...By My Side

“This is what you want? Are you sure?” Holding up a gossamer type fabric, Zacky raised a brow as he stared at the woman he was with. “Isn’t it a little sheer?”

“That’s the point, dummy.” Laughing, Julie took the bolt of fabric he held and crossed her arms over it. “If it’s going to be a veil, I think it should be see-through enough that I can walk down the aisle in it, now don’t you think?”

“I guess.” Mumbling the words, Zacky shoved his hands into his jeans pockets as he followed Julie down the aisle towards a large center island in the store. “We have what? Three weeks until the wedding?”

Smiling over her shoulder, Julie looked back at the tall man following her, his dark hair, tattoos and snakebites standing out amongst the normal clientele of the store. “That’s right. The day is dawning closer and closer.”

Not able to bite back the grin that took his lips, Zacky laid a hand on Julie’s hip as she stood at the fabric counter. “It seemed like it was yesterday when you picked a date.”

“It did, didn’t it?” Leaning in to his touch as he raised his hand to her neck, Julie let her eyes drift shut as his fingers deftly rubbed the knots that were under her smooth skin. “That feels really good, Zack.”

Letting his fingers rub the soft skin that covered the taunt muscles underneath as they waited for the fabric to be given to them, he drew in the scent that she gave off, the smell familiar as looking at his own face in the mirror in the morning. Dropping his hand once the folded package had been pushed across the counter with a smile by the attendant, he waited until Julie took off. “Don’t you need lace or something?”

“What?” Not having caught his all but mumbled words, Julie stopped her walking and turned around to him. Watching as his green eyes darkened for a moment and then looked at the ground, she drew her brows together.

“I asked if you were still going to get the lace you needed for your garter.” Hitching his thumb towards the display that held spools of lace, Zacky finally smiled.

“Having a problem with the thought of me wearing a scrap of lace around my thigh, big man?” Punching him lightly on the shoulder as she passed to where he had pointed, Julie laughed when he rolled his eyes. Critically surveying the lace that was offered, she finally found some that had an elastic band running around the top. “How much do I need?”

“Enough for it to around your leg?”

“Okay, smartass, but how much would that be?”

“Measure it.” Shrugging his shoulders, Zacky took the plastic spool that she held and pulled a loose end up. “Spread ‘em.”

“My, my you sure are a naughty boy here in public.” Giggling, Julie held out one leg and watched as Zacky pulled a length of the lace off the plastic holder. “I don’t have thunder thighs, you know.”

“I know. Just deal.” Flashing Julie a look before hunching down, Zacky drew the lace around her thigh and marked it with his thumb and index finger. “Okay, I’ve got it.”

Shivering and then pulling back when he dropped a hand and ran his fingers behind the back of her knee, Julie squealed lightly. “I hate it when you do that.”

Snakebites flashing in the lights, Zacky stood. “Why do you think I did it?” Passing her the lace and holder, he continued to laugh after she had flipped him off and went back to the cutting counter. Reaching out, he fingered charms that were next to the lace. Spotting charms that were shaped like beach items, he plucked the cardboard holder that they were attached to and waited for Julie to make her way back to him. “Here.”

Taking the charms out of his hand, Julie stared at them. “They’ll look awesome on the garter.”

“That’s what I was thinking.”

“Thanks, Zack.” Brushing his cheek with her lips, Julie dropped back down off her tip-toes and grabbed his hand. “Come on, you promised me ice cream after this and I think I need it now.”

“You do? You’re not a man that’s been stuck in a store geared mainly towards females for the past hour looking for an exact and specific kind of tulle for a veil.” Passing over bills as the items Julie had held had been rang up, Zacky then handed her the bag.

“Oh, you know I love you.” Kissing his cheek again, Julie’s brown eyes danced. “Come on, you promised.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Only two weeks to go, darling.” Chucking Julie under the chin as she sat hunched over in a chair that fronted a glass topped patio table, Zacky sank down in a matching one. Pulling out his phone, he moved it between his fingers.

“Don’t remind me.” Mumbling, Julie lifted her head, flicking the end of the cigarette she held.

