Falling in Love Backwards

It started with a Wedding

I never thought that I would be standing here, staring at the love of my life as he lovingly says 'I do'.

Then I barely heard the preacher say 'you may now kiss your bride' before his lips descended for the kiss, and it was sweet and chaste. So perfectly innocent and yet there was passion. Everyone clapped and cheered as the preacher announced the ceremony complete. Once all the noise had settled, we all moved up the hill to the building behind the house where the reception would be held. I smiled and greeted the groom's brother Kade as I passed him. He looked tired of the whole situation and tired of the tuxedo that made him look so handsome.

"You're next, you know." I teased him, flashing an equally tired smile.

"You wish." He said winking before moving to congratulate his older brother, Duke. I watched them laugh and tease each other, the way brothers do.

Kade was tall and lean, but not in that athletic way that some guys are, he was muscular in the way that a farm boy would be. Like he had spent all his life working outside in the elements, letting the sun turn his skin golden and letting the work harden him. So different from Duke, who was just as tall, but was paler and had softer hands. Duke was the lead guitarist in a band, he grew his beard longer than most his age and he wasn't as lean as his younger brother. Yet I loved him anyways, in spite of or because of these characteristics I couldn't say.

"Paige says I'll be next, can you believe that?" I heard Kade ask his brother incredulously, smirking just the same, making Duke grin at him knowingly.

"Next for what? To be married? That'll be the day."

"Wow thanks bro, next time tell me how you really feel." Kade grumbled, his annoyance evident in his stance.

"Sorry, man. It's just that you never could keep a girl for more than a few weeks." He shrugged apologetically before moving away to mingle with the many guests.

I immediately shifted my stance so that my eavesdropping didn't look so obvious, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Kade approach me with a smirk on his handsome face.

"Dance with me, little eavesdropper." He whispered into my ear, and before I could deny it or refuse his offer he took me in his arms and twirled me around, before pulling me close and swaying gently. "Still think I'm next?"

"Most definitely."

"You sound so sure," His gaze turned distant, maybe he was thinking about the future or maybe he was thinking about someone special. "And yet Duke sounds so sure that I could never keep a woman happy long enough to even ask."

"Maybe he just doesn't know you the way that I do, Kade. For instance, he doesn't know that despite your macho facade, that his doubt actually hurt you." He seemed almost surprised at my comment, but quickly hid it, and instead spun me around and dipped me before pulling me closer to him. Our bodies were pressed close and I could smell his cologne, and something else.

"Have you been drinking?"

"In your own words 'most definitely'." He smirked crookedly, chuckling at his own joke. I should have known. Leave it to Kade to show up to his own brother's wedding already drunk."

"I can't believe you!" I exclaimed, "Were you drunk through the whole ceremony?" I asked slightly curious.

"I started at ten this morning."

"But the wedding started at seven at night?!" I knew my eyes must have been wide with shock because he chuckled again. "How are you even standing?!"

He grinned at me and whispered into my ear, "I have a very high alcohol tolerance, Darlin'." And as the song ended and couples started to disperse, he slowly released me and sighed. He must have been happy that the song was finally over, because he quickly moved away towards the keg of beer setting in a corner surrounded by men.