Fallen Crest Home (Fallen Crest High #6)(76)

“What are you doing here?” I asked Nate. He wasn’t a groomsman.

He pointed at Logan, who was making a crude gesture at us with his hands and tongue. “Our favorite douchebag told me to come. Said there’d be good food and free booze at the dinner.”

I paled. “We have to stay for the dinner?”

Nate grinned. “Logan said we did, but maybe you and Mason can slip out early.” He looked around. “Is Taylor coming?”

“She’ll be here tomorrow for the wedding.”

She’d better be.

“Matteo took off, right?”

I nodded. “He starts training next week. Everything’s going to be okay, so he headed home to see his family for a few days.”

“He’s a good friend to Mason.”

“To you, too.”

Nate smiled. “Same for you.” He nodded toward the front of the church. “And Logan. I know Mason wants to protect him, but Matteo was there for us. He’s kind of become family in a way.”

He gave me a meaningful look, and I knew what he meant. Matteo had made it known that he wanted to be brought into the fold, but he wasn’t out of the fold, even if he felt that way. I placed my hands together on my lap, looking up at Mason’s back as he and Logan joked, standing to their father’s right.

“Mason wants to protect him.”

“Yeah.” Nate shifted, lounging back against the pew and stretching his legs out. “I know what you mean, but it sucks being on the outside.”

I glanced at him.

He didn’t look at me, but he spoke as if feeling my gaze. “It was hard when I first came back in high school. Mason had been my best friend. I came back, and you and Logan had replaced me. It took me a long time to get back in.” The lines around his mouth strained. “I messed up a few times, but I’m in again. I won’t do anything to mess that up. I’m just saying, I feel for Matteo.”

There was nothing I could say. I knew how close Mason and Logan were, but I wasn’t around when it’d been Nate and Mason, not Logan and Mason. And he was right, I remembered the times when Nate hadn’t seemed to like me, when he’d looked at me like I was the enemy. But I knew he didn’t mean it. He came back around. He’d always come back. He loved Mason, just like the rest of us.

I nudged him with my shoulder. “Don’t be leaving us when you find your girl, okay?”

I felt his surprise. “What do you mean?”

I shrugged. “Mason and me. Heather and Channing. Logan and Taylor. Even Becky and Adam. Everyone’s found their person. Don’t leave us when you find yours. Deal?”

There was a hint of a grin on his face. “Deal.” Then he added, “Should we pinkie promise like Logan made me do one time?”

“Logan made you pinkie promise something?”

He nodded. “I can’t tell you what. I made a promise.” He was so solemn.

I cracked a grin. “I understand. I won’t push you.”

“So are we done then?”

Logan’s voice drew our attention to the front of the church, and the pastor turned to him. “Yes, I believe so. We’ve already had you guys practice coming in once. Everything should be set.” He gestured to Analise and James. “If you two could stay behind, we’ll get the marriage certificate signed tonight.”

Mason and Logan came down the side aisle toward us just as a man walked inside. He wore a three-piece suit and had slicked back hair, cologne that threatened to suffocate me, and a whole greasy vibe to him.

He boomed out, “James!”

James looked back and grinned. “Peter.” A transformation took place. Gone was the guy trying to make sense of the pastor’s instructions, the guy who’d been holding Analise’s hand a moment earlier, and even the loving guy who’d kept rubbing her back before they held hands. Instead, a businessman took his place. I felt transported into a conference room.

Mason and Logan paused when they saw the guy, then slowly resumed their trek to us. Logan hopped into the pew in front of us, and Mason went to the back, resting his hands behind my shoulders. If I tipped my head back, I could look right up at him.

Nate half-turned to face Mason and me, but he was also able to see Logan. “Who’s that guy? Do you know?” he asked.

Logan spared the guy a second look, disgust coming to his face. “It’s the mayor,” he sneered.

“The mayor?” Nate looked to Mason.

Mason watched the mayor shake James’ hand, then be introduced to Analise. “That’s the one thing our dad wanted,” he said. “And he came out on top.” He shot Logan a look, talking to the rest of us. “He wanted back in.”

“He got back in,” Logan confirmed. “Sure is helpful that Steven Quinn’s been removed from his CEO position.”

Nate asked. “Does that mean Adam took his place?”

Mason shrugged, folding his arms over his chest. “The hotel’s opening was postponed. Adam and I are off the project, so I don’t know. I’d assume, unless someone else moved in.” He touched the back of my shoulder. “Come on. We don’t have to stick around for the dinner.”

I stood.

Nate did as well. “I thought that was the whole reason you called me here,” he said to Logan, who smirked.