Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 136

BRAYDON’S POV

“You do realize you’re about to become a different man, right?” Logan asks as I adjust my

bow tie for what feels like the hundredth time.

“Different how?” I reply, raising an eyebrow.

“You lose your freedom once you get married, what else?” Austin chimes in with his usual grin. “Before marriage, you answer to your mother. After? You answer to your wife. Or don’t tell me you actually believe that lie about men being the leaders of the home?”

They all chuckle, and I can’t help but fight a smile, even though my chest is hammering.

We’re in one of the prep rooms at Villa Balbiano, overlooking the lake. Outside, the terrace gleams under the cool weather, where I’ll soon stand at the altar, waiting for Katy. I’d imagined this day in a thousand ways, rehearsed it in my mind countless times but nothing could have prepared me for how it feels to know it’s actually happening.

My heart feels like it’s about to leap out of my chest. I feel light as a feather, and everything around me seems brighter, more colorful than it should. My groomsmen are here, all ready and half of them are my teammates from Montreal. Funny how life works.

“My wife won’t let me have a dog,” Jude says, snagging my attention. “She hates pets, so to compensate, she lets me visit pet parks and play with them. And also lets me come home still smelling like a dog.”

I can’t help but laugh. They’re swapping stories about married life, but all I can think about is Katy, walking down the aisle toward me.

“Maybe this is why I’d stay a free man,” Luke grins. “I can’t be tied down so early.”

“You just haven’t found anyone willing to stick around,” Martin counters, and they all chuckle. “Thanks to Cooper, I’m thinking of turning my life around. Seems to pay off.”

“Or you’d just knock someone up like Zach,” Luke fires back. “Might not always be lucky like Cap, though.”

Even after two years since graduation, Luke still hasn’t dropped the Cap title. Not even on my wedding day.

“How many kids do you want?” Leo pats my back.

“As many as my wife wants.”

They all nod in agreement. “Words of a wise man,” Austin says.

Just as I touch my cufflink for the third time, Justin walks in. His eyes scan the room before locking on mine. “She’s ready.”

My heart slams against my chest. It’s finally time.

“I’ll see her there,” I tell him.

He runs a hand over his black suit jacket, straightens his tie, and disappears as quickly as he came.

“Time to gain another brother in our cult,” Austin chimes, rising to his feet. He tugs at his bowtie, his eyes flicking to me with a smirk. “Ready, Coops? No backing out now.”

I inhale deeply, nodding once. “Let’s do this.”

We step out onto the terrace, and for a moment, I let myself take it all in. Villa Balbiano stretches along the lake, fountains sparkling in the sun, and gardens alive with color and fragrance. The terrace is lined with white chairs, silk ribbons fluttering gently in the breeze. At the far end, a floral arch frames the water, its gentle waves shimmering exactly like Katy described to the wedding planner.

My groomsmen fall into formation beside me, the priest standing quietly behind. My eyes lock on the path Katy will walk, and suddenly every other sound fades.

Guests are settling into their seats, murmuring softly, and glancing at the terrace and the gardens. Family is on one side, though there’s not much of either of us: Bryan and a few of my mother’s relatives are here. On her side, Katy has friends like Lucy, Mrs. Katherine, and a handful of others whose flights we covered so they could be here. adjust my tie again, feeling the nervous energy twisting in my stomach.

Then the music starts, and I straighten my shoulders, my pulse picking up.

After what feels like an eternity of waiting, her bridesmaids begin walking down the aisle with their dusty pink dresses and bouquet. One by one, they glide past the rows of guests, and finally, Allie, her maid of honor, walks last.

At the top of the aisle, Justin appears, guiding Katy and my breath catches in my throat.

I’ve imagined this moment many times but none of it… none of it comes close to her.

Her dress…oh, her dress glides over the terrace stones, the lace tracing her curves, and sunlight catching subtle embroidery that shimmers with every sway. My heart lurches, threatening to leap from my chest.

But it’s not just the dress. It’s her. She’s ethereal. My wife. She’s beautiful in a way that stops time with her small nervous smile I can see through the veil. She’s more breathtaking than I ever imagined, more radiant than any dream, more real than any fantasy.

I blink, and a tear slips down my cheek. Damn it. I bet Logan a thousand bucks I wouldn’t cry, and I’ve already lost. But I can’t stop. It’s the awe of seeing the woman I love, the woman who has already owned my heart for so long now walking into my life forever.

She draws closer, and each step feels like it’s taking forever. Everything else blurs away and seriously, it’s like we’re the only two people on this terrace. Finally, Justin stops at the altar. He gives her hand a gentle squeeze, then kisses her forehead. I catch the pride in his eyes, and I know without him saying a word: he’s handing me his world. I nod, hoping he knows I’d be buried a thousand times over before she ever gets hurt.

I step forward. My fingers brush hers, and just like the first time we practiced holding hands, sparks shoot through me.

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