He looked back at Brittany, his jaw setting firmly into place.

“Enough of this nonsense,” Brandon declared, his voice dropping into a flat, icy register.

Then he turned entirely away from his bride and walked straight toward where I was sitting at the table.

My stomach plummeted into a knot of intense anxiety.

I thought to myself, Here it comes now.

I have completely ruined my only brother’s wedding reception, and he is about to tell me to pack up and get out.

Brittany clearly thought the exact same thing, letting out a long, audible sigh of deep relief.