"Am I serious? Fuck sake Logan, you have thirty seconds to think about this before I ask you to leave."
Logan took a deep breath and looked around the room. Colin was staring him down, Finn was avoiding eye contact, probably feeling awkward for his part in ruining Colin's morning, Robert was playing with his phone just pretending that he wasn't fully invested in what was going on, actually he was probably texting Juliet about it so she could relay it to Rosemary.
"Fine Colin, I mean fuck, sorry of course today is more important. I will say no more about it today. Truce."
"Shake on it," Colin stated firmly, motioning towards Finn and Logan. Finn quickly moved and offered his hand to Logan. Logan had a final look at Colin, who just raised his eyebrow, before he resignedly took Finn's proffered hand and shook on it.
"Now let's have a drink and get this show on the road," Robert said, finally giving up the pretence of not listening.
Three hours later and the guys were all standing at the altar watching the final guests arrive. Summer was seated about halfway down the congregation beside her in-laws and was looking pretty pissed at what she thought was a snub that she was not part of the wedding party, but Rory Gilmore was. Summer had already been reminded several times by Honor that Rory had gone to and spent most of her college years in both Colin and Stephanie's company.
"Last chance to run, need me to make a diversion?" Finn whispered to Colin from his spot beside Logan at the altar.
"Never," Colin said with certainty, as the music changed and the men turned to watch the beginning of the bridesmaids processional. Rosemary was first down the aisle, she was followed by Rory. Rory instantly made eye contact with Finn and broke out into a shy smile, they maintained eye contact the whole way down the aisle. Next was Juliet, before the music changed and the whole congregation stood to watch Stephanie walk down the aisle in her custom Vera Wang gown.
"Remember to breathe," Logan whispered to Colin, having heard his friend's breath catch as soon as Steph had appeared on her fathers arm.
"She's an angel," Colin whispered back reverently, not once breaking eye contact with his beautiful bride.
The three stooges managed to remain respectful and serious for the length of the ceremony, Colin was blindsided by his brides beauty and incapable of thinking of anything else, Logan was reflecting on this morning and trying to work out if he was being petty or justified, he had originally felt justified but as no one appeared to be on his side he was wondering was he just being petty now. Finn on the other hand had been unable to think of anything but Rory from the second she appeared at the end of the aisle and shyly smiled at him. He couldn't have told anyone what colour Stephanie was even wearing if they asked him. He couldn't believe how lucky he was, aware that in six months it would be them making their vows, Rory and he had barely broken eye contact since she had taken her spot on the altar opposite his.
Before they knew it the Priest was declaring it time for Colin to kiss his bride, which he gratefully did. The bridesmaids and groomsmen all paired up to follow Colin and Steph down the aisle, Juliet and Logan went first as Maid of Honor and Best Man, Rory and Finn were next, followed by Robert and Rosemary.
Finn met his fiance in the centre of the altar with a kiss on the cheek. "You look gorgeous baby," he whispered.
"Thanks, that tux is working for you too," Rory responded, giving him a sideways glance. They were both trying to look sensible while walking down together, keeping their eyes forward with gentle smiles. They knew that there were quite a few sets of eyes watching them carefully as most guests knew that they would be the next in the group to marry.
After the wedding party finished their pictures at the cathedral, Colin and Stephanie broke away to go and get some more private wedding pictures taken before the reception. Logan and Juliet as Maid of Honor, and Best Man accompanied the twosome. The remainder of the group headed towards the Plaza for cocktail hour.
"Thank Fuck Logan shook your hand earlier Finn, I didn't know where to look with that going on." Robert said as they were standing at the bar.
"What happened?" Rory asked, "I hope you and Logan weren't fighting and ruining Colin's morning," she said looking at Finn.
"No, it was all Logan, he was being an ass, so Colin gave him an ultimatum to drop it for the day or step down from Best Man."
"He didn't?" Rory asked, shocked that it had come to that, this morning of all days.
"He did," Robert nodded, "and it was totally justified, if I was Finn I would have knocked Logan out by now."
"I was behaving until today was over, if he pulls any crap after today it will be a different story, but hopefully he is learning from his mistakes." Finn said, taking a casual sip of his scotch, he had his arm wrapped around Rory's waist, drawing casual circles on her hip with his thumb. "Did I tell you how sexy you look in this dress?" Finn whispered into Rory's ear, his tongue grazing her ear.
"What happened to gorgeous?" Rory retorted with a shiver.
"I remembered that the groomsman is supposed to score with the bridesmaid, and I'm hoping that i'm in luck."
"I think that you're onto a sure thing," Rory responded with a smirk, as Finn groaned.
"You're killing me."
"Hey, you pair, other people present," Rosemary said laughing.
"I can't help it, this one smirks at me and all sense goes out the window," Finn says.
"You never had any sense to begin with Finn," Robert retorted as the group laughed.
Before long the group were all watching Colin and Stephanie have their first dance to Ed Sheeran's Thinking out loud. As they watched Colin dip Stephanie and give her a kiss, they heard the DJ announce, "Stephanie and Colin would now like to call their bridal party to the floor to join them for a dance. Stephanie told me that this song choice was a surprise to the group, so if you would like to join your Bride and Groom on the floor for a dance."
"What song did she pick?" Finn asked Rory as he led her by the hand to the floor.
"No idea," Rory replied, as the music started up. Rory laughed as she recognised the song. Finn just looked at her quizzically. "It's 'these are my friends' by lovely the band."
"I've never heard it before."
"Just keep listening and you will understand." Rory hugged Steph and Colin both before going back to dancing with Finn.
