A Day in the Life of...

Kiss the Bride- Justin Haley

(Requested by jhn245)

Justin stared at the wedding invitation that had been attached to his refrigerator for the last three weeks. He had knew it was coming, but it hit him like a ton a bricks when he pulled it out of his mailbox. She was getting married. And it wasn't to him. Hannah Graham was his best friend since they met in the 1st grade. Hannah was new to school and Justin was the first kid in their class to introduce himself to her. They had been inseparable ever since. They had moved from Indiana to North Carolina together: Justin to pursue racing in NASCAR while Hannah attended college. Justin had also been the one to foolishly introduce Hannah to her now husband-to-be, Jace.  He had spent too long denying his feelings for Hannah until it has been too late. Now, Justin was helping her with the finishing touches for her wedding, being uncomfortable at their engagement party, and every other social event that had
"Get a grip, Justin." He told himself, forcing himself to turn away from the fridge. As he walked into the living room, Justin's phone went off. It was Hannah.

SOS

"Shit." He dialed her number and waited for her to answer.
"JJ!" Hannah said as soon as she answered. Justin could tell something was wrong in her voice.
"What's wrong, Nan?"
"I really need your help, JJ! The caterer just called and told me that I have to pick a different dish for the dinner and I have zero clue what to pick. Can you come with me and help?"
"Where's Jace?" Justin asked, already knowing the answer. It was the answer he always got when Hannah asked for his help.
"Jace is out of town for a few days." Of course he was. "Please, JJ. You're the only person I trust."
"Where do you want me to meet you?"
"Just come pick me up at my apartment."
"I'll be there in a few." Justin hung up before grabbing his keys off the counter. No matter how many times he wanted to say no, Justin just couldn't. He wanted as much time with Hannah as he could. As he got into his car, his phone started to ring. It was AJ. Even after leaving Kaulig, Justin and AJ remained close. "Hello?"
"Justin! What are you doing right now? We're about to head out on the water. Come join us!"
"I wish I could, but..."
"Hannah called and asked for your help, didn't she?"
"Yeah. Jace is out of town and..."
"That asshole is always out of town. At what point are you going to tell him off?"
"AJ..."
"Hannah has you wrapped around her finger and she doesn't even know it."
"That's not true."
"What does she need your help with this time?" AJ asked as Justin turned down Hannah's street to her apartment.
"New choice for dinner."
"Jesus. You have to get yourself out of that situation, son. You need to tell her how you feel."
"I can't, AJ. The wedding is in three weeks. Everything has been paid for, some of it is nonrefundable. I can't do that to Jerry and Amy."
"Just continue to torture yourself. I'll talk to you later." AJ hung up as Justin pulled up to Hannah's building. He knew AJ was right, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Hannah seemed happy with Jace and he'd hate to be the one to mess it up. Hannah came bounding out of the door and into his car before Justin could even get out to get her.
"Thank you so much for doing this for me. I'm just so stressed out and..." Hannah let out a sigh. "Thank you, JJ."
"Has Jace helped with anything yet?"
"Kinda, I mean..."
"I think I've helped you more than he has and I'm not the one getting married."
"JJ, please. Can we just..." Hannah gestered with her hands for him to move the car.
"Yeah." Justin put the car in drive and headed towards the caterer. Hannah spent the entire drive texting, more than likely with Jace. Justin pulled up to their destination before they both got out of the car. "They tell you your options or..."
"Yeah, but I'm not exactly sure which one I want." Hannah replied as Justin held the door open for her.
"Hannah! Jace! So nice to see you!"
"This isn't Jace. This is my friend, JJ."
"Nice to meet you, JJ."
"You can call me Justin."
"JJ helps me when Jace can't." Justin held back an eye roll.
"Okay, let's get started, shall we?"
***
He didn't know why he was doing it, but there he was. Getting ready to go out for Hannah and Jace's joint Bachelor and Bachelorette party. They were going to Hannah's favorite karaoke bar. He knew Jace didn't want to, but somehow she got him to agree. AJ gave him the third degree for the last week, Justin knowing he deserved every second of it. Justin shoved his wallet and phone into his back pockets before heading out the door. Hannah had sent him a text to tell him she was excited for him to join them. Justin sent one back saying the same. He hated lying to her, but Justin didn't want to upset her. He had gotten to his car when he phone started to ring. It was AJ.
"I really hope you're not on your way to that party."
"You already know the answer, AJ." AJ let out a heavy sigh. "I can't disappoint her."
"You do it by torturing yourself by being around the two of them." Justin pulled out of his space and headed towards the bar.
"I want her to be happy and she's happy with him. I'm not messing that up." They talked for a few more minutes before they hung up. When Justin pulled into the bar parking lot, he could tell he was the last one to arrive. The party was in full swing when Justin walked in. Hannah was up on the stage singing a Spice Girls song with her bridesmaids. Jace, of course, was nowhere to be found. Justin  went over to the bar and ordered a drink.
"Justin, you made it." Justin turned to Cole, Hannah's brother. "Hannah said you were coming."
"Wouldn't miss it." He said, paying the bartender for his drink.
"You're a good man, Haley."
"Thanks?"
"Not a lot of guys would be doing what you've been doing."
"I'll always be there to help her out."
"Just wish Jace wasn't such a douche." Justin looked at Cole. "What?"
"Didn't know you felt that way about him."
"How can you not? He didn't even want to do this with Hannah. She had to beg and let him take a solo trip after their wedding to get him to do this."
"Are you kidding me?"
"I wish I was. Hannah needs to take the rose-colored glasses off and get that man in line." Justin looked over at Hannah, who had finished her song and was now dancing with the girls.