“Hungover, huh?” Chuckling, Zacky stood up. “Did you try the hair of the dog trick like I tried to tell you to do before?”

“No. I just don’t understand how drinking more will make me feel better.” Dropping her head onto her hand again, Julie crushed the lit cigarette she held into the glass ashtray he had bought her from somewhere across the country.

“I’m telling you it works.” Holding up his hands and grinning, Zacky winked and turned around. “I’ll be right back; you’re going to try it this morning.”

“Ugh.” Barely glancing over her shoulder as he opened the sliding door that led into her house, Julie shut her eyes against the blinding sun that managed to seep through the darkest pair of sunglasses she owned. “Never again.”

“Bullshit.” Laughing lightly, Zacky sat the bottle that had been sitting on the bar along with a clean shot glass on the table before her. “Do I need to pour it for you?”

“No, I can do it myself.” Grunting, Julie latched onto the whiskey bottle and then dropped her hand. Waving it, she leaned back into her chair. “Fine. You pour. I’d probably spill it anyway considering I refuse to open my eyes.”

“I was trying to figure out why you were out here.”

“I don’t smoke in the house because someone thinks it’s nasty and that certain someone practically lives here so I can’t even do it when he isn’t here, and even he smokes so I don’t get it even further.” Muttered dryly, Julie cocked a brow above the sunglasses she wore. “I wouldn’t know who I’m talking about, now would you?”

Making sure she had a hold of the shot glass, Zacky grinned. “I think you’d be talking about Brian.”

“Please. Spare me.” Knocking back the shot, Julie then sat the glass on the table. “Fuck hangovers. Let’s just get drunk again.”

“Sweets, I wasn’t drunk last night; that was you.”

“Fine. Join me today.” Waving her hand again, Julie let out a sigh. “This shit is just too damned much.”

“What is too much?” Handing her another full glass, Zacky stared as she lifted the glasses she wore to reveal tired and dull brown eyes. Taking in the tiny nose, rosebud lips and the angular chin of her face, he smiled softly. “You’re exhausted.”

Nodding, Julie let the sunglasses drop and downed the shot. “That I am. Never have I been this damned tired. I didn’t think a wedding would take this much out of me, really I didn’t.”
“I’m sorry, babes.”

“Yeah, well, there’s nothing we can do about it now since it’s so close. Sometimes I think I just want to run away and never come back.”

“You can’t really do that you know.” Fingering the label on the whiskey bottle between them, Zacky finally gave up and poured himself a shot.

“I know. Everyone would probably die at the thought of me leaving and this soon to the wedding.”

Nodding, Zacky let the whiskey burn the back of his throat as he thought about it. Pulling his sunglasses from where they rested on the front of his t-shirt, he slipped them on. “That they would.”

“They why do I have this urge to do so?”

“I have no clue, Jules.” Offering her another shot, he watched as she quickly knocked it back.

“I’ll just stay here. I mean, it’s right, isn’t it?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Is this damned thing hooked right?” Twisting and turning to see the garter strap that ran down the back of her thigh, Julie looked up at her best friend. “Ems, seriously, is this fucking on here right? It feels twisted.”

“It isn’t.” Shoving her long hair over her shoulder, Emma bent down and examined the strap that her friend was screaming about. “I thought you weren’t going to wear the garter belt to hold your damned hose anyway.”

Biting her lip from telling the real reason of why she had decided to don the shocking blue fabric that Zacky had dared her to get for her something blue last week, Julie sighed. “I just thought that he’d like it.”

“Shit, honey, anything you wear under that dress, and the less the better, he’ll like.” Rolling her eyes, Emma handed Julie the bouquet she would be carrying down the aisle. “Alright, let us look at you.”

Standing as if she as on display and feeling the same way, Julie slowly twirled around in the white dress that she wore, the black accents that bordered the hem of the skirt and thin black straps going over her shoulders a striking contrast to each other, making the dress unique and perfect for her and only her. “Well, how is it?”

