Free Bouquet Toss by Melissa Brown Page A

Mayson does.
    “No, it’s the strangest thing.  Honestly, aside from the first few that I caught, I deliberately tried not to catch the damn things.  It’s like they had minds of their own.”
    “Or your friends are trying to mess with you.” Mayson is such a theorist. I have a feeling he won’t drop this conversation until he feels he’s reached a plausible explanation for my extraordinary talent.
    “Well, considering I wasn’t friends with every single bride, I don’t know about that theory, Mayse.  It’s simply an odd gift, or curse, depending upon how you view it.”
    “Well, now I can’t wait to watch the bride toss her bouquet tonight.  I have to see what happens,” Mayson teases.
    “Hmm, maybe I’ll need to visit the ladies room when the DJ announces the toss,” I ponder, smiling at the road in front of me.
    “Oh no, you don’t!” Mayson tickles me on the leg, “I need to see this firsthand!  You can’t avoid it!  I’m fascinated now and want a good show!”
    Sure enough, three hours later, Mayson and I are enjoying a couple of glasses of wine when it’s time for the garter and bouquet tosses.  I groan.
    “Show time!” Mayson laughs, pulling me towards the dance floor.
    First is the garter toss.  All single men are asked to come to the dance floor.  When Mayson does not budge, I glare at him.
    “What?” he asks incredulously.
    “I’m not going to suffer alone,” I tease. “Get your ass out there!”
    “Oh,” he says, “Right, I guess I’d better take one for the team.”
    Mayson strolls confidently towards the rest of the single men on the dance floor.  He’s cool, collected, and grinning like hell at me.  Phillip seductively strips Janna of her garter and tosses it over his shoulder.  It lands right in Mayson’s hands.  I turn a hundred shades of pink. I can even feel my toes blushing.
    Mayson twirls it in his fingers, gives me a naughty grin and says, “I guess it’s official.  You’re sharing your curse.”
    “Holy crap!”  Shocked, I stare at the dainty piece of fabric with an adorable blue charm.  “Now, get your sexy ass out there and see if you can avoid the bouquet.  I’ve gotta say, though, I don’t see that happening!” Mayso n smiles.  He’s teasing me, so I decide to give it right back to him.
    “What makes you think I’m going to avoid it this time? Maybe I want to catch it now.”  I am no longer the one who’s blushing.  Mayson glances at the floor and then glances back at me.  For some reason, his eyes look conflicted.  Perhaps I’ve g one too far.
    “I dare you, ” he says boldly, staring me straight in the eye.  My knees feel weak.  He has called my bluff. I didn’t expect that at all.  Could it be that Mayson is falling as hard for me as I am for him?  Is it possible that he isn’t afraid of a future with me?  Or is he just being a royal, stubborn pain in the ass?  I assume it’s the latter and head towards the other single ladies congregating behind the bride.  It is a big group this time and I secretly wish there was less competition to worry about. 
    At the last second, I decide to purposely avoid the bundle of flowers and take a couple of steps back, but I’m pushed forward quickly by a couple of giggling teenage girls, just dying to get the bouquet so that they can marry Edward, or Jacob or whoever they’re arguing about. 
    Janna tosses the bouquet in the air.  The woman in front of me jumps up like she’s going to spike a volleyball, reaching as high as she can.  The flowers spring from her fingertips and tumble down, bouncing off the shoulder of a bridesmaid.  The air in my lungs escapes me as the bouquet finally lands perfectly in my hands.  In shock, I have to grab the base of the handle before it tumbles to the ground. I don’t want the teenagers to rumble.
    Not knowing whether to feel triumphant or sheepish, I walk towards my date holding the beautiful batch of hot pink gerbera daisies in my