The Stupid Side of Practical

Chapter 3

Josh tipped the last of his champagne down his throat and immediately reached for another glass from a passing waiter. He had tried his best to convince himself that he wasn't the scum of the universe. This morning through all the running around and getting things together he still couldn't keep his mind clear.

Even as he stood there while Nick and Sheena exchanged vows, Josh had been using all his willpower to stop his eyes from finding Gina.

It was supposed to be the happiest day of Nick's life, his closest, best friend and all he had been able to think about was how deeply he betrayed him.

Nick's baby sister, a pretty baby sister who'd grown into a ravishingly beautiful woman in the time that Josh had blinked. The one woman in the entire world who was beyond off limits, the littlest Costa, the girl he had grown up beside for so long.

If Nick didn't kill him, Louie, Eddie, Ricky or Tony would.

She was wearing a sleeveless, silk red dress, with her glossy dark chocolate hair pulled back in a tight chignon. In his eyes the maid of honor outshone everyone, including his long time obsession, the bride. He couldn't even begin to come to terms with how fucked this situation really was. What the hell was wrong with him?

Was he a magnet for complicated relationships?

Just three days ago he was dealing with having a one-sided crush on his best friend fiancé and now he was coming to terms with the reality that he possibly slept with his best friends' little sister. One kiss and it all came flooding back so fast he nearly drowned.

He was a dead man.

A dead man who wanted to nothing more than to slip his figures up the slit of Gina's red dress just to see the fire and passion light up her eyes one last time.

He needed to get the hell out of here.

The wedding party had moved from the backyard into the restaurant. It was slowly becoming a tradition that all the Costa's siblings be married right here at the restaurant. The wedding dinner was over, the evening celebration was about to start. He made his best man's speech and managed to raise some laughs from the other guest, even the brothers.

The same brothers who would kill him on the spot if only they had known he had a drunken one-night stand with their baby sister.

Instead of relaxing, knowing that his job as a best man was done, Josh was on pins and needles as he drowned his third glass of champagne.

A woman on his far right kept making eyes at him, a stunning woman with a body to die for. And before that kiss he had every intention of getting drunk, finding a woman like her, and losing himself in his sorrows. The place was littered with gorgeous women, and as everyone kept reminding him, they all loved doctors.

Truly, being at this wedding was like being a child in a sweetshop. Only if that were the case than he must have diabetes, because none of the sweets looked even remotely tempting.

Except one. The forbidden one.

Josh rolled his eyes as he shoved a hand inside his pocket. How could he have let things get so out of hand? He could blame it on the wine. He had a lot to drink that night. He could blame it on her. Blame it on being back in Chicago, being homesick. He could blame it on a lot of things, but all the blame was on him.

Gina had been vulnerable. He could clearly tell something was bothering her and instead of being the friend she needed he taken advantage. She might have been the one to instigate that kiss but he should have put a stop to it. He should have been stronger.