"Where is Jace?"
"Pronably chasing some tail in the back of the bar so Hannah can't see." Justin nearly choked on his drink.
"Excuse me?"
"You really think he's been faithful to her? I've told her and she tells me I'm wrong." Justin looked back at Hannah. She looked happy, carefree. Not totally aware of how much of a douche her soon-to-be husband.
"I'm going to the bathroom." Justin said before heading to the back of the bat. He rounded the corner to the bathrooms when he found it. Or him rather. With his hands and mouth on someone that wasn't his fiancée. "Well then." Jace pulled away from the blonde.
"Haley."
"Thatcher."
"I should probably leave." The blonde said before scurrying away.
"I didn't think..."
"You're not going to say anything to Hannah, Justin."
"Give me one good reason not to."
"She won't believe you. If she won't believe her own brother..."
"How long have you been doing this?"
"A while. Guys like me don't stay in relationships."
"Why are you marrying her?"
"Why not? She's hot. And honestly kind of dumb." Justin took a step towards him.
"She's not."
"She kind of is if she hasn't realized what's going on. Nothing you can say or do is going to change this, Haley." Justin turned on his heel, heading back to the bar.
"JJ!" Hannah called out.
"I can't stay, Nan."
"What is going on?"
"I just can't." Justin gave her a kiss on her cheek before leaving the bar.
***
Justin check his tie for the fifth time in the same amount of minutes. Today was the day. Hannah was getting married. She had been blowing up his phone for the last few days, trying to figure out what had happened at the bar. Justin didn't answer. He honestly didn't know how to explain it to her. Jace was right. She wasn't going to believe him, especially since she never believed her own brother. He checked his tie one last time before heading out the door. Justin used the drive to the church to convince himself that he was doing the right thing by going to the wedding. Could he handle watching her marry someone else? Justin shook all the thoughts away as he got to the church. He sat in his car, willing himself to get out. He didn't know how long he sat there before he heard a tap on his window. It was Cole. Justin got out of his car.
"You decided to show."
"I don't know why. I don't think I can watch her marry that douche."
"Neither can I. Listen, Hannah wanted to know when you showed up. She wants to talk to you."
"Shit."
"Good luck. She's downstairs." Justin only nodded before heading inside. He took the stairs to his right.
"Justin! You came!" Justin smiled at Helena, Hannah and Cole's mom.
"I did. Couldn't miss it. Cole said Hannah wanted to talk to me."
"She's in the other room. Go right ahead." Justin smiled before heading to the small room where Hannah was. He knocked, hearing a 'come in' before he entered.
"Nan." Hannah turned to face him. She took the breath right out of his lungs in her wedding dress.
"JJ!"
"Cole said you wanted to talk to me."
"Yes. What is going on?"
"What do you mean?"
"You left the bar with zero warning, Justin. Couldn't even explain as to why you did."
"Nan..."
"What is going on with you, JJ?"
"You really want to know?"
"I wouldn't be standing here asking you?"
"You really don't know, do you?"
"What the hell is going on, JJ!?"
"I'm in love with you, Hannah!" Hannah was taken aback by his declaration.
"What?"
"Hannah, I have been in love with you since the 1st grade and obviously you didn't know at all."
"JJ..."
"And your soon-to-be husband is a sleezeball and has been cheating on you since day one. Saw him at the bar with some stupid looking blonde."
"JJ..."
"I know this is terrible timing on my part, but I can't let you marry that douchebag without knowing how I felt about you. I love you, Hannah. I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you, but I do."
"It's my wedding day."
"I know, I'm sorry."
"It's my wedding day!" Hannah sobbed.
"Nan..."
"Don't."
"I'm sorry. I'm going to leave now."
"JJ..."
"You don't need me here do so something stupid. Get married, Nan." Justin grabbed her arm and gave it a light squeeze. "Goodbye."
Justin turned and left her alone. He didn't say anything to Helena as he headed up the stairs and he sure as hell didn't say anything to Cole on his way out of the church. He headed home to wallow in his self pity. He did, however, make a stop for something to help drown himself in his self pity.  He had on cracked open before he even left his car in his space. Justin headed inside to get out this damn monkey suit he put on for her. Justin changed into a t-shirt and shorts, plopping down on his couch. He couldn't believe he finally told Hannah how he felt. Justin didn't know how long he sat there when he heard a knock on his door.
"Coming!" Justin pulled himself off his couch. The knock continued, much to Justin's annoyance. "I said I was coming!" Justin opened his door to find Hannah standing in her wedding dressed. "Nan."
"You love me."
"Nan."
"You told me that you love me, JJ." Hannah walked past him into his house. "You told you that you love me and then you left."
"I didn't want to ruin your big day..."
"I am standing in your house in my wedding dress, JJ. What the hell do yoi think happened?"
"Nan..."
"I couldn't do it. After everything you told me and what Gigi told me..."
"What did Gigi tell you?"
"She saw Jace with that blonde. I wanted to ignore what people were saying, but..."
"Nan..."
"Why didn't you tell me how you felt years ago?"
"I honestly don't know, Nan." Justin watched Hannah as she bit her bottom lip.
"Kiss me, JJ."
"What?"
"Kiss me. I want to know something." Justin didn't have enough time to answer her before Hannah's lips were on his. Justin melted into her, putting his hands on her hips. Kissing her was better than he could have imagined.
"Nan..." He said against her lips.
"JJ..." Time stood still as they continued to kiss. He loved the taste of her hips and how her body reacted to his. When they finally pulled apart, Justin leaned his forehead against hers. "That was..."
"I know."
"Do we give this a shot?"
"Nan..."
"I have had feelings for you for a long time and I want to see if this can go anywhere. Can we do that." Justin pressed another kiss to her lips. He honestly couldn't stop doing it.
"Of course. Anything for you."