Pushing up the window Nick popped out the screen, a gust of cool air smacking him in the face.
Tossing one lanky leg over the windowsill he pulled himself up into the window, balancing his body on the ledge before turning, his other leg caught at an awkward angle as he carefully maneuvered himself out onto the narrow ledge of the church.
Stumbling slightly he tightened his grip on the window sill almost tumbling backwards to the ground below.
“Fucking shit Carter is that you up there?” Turning slowly Nick leaned against the building his palms splayed out on the bricks his head tilted slightly forward to see who was speaking at him from the ground below.
“A.J.?” He hissed.
“What the hell are you doing?” Tossing his cigarette to the grass A.J. ground his heel on it.
“You’re not supposed to be smoking.” Nick scolded his highly polished shoes gleaming in the morning sun.
“Yeah well you’re not supposed to be climbing out a second story window on your wedding day.”
Leaning forward slightly Nick closed his eyes and jumped hoping that the hydrangea bush below would break his fall.
* * *
“He’ll change his mind, he’ll stay with her.” Howie sat with Kevin and Brian on the steps of the sanctuary as the guests milled about trying to pass the time, everybody hoping to a speedy resolution to a young groom’s sudden indecision.
“No way, he won’t change his mind. If he does he’s a fool.” Chewing on his fingernails Kevin scanned the crowd for his wife. He knew that Beth was probably feeding the baby in the bathroom, Mallory always had the worst timing when it came to being hungry.
“Okay so you guys wanna place a bet on it.” Leaning in Brian had a wicked grin on his face.
“What’s the bet?” Howie asked with a smile.
“If he stays with her, like Howie here thinks that he will. Then Howie wins that Rolex he’s been eyeing at Fairbanks Jewelers.”
“Sounds fair to me.” Howie flipped out his wrist picturing the Rolex with its diamond studs winking up at him.
“And if he loses?” Interested in the stakes Kevin turned his attention to his two friends.
“If I lose,” Howie jumped in “And Nick skips town like Kevin thinks he will. Then Brian here,” Poking a finger into Brian’s chest Howie continued. “Brian here has to woo the jilted bride and make her his girlfriend for one month.”
“Classic!” Kevin cackled
“No way.” Brian shook his head. “There is no way I’m going to make that she-devil my girlfriend. Not even for some stupid bet.”
“You have to, you said you wanted to bet.” Spotting Beth making her way back down the aisle Kevin knew he would have to move fast or his wife would surely know the three men were up to something.
“No way, this bet is between you and Howie.” Brian shook his head.
“Well Kevin can’t make her his girlfriend, he’s married. You have to do it, you’re his cousin therefore you have to stand in when he can’t fulfill a bet.” Nodding Howie tossed out a hand.
“Yup, he’s got you there Bri. The rulebook clearly states when someone can’t fulfill a bet his cousin must stand in and do his bidding. So Howie you have yourself a bet.” Placing his hand in Howie’s Kevin and Howie gave two firm shakes.
“What’s going on?” Walking up the steps Beth handed off Mallory to her father before sitting beside her husband.
“Nothing Beth.” Howie grinned patting his Goddaughter on the head.
“It looked like you guy’s were making some kind of bet?” Never one to be fooled Beth narrowed her eyes at Brian noticing how quickly he looked away.
“Nope, we weren’t doing anything of the sort sweetie.” Leaning back Kevin placed a kiss on his beautiful wife’s lips. “We were all just saying that we would support Nick one hundred percent no matter what choice he makes.”
* * *
“Are you okay?” Walking to the hydrangea bush A.J. reached for Nick’s hand as it shot out from between the thick branches.
“Oh shit, my back.” Nick groaned as A.J. pulled him up, spitting a mouthful of blossoms to the ground.
“You know you can’t fly right?” A.J. moved back as Nick pushed his way out of the overgrown bush.
“Very funny. Look I gotta get out of here can I borrow your car?” Wiping the blossoms and leaves from his clothes Nick glanced around nervously before heading off in the direction of the parking lot.
“Hell no you can’t use my car. I just bought that thing, I’m not going to have you disappearing God knows where with it.” Following Nick across the parking lot the two men wound there way in and out of Mercedes, SUV’s, Bentley’s and Porsches.
“Besides if your nasty fiancé’ in there finds you she’ll take a baseball bat to you and to the car, so I’d prefer you were driving one of your own vehicles.”
“Yeah well she ain’t gonna find me.” Nick put his hands up to his face looking in the windows of cars, hoping that someone might have left their keys dangling in the ignition.
“Are you seriously going to steal a car?” Following closely behind A.J. laughed. “She’ll for sure find you if you steal a car. She’ll find you in jail.”
“Okay fine.” Turning to face his friend A.J. could see the panic in Nick’s eyes. “So my only other choice is that you give me your car.” Thrusting out his hand Nick tried to smile. “Please help me A.J., you’re my only hope.”
“Jesus what is this Star Wars?” Rolling his eyes A.J. gazed wistfully across the parking lot at his shining new black Hummer and then back into the pathetic puppy dog eyes of his young friend.
“Okay, here’s the deal. I’ll let you take the Hummer-” Spinning on his heel Nick took off in a fast jog for A.J.’s car.
“Give me the keys, give me the the keys.” Thrusting his hand back like a relay racer waiting for the baton Nick grabbed for the door handle to the Hummer on the fly.
“I wasn’t finished talking yet.” Coming up behind Nick A.J. pushed the car alarm waiting for the two quick beeps before the car doors unlocked.
“What, what, what.” Pulling himself up and into the drivers seat Nick began adjusting the rearview mirror and seat. “A.J. I haven’t got all day. She’s gonna figure out I climbed out that window and she is going to be out for blood. Unless you want to see me dead you better hurry."
“What I was going to say before I was so rudely interrupted is that I’ll let you take the Hummer on one condition. You have to take me with you.”
* * *
“Okay where is he?” Storming up the aisle of the sanctuary Callie's voice echoed off of the arched ceiling.
All heads turned at the roar of her voice.
“This is your fault.” Storming forward, looking like Freddie Krueger in a wedding dress Callie bared her claws pointing a finger at Howie.
“Look Callie.” He began standing up from his place on the stairs. “It’s not what you think.”
“Then what is it? He said you told him I’m mean!” Advancing quickly Howie had no time to move. “I AM NOT MEAN!!” She screamed doubling up her fist and swinging with all her might.
One punch and Howie spun to the side falling backwards into Kevin’s lap as the crowd gasped.
“You better find him and you better find him now, because if it is the last thing I do I will be Mrs. Nickolas Gene Carter!”
* * *
Howie, Kevin and Brian broke through the doors of the church into the fresh air just in time to see A.J.’s black Humvee laying two tracks of rubber out of the parking lot before turning sharply onto the street.
Through the driver’s side window they saw an arm clad in a tuxedo shirt, cuffs flapping in the breeze toss them a wave before the car disappeared out of site.