he got better at kissing.”
Amid the laughter, Teresa folded her arms, her pale pink nails long and curved as they rested on her lace-covered upper arms, the fluted sleeves hanging down. “Should you be drinking that? Because I don’t think you’re old enough.”
Ben rolled his eyes. “Real funny. If I wasn’t at your wedding, I’d tell you to…” He mouthed fuck off, and Teresa gave a mock gasp. Ben chuckled.
Levi put his arm around Ben’s shoulders. “Aw, he can’t help it that he still has the cutest baby face.” He pinched Ben’s cheek.
Ben growled from the back of his throat. “Knock it off. Christ, you’ve been doing that since eighth grade.”
“He could always kiss it better,” Seb suggested with a gleam in his eye. “He’s probably a better kisser than Ry.” That earned him a glare from both Ben and Levi.
Teresa deliberately turned her head in Seb’s direction. “You have not kissed Ry.”
Seb’s enigmatic smile reminded Finn why he fucking loved his friends. Put them all together, and the snark increased a hundredfold.
Teresa walked over to where Seb sat, and he pushed his chair back as though to stand. She pressed her hand to his shoulder. “You stay put, pretty boy.”
“Pretty boy? I’m flattered.” He shut up when Teresa sat in his lap sideways, her arms looped around his neck. A moment later, Seb laughed. “Go right ahead, Teresa. Get comfy.”
“Consider this punishment for making me think you and Ry kissed.”
Seb leaned in close and said in a loud whisper, “What happened between us will go with me to my grave.” When Teresa gasped and tried to pull away, Seb held onto her. “Chill, sweetheart. Nothing happened. He’s not my type. I’m not into jocks.”
“That’s not what I heard,” Noah murmured.