Page 26 of Impossible Rapids
The small group had a celebratory dinner on the back patio before the sunset wedding. His security guys were invisible but impenetrable. It was a relief to know they were there and nobody would disrupt or hurt these people he cared so deeply for.
Jagger was adamant the entire wedding party was leaving the moment the ceremony was over so the honeymoon could begin. Surprisingly, even Pastor Sheldon smiled indulgently when Jagger repeated it three times and counting.
Julie sat between him and Hays, with Franz on Shawn’s other side. Belinda and Jagger sat across from Hays and Julie, with her parents across from Shawn and Franz.
The greenery and flowers surrounding the pool and patio and the view of the beach and ocean were beautiful. Not as beautiful as Julie, but he tried not to glance at her too often. It was impossible to stay closed off and cold with his closest friends together and Jagger so irrepressibly happy and Belinda such a fireball, teasing Jagger nonstop. Jagger deserved the teasing and ate it up. They were a great match.
Shawn had taken his suit coat and tie off, undoing the top button of his dress shirt. Julie had slipped off her high heels. Franz was still in his suit, but he lived in one. Would that be Shawn soon? He loved being by the ocean and wished they had time to swim.
The rest of the group was in casual clothes. They’d get dressed for the ceremony soon. It was odd to be relaxed before the wedding ceremony, but it fit Jagger. Their friend didn’t know what pomp or decorum meant.
Belinda’s parents and Franz had eased their chairs closer together and were in earnest conversation at one end of the table. It looked like the couple were counseling and lifting Franz, which made Shawn soften toward them despite the hurt they’d caused Jagger.
They were all toying with the last bites of mango cheesecake, full from eating too much steak, chicken, rice, veggies, and salad.
“How are y’all really holding up?” Belinda asked, leaning forward and studying Julie and then Shawn.
His neck and cheeks went hot at being put on the spot. He turned to Julie, deferring to her to answer the question.
She arched an eyebrow at him, giving him a challenging look with those beautiful brown eyes. Was he supposed to answer first?
“Too busy to think much,” Shawn admitted. “So that’s good.”
Belinda gave him a look that said she didn’t believe it was good. Then they all turned to Julie.
“I’m the same. Stay busy and maybe it won’t hit me that my best friend is gone.”
Shawn had often thought of Mercedes as his best friend too. Staring at Julie’s beautiful face, he wondered if he and Julie needed to stand close by each other’s sides, hold each other up and be there for each other as they’d both lost their best friend. Sick as she was, Mercedes had been the solid oak tree standing between them that they’d both leaned on. Now they were both teetering. If they could lean together, it might be exactly what they needed.
Except they could only lean in private. Rumors about him moving on to Mercedes’s assistant and best friend couldn’t happen right now. He couldn’t put her in danger or tell her the truth about his marriage.
“Y’all aren’t busy right now,” Belinda challenged.
Jagger’s bride was such a force to be reckoned with. As a rule, Shawn didn’t reveal much to anybody, even his closest friends. Shawn had an irrational fear that Jagger’s spitfire ‘Bee’ would somehow sting his deepest feelings out of him. He’d be slobbering all over the table crying about his best friend going to heaven. Then he’d admit that he’d mourned Mercedes for months, knowing her death was inevitable. Within the hour, he’d tell everybody how he loved Julie with all his heart, and that his wedding to Mercedes wasn’t anything like they’d portrayed to the world.
He clamped his mouth shut and looked at his mango cheesecake.
“And we aren’t going to ruin your wedding day by delving into our deep sadness and loss,” Julie challenged right back.
Shawn’s gaze yanked to Julie, and he chuckled loudly, relief filling him. Julie sent him an appreciative look and Belinda gave him a dagger glare. He’d seen her throw some of those glares at Jagger when they’d started their reality show a few weeks ago. Fierce.
“Well, then …” Belinda drawled out, and Shawn worried this battle was just getting started. He couldn’t let down his guard, but he’d protect Julie. He hoped he wouldn’t have to fight Jagger on his wedding day. Even though he always lost to Jagger and only occasionally bested Hays, he loved sparring with them. Today Jagger was off his game and if Shawn was fighting for Julie, he would prevail.
“Since it is my wedding day…” Belinda raised her eyebrows.
“Bee,” Jagger warned. His eyes seemed to say, these are my close friends; please don’t push them too hard when you don’t understand all the intricacies of the relationship.
But Shawn might’ve been imagining that. He didn’t understand all the intricacies of his and Julie’s and Mercedes’s relationship, so how could an outsider or even Jagger get a read on it? Did Jagger sticking up for Julie mean Shawn didn’t get the chance to?
“Can I give the pair of you a challenge?” Belinda asked with fake Southern sweetness in her voice and blue eyes.
Shawn didn’t think they should agree to any kind of challenge from this feisty lady.
“Certainly,” Julie agreed too quickly. She actually puffed up her chest like she was ready to fight through anything Belinda threw at them. Apparently Shawn wouldn’t have to battle Jagger to protect Julie. She could protect herself. Dang. In lieu of kissing Julie, a good sparring match was just what he needed right now.
“Jagger told me y’all will be the stars of the final reality show.”
They both nodded. Shawn didn’t dare look at Julie and reveal how much he was looking forward to being alone with her. If only he wasn’t concerned about Franz and what the degenerate Belle cousins might pull next. Things had been quiet since the shooting. Unfortunately, the police and the private investigators hadn’t been able to pin anything on Lucas or Arianna. They’d discovered the shooter was a former French Foreign Legionnaire who snuck into the barbecue with the caterers. The caterers had recently hired him, and he’d cleared the background check.