"these are my friends, these are my friends
I love them, I love them
We are the weirdos
Inflated egos
The filthy misbehave
The ones you dream of
The ones you can't shake
Living in your brain"
"You get the song choice yet honey?"
"Yes, I agree it's probably the perfect choice for this group." The group continued to dance laughing and joking throughout the song, which made it obvious to everyone attending the wedding, business associates and acquaintances alike, just how close the group was.
Once the song was over the group broke off, Logan went to go claim his wife, the others to the bar. Rory and Finn stayed on the dance floor for another dance.
"Are you having a good time, Kitten?" Finn asked, looking down at Rory as they danced.
"I am, I'm so happy for them Finn, they deserve this, it's such a long time coming."
"Yes, Steph is a saint that she managed to wait this long for him."
"I think she's just a woman in love," Rory said, looking up at her fiance before looking over at the newly married pair.
"That too, baby, that too." Finn kissed the top of her head as they continued to sway to the slow song. "Is it making you want to change our wedding plans?"
"If anything it makes me want to go smaller on our wedding," Rory said, kissing his chest through his tux.
"Whatever you want, I will try and make it happen."
"I know, you already do make it happen. Come on, let's go visit with our friends, there are people here I haven't seen since my final year at Yale." Rory gave Finn a quick kiss before dragging him in the direction of a rowdy group near the bar.
As midnight approached, a slightly tipsy Finn dragged a definitely tipsy Rory towards the dancefloor.
"I need to have you in my arms for a bit without anyone mocking us for being unable to keep our hands to ourselves," he said as he pulled her into his arms to the slow tempo song.
"I like being in your arms, everyone else is just jealous," Rory said, reaching up to ruffle his hair, he now had his bowtie undone and hanging loosely around his neck with the top few buttons of his shirt undone and he had never looked sexier in her eyes. "Did I tell you this tux is working for you already? Because it definitely is, the things I want to do to you when we get back to our room."
"Oh really? Do we need to retire? Cause I can totally fake a headache?" Finn joked.
"If you faked a headache, you might as well wear a sign saying we are going up to have sex."
"There's an idea," Finn said leaning down to kiss his other half unabashedly, most of the elders had left by this point so they didn't have to worry about getting chastised for appearances.
While Rory and Finn were making out and dancing, Logan and Summer had joined the group. Summer was making small talk with the girls, as much as she tried she had never quite managed to merge seamlessly into their group. Logan was trying to subtly watch Finn and Rory. Robert watched Logan for a minute before nudging him.
"They are really happy, she is good for him and he treats her like an angel. They both worried for months about how you would handle it, Rory refused to date him if he thought it would interfere with your friendship. You know what Finn told her?"
"What did he say?" Logan asked apprehensively.
"He said that it had been a long time, you and he had been friends for so long, and that you were married now. He told her he thought that after the initial shock you would be happy for them, to see how happy they were, or at that time could be."
"Finn really thought that I'd be happy he was sleeping with the only girl I loved?" Logan asked in shock.
"I'd keep that quiet your wife is six feet away. Logan, yes you loved her but not enough to keep it in your pants or to treat her right. If you really loved her, you would want her to be happy and with someone who adores her. Finn would do anything for her, and she would do anything for him. Just watch them, watch how they interact. Yes you had her first, but those two out there dancing and singing along to Maroon five? They were meant to be."
With that statement Robert walked away, leaving Logan looking at the couple on the floor. He took a gulp of his scotch and stopped to watch how they interacted as Robert suggested. What he saw was a couple dancing like they were the only two people in the room even though there were probably still easily two hundred people around. Neither could stop touching each other, but not even in a sexual way. It was subtle, sensual and spoke of a couple in love. Even just observing the intimacy made him want to turn away, it made him feel like a voyeur.
"Fuck," he whispered to himself, I'm going to have to get over this if I want to keep my friends. He gulped down the rest of his scotch and went to his wife's side.
"Will you do me the honour of this dance Mrs Huntzberger?"
"Of course," Summer said, and allowed herself to be led to the dancefloor. "Not that I'm complaining Logan, but what has brought this on?"
"I had a few home truths pointed out to me today. I'm going to have to think about them but I'm going to start by trying to be a better husband. I know we didn't go into this marriage in the traditional manner, and I think it's time that I stopped holding that against you. Summer you are a good wife, and I want to court you and see if we can turn this marriage of circumstance into a marriage of love. What do you say?" Logan was watching his wife nervously as they swayed on the dance floor.
Summer looked at her husband, he was saying everything she had wanted from him since their relationship had begun, she decided to go for broke with her next sentence. "Logan, if you want to start fresh and try and court me, I have one request, actually it's more of a dealbreaker."
"What is it? I really want to try this."
"I need to be your only. The California girl, and the London girl need to go, and I'm pretty sure your secretary needs to go for the same reason. Don't deny it, I'm not naive, I've known all along and almost accepted it, but if you want me to try and fall for you. Well, then I need to know I am the only woman in your life."
"Shit Summer, I'm so sorry, I will make it up to you, please just give me a chance." Logan asked his wife, he was looking earnestly into her eyes trying to show how serious he was.
"Six months Logan, you have six months. If I hear that you have cheated on me in those six months I will walk. I try to be a perfect wife, and I think, no, I know I deserve more than I am getting right now."
"I'm so sorry Summer, you are right. Thank you for giving me a chance." Logan bent his head and gave his wife a gentle kiss, pulling her head onto his shoulder as they swayed to the slow song.
