My Ex-Boyfriend’s Brothers (Ex Marks the Spot)

43. Maggie

43

***Maggie***

T hree nights until the wedding. My nerves were frayed and I was so ready for the wedding to be over that I was secretly counting down the minutes until I could sneak away from the lodge for good. I still had to put on a good face for the wild amount of rich people pouring in but I planned on doing any mingling before the wedding so as soon as it was over, I could skip away into the night happily.

Everything was going well. There’d been a few hiccups but they were sorted. It was the quiet before the storm. The next night would bring in the rest of the guests and the night after would see the lodge alive with two different bachelor and bachelorette parties. And then, finally, it was time for the wedding. I was so close to freedom that I could smell it.

I was looking forward to going to Luke’s cabin that night and slipping into bed with the three men who’d made it their mission to prove to me that I was their end game. After my afternoon delight with Luke the day before, Ryan and Jackson had made it their mission to outperform their big brother that night. I was walking with a slight limp but it was well worth all the things they’d done to me.

I’d just sent Devon to his room for the night and was packing away my laptop when I heard movement from behind me and turned around to find Brad standing in the doorway to the lounge I’d been working in. I forced a smile, reminded myself that I was almost finished working for him, and glanced at my watch. It was close to midnight. He should’ve been long gone for the day.

“Brad. I was just packing up for the night. Everything’s going well.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and moved into the room. It was a smaller room, small for the lodge anyway, with two plush velvet couches and mood lighting that I’d switched off in favor of harsher overhead lights that made working easier. I just hadn’t been able to talk Devon away from the couches. They had made working a lot more comfortable. I’d give him that.

“Good to hear. You’re working late.” He stood behind the couch I’d been on and smiled. “I’m going to remember this when I recommend you to all of our friends, Maggie.”

The promise of a great recommendation brought a real smile to my face. “Thank you. I really do appreciate that, Brad.”

“Sure. No problem.” He looked at the lights and winced. “Look, I need a favor again. I don’t think I can work under these lights, though.”

An uneasy feeling went up my spine as he flipped the lights, bringing back the mood lighting. Shadows filled the room and created dark corners for privacy. Only I wanted no privacy. “Well, let’s go to the dining hall. We worked well there.”

“I just… I wrote more of my vows. I’m worried that I don’t have them right yet.” Brad frowned as he pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket. “I can’t let Christina down. I know I was being difficult the other night but I accidentally overheard some of her vows and I know I fucked up. I wasn’t taking it seriously. But her vows, Maggie, they’re beautiful.”

My heart sank as I felt myself nodding and motioning towards the couch. I was a hopeless romantic at heart and I could see the fear in Brad’s eyes. I couldn’t turn him away when he was making an effort. No matter how badly I wanted to go get in bed with his older brothers. “Can I read what you’ve got?”

He sat on the other side of the couch as me and crinkled the paper in his hands. “I don’t know. I’m embarrassed.”

“You’re going to have to read it out loud in a few days, Brad, in front of all your family and friends.” I tried to speak gently to him, aware of how scared he looked. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. This is a magical moment between you and Christina. Sure, there’s going to be a room full of people watching, but none of that will matter to her. She’s going to want to hear what’s in your heart.”

“How’d you get so good at this stuff?”

“It’s my job. Plus, I’ve been planning my own wedding since I was still in the single digits. This stuff is important to me.”

He turned his head to face me and frowned. “I’m sorry I didn’t know any of this about you when we were together.”

Sinking into the couch, I shrugged. “Water under the bridge, Brad. Let’s hear those vows now.”

He shook his head and shifted closer to me. Putting his hand on my knee, he searched my face with the most genuine expression I’d ever seen from him. “No, I need to apologize. I was a terrible boyfriend to you. I think I need to say this before I can move on. I took advantage of you and took you for granted. You deserved so much better than me. The only thing I can say about my behavior is that I was stupid and thought I was too young to settle down. You scared me because you felt like forever.”

I patted his hand and gently eased my leg away from his touch. “Well, thank you for apologizing. It wasn’t the nicest relationship but I’m over it. You’re about to marry an amazing woman, Brad. You have nothing to worry about when it comes to a relationship that ended three years ago.”

“I am about to marry Christina. And you’re starting something new, too, aren’t you?” He smiled and leaned back on the couch. “I freaked out but I was just being weird. I knew my brothers all had an unhealthy interest in you when we were together. Seeing you four together brought back those old feelings temporarily. I’m sorry for that.”

I swallowed a lump of nerves and studied his expression. He was being genuine, it seemed. “I never realized they looked at me back then.”

“But you do now.”

I nodded. “Yes. I’m interested in them. I know it’s strange, but your big brothers are great men.”

“You’re interested in them ? Not just one of them?”

I blushed. “I told you it was strange. I do have feelings for all three of them. It’s unusual but I care about them all. If this is weird for you, we don’t need to talk about it. It’s even a little weird for me.”

He turned to face me head on. “It’s just a little hard to see them get what they always wanted when they were always so obvious about it. If you’re happy, though, I’m happy.”

I reached out and lightly touched his shoulder. “Thank you. That means a lot. I feel the same about you, Brad. If you’re happy, I’m happy. Things worked out the way they were supposed to. Now, let’s hear those vows. We’ve got to make sure you wow Christina.”

Brad leaned in and hugged me. “Thank you.”

I awkwardly patted his back and waited for him to let me go. “Of course.”

He pulled back slightly and smiled, the twist of his lips suddenly cruel. “You always were such a fucking fool.”

Before I could pull away, he was on me, his mouth slammed down on mine with enough force to make me whimper in pain.