“You’re going to knock his socks off, sis.” Kissing her cheek and careful not to smudge the makeup that had been carefully applied Emma stood back and looked into the brown eyes of her friend. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“We’ve been together forever. Why not do this? I mean, we’ve only planned on this for almost a year and the day is finally here.”

“If you’re sure? I mean I have a car outside and I gassed it up before I got here just in case you decided to make a break for it. I’m holding the honeymoon stuff to, so it’s not like we can’t get away on a nice vacation and drink ourselves silly on wine and tequila and whiskey…” Letting her voice trail off, Emma stared at Julie.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Julie stared at her best friend, taking in the troubled sparkle that was deep within the blue depths. “I’m sure.” Watching as her friend filed out with the other bridesmaids, she sighed and took a deep breath. Hooking her hand under her father’s arm, Julie let out the breath she held and started to walk towards her future.

Eyes catching on the man that had stood by her through just about everything knocked the breath out of her body. Smiling widely, she watched as his lips curved back, the snakebites that decorated their fullness glinting in the candlelight that filled the sanctuary the service was being held in. Tearing her eyes off of his beloved face, she looked at the man standing before the altar and smiled again.

Hearing her father say the words that would give her away, Julie turned to face the man that would become her husband as his long and strong fingers curled over hers. Staring up into his hazel eyes, she smiled softly and listened as the minister started the ceremony.

Agitated, Zacky watched as his best friend started the vows that would forever bind her to one of his friends, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from yelling, to keep from screaming that it wasn’t right. Watching as her brown eyes sparkled in the flickering light, he saw that they kept darting over Matt’s broad shoulders seeming to lock onto his own jade green gaze.

Hearing the minister ask the words that he had waited for, Zacky felt a sharp jab in his side and looked over his shoulder. “What?”

“Do it.” Whispering back, Brian’s brown eyes searched his friend’s. “Fuck everything. Just do it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You have about five seconds, dude. Five seconds until you have no other shot in hell of having the woman that you’ve loved for years.”

“I object!” Listening as gasps and noises of shock filled the sanctuary, Zacky nervously swallowed.

Turning and eyeing Zacky, Matt stared at him with drawn brows. “What the hell, man?”

“She can’t marry you.” Finally finding the guts that he knew he had and due to Brian’s forceful shoving, Zacky stepped out from behind Jimmy’s tall figure and walked towards the couple who still held hands. “She can’t marry you if you’re supposed to cherish, honor and love the one that you’re marrying.”

“Dude, in case you haven’t figured it out, I do love, honor and cherish her.” Lifting one brow, Matt frowned. “What the hell is your problem, Vengeance?”

“I don’t love you, Matt.” Whispering the words, Julie slowly pulled her sweaty hands from between his and stepped back. “Zacky’s right. I can’t marry you.”

“Why the hell not?” Angry, Matt stared down at the two people who stood before him, his fiancée now standing beside a man he considered a best friend.

“Because she’s mine.” Lifting her up, Zacky smiled down into Julie’s face as he carried her down the aisle and out of the church. Slipping her into the car and pushing her long skirts inside, he shut the door. “I love you.”

“Zack, you—“ Voice breaking, Julie stared at the man that she had loved for many years as he took off squealing wheels from in front of the church.

“I stole you. I needed to. I couldn’t let you marry him. If you hate me, you hate me. I’ll take you back. I know we’ve been best friends for years, but I can’t handle it. I should’ve told you sooner, I just didn’t know how.”

“Shut up.” Silencing him with a finger over his lips between the steel hoops, Julie then leaned forward when he stopped at a light. “I love you, too. Thank you.”

Feeling his fingers bite into the back of her neck, Julie felt his lips press against hers for the first time, wondering how they had remained close friends for years never admitting the feelings that each other shared. Laughter bubbling in her throat, she pulled back. “Our first kiss—with me in my wedding dress for another man.”

“Hey, I helped you pick it out.” Shrugging, Zacky took off. “Vegas?”

“Why the hell not?”

“We’ll just re-use the dress.” Laughing when she did, Zacky looked at the bare section of interstate as it stretched before him. Life would be better now that he had his best friend by his side.