Free Bedding the Best Man by Yvette Hines Page B

the song and I wasn’t one for rap
music, but I didn’t want the doctor to think I was
lame--unexciting.
    “ Absolutely.” I gave my
aunt a kiss on the cheek and left with him.
    Moving alongside me, he led us into the
crowd of dancers. I kept my moves sexy but tamed, I was on a dance
team in college and I knew how to work the floor, but with all of
my family around, I wasn’t going to embarrass them, or myself.
    Patrick had moves, too. I enjoyed dancing
with him.
    When the song ended, the wedding coordinator
was at the microphone announcing it was toasting time.
    We cleared the dance floor with everyone
else.
    “ Thanks for the dance.” I
gave him my best smile, hoping he was getting the message that I
was interested in him.
    “ My pleasure.” He winked
at me. One of his frat brothers called out to him and he excused
himself.
    I wasn’t concerned, there were plenty more
dances tonight. I hoped our next one would be a slow song.
    Moving to the head table, I took my seat
between the bride’s cousin and her little sister, whom I’d had a
chance to get to know during the week leading up to the
wedding.
    The coordinator called Sara, the maid of
honor, to the stage. I took the glass of champagne the waiter held
out to me as I listened to her talk about being there when Faith
and my brother first met. The woman was funny in her speech and had
everyone laughing.
    When Sara was finished, we all raised our
glasses and toasted the couple. I drank some of the expensive
bubbly.
    The maid of honor handed Travis the
microphone. He stood center stage looking comfortable before the
large audience. I always pictured him in a dark room only
illuminated by the glow of several computer monitors. A social
phobic like the movies always portrayed. However, that’s not what
Travis exuded. I shoved aside the image of the teenager I knew and
looked at him with the eyes of the other women in the room who
didn’t know anything but the man that stood before them.
    His voice was deep and smooth. I could
imagine a voice like his whispering naughty things to a woman at
night. It would be as inciting and intoxicating as aged scotch. The
thought caused my body to heat up as if I’d actually drank some of
the potent alcohol. I crossed my legs and sipped more
champagne.
    “ Ronnie and I have been
friends for years. We met in the seventh grade. I’ll say we were a
pretty odd pair. He’s black, I’m white. He was a star community
basketball player and eventually at our high school too. Me, I was
a little nerdy.”
    A sharp laugh broke from my lips. Everyone
turned to me. Shocked at my outburst, I slunk low in my seat.
    Damn it. I could see my mother at the parent table shaking
her head at me. I could almost hear her thoughts ‘Don’t embarrass
us, Kamari.’
    Looking away from her disapproving gaze, I
focused my attention back to Travis, hoping the rest of the guests
would do the same.
    Travis had a small smile on his face as he
looked at me. I was glad he didn’t look offended; I wasn’t trying
to hurt his feelings.
    “ No worries everyone.
Kamari knew me then and is just verifying that my words are true.
Ronnie and I are different. However, Ronnie looked beyond all of
that difference and accepted and supported me. I’m not a woman, but
if he isn’t the kind of guy that will make a perfect husband for
Faith, I don’t know what is? I hope when I finally have the woman I
love, I’m half the man he is.” Travis shifted his gaze from the
crowd to my brother and his bride. “So, Faith, you have a stand-up
guy who is dependable and kind hearted to a fault. Blessings and
best wishes on your future.”
    “ To the Bride and Groom!”
The room cheered as they held their glasses high.
    I found myself gulping down my drink.
Travis’ speech had caused my body to start tingling all over and my
heart was racing. Something about his sincere honesty about who he
was and his relationship with my brother had me close to tears.
    In my angst against the