Breaking Boundaries (5th in Breaking Series)

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

Nick couldn't stop pacing and fidgeting. He had never been the type to fidget but hell it wasn't every day that a man got married! Oh God what if something went wrong? What if someone said something bad about him and Aiden and ruined this day for Aiden?

Nick would kill them, that was what. He'd put a .45 bullet right between their eyes and then he'd.......

"Are you listening?"

Nick turned his head toward Susie and saw her watching him with concern. Had she been talking? "Sorry, Susie," he shook his head, "I'm a bit distracted today."

She smiled brightly and laid her hand on his arm, "I understand. I was saying that Wendell wants you standing up with him while he gets married so just as soon as he and Kaitlyn are finished, LeRoy and Ryder will take George's place, you'll move to Wendell's and Aiden....."

"Ryder?" Nick questioned, "Why is Ryder moving to George's place with LeRoy?"

Susie bit her lip and folded her hands in front of her, "Because he wants to help with the ceremony."

Nick could see a million ways that could go wrong and it only caused his worry to increase. He saw Ryder beside the refreshment table, greeting the guests as they arrived at the ranch. He was bowing and waving his arms, directing folks to their seats as if he was conducting an orchestra, "That's..uh.. nice, I reckon," Nick mumbled.

"It'll be just fine, Nick.... I hope," Susie frowned as she glanced at her overly animated husband, "He means well."

"I know," Nick sighed. "It was real nice of you to do this for me and Aiden, Susie. Especially since we ain't really family."

Susie whipped her head around and her blue eyes were filled with real hurt, "Of course you are! Family isn't always blood, Nick. Besides, I think Brody has adopted Aiden as his son."

"But there isn't even ten years between them," Nick pointed out.

"Doesn't matter," Susie shrugged her shoulder, "Brody even volunteered to walk Aiden down the aisle to you. And it was his idea. Elizabeth was just as surprised by it as Aiden was."

"So you've talked to Aiden?" Nick asked, wondering what the man was thinking and feeling as their moment grew closer. Nick would guarantee he was worried because Aiden was a worrier. He probably needed Nick to hold him and kiss his head while promising that everything would be alright......

"He's doing better than you are today," Susie teased. "Relax, Nick, everything is going to be just fine."

Rita Halcomb began playing a tune on the organ and Nick recognized that as the sign for everyone to settle down and take their seats.

Nick waited impatiently as Wendell and Kaitlyn said their vows. He had hoped that Aiden would come out to watch but it seemed the other man was serious about not seeing each other until it was their turn to wed.

Nick nearly throttled Wendell and Kaitlyn when their kiss took longer than he thought it should. Didn't they realize how nervous he was!? Couldn't they see his suffering?

"I think we should get out of the way now before Nick collapses," Wendell said with amusement.

"Yeah, he's looking a bit pale," Kaitlyn agreed.

Nick glared at them both as chuckles and laughter broke out around them.

George excused himself from beneath the white archway full of roses and took a seat at a back row of chairs. Nick tried to focus on everything going on at once. He was aware of more than a few people gathering up their belongings and heading toward their carts and wagons; clearly they had no interest in staying to witness a marriage between two men. Nick didn't care.