Getting Cold Feet (James POV)

The first ever chapter from James's POV. This should be interesting. Especially since the chapter title is something related to a wedding. Hmmm...

Also please don't hold this against James. Yes, he's an idiot but he's a lovable one. Try to remember that.

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"You understand that this could go completely wrong, right?" Clint asked.

James nodded but that didn't stop his smile from growing. This was it. Donovan had proposed to Carter and that meant only one thing to James: he could prank her.

"I don't think it will be too bad," Brock said, leaning against the lobby wall.

Clint merely raised a skeptical eyebrow at his older brother. Brock conceded.

"You're right, it could go really wrong," Brock said.

James didn't care.

That wasn't true, he cared but he also knew that pranks bonded people. He'd seen it happen his entire life. A prank would be pulled against one of the Marines, and the victim would be furious when it was revealed but later on it became a joke between them. A moment that they would all laugh about when they sat around together.

James knew this task fell on him to carry out. It always had.

Brock was the eldest, naturally that meant he'd have to be the leader of the brothers.

Clint was too philosophical to think of ways to be amusing or wild.

That meant James needed to be the mood setter, the prankster, the entertainer of the group.

As for Donovan, James had helped coach him into being his sidekick. Always ready to go along with an idea James came up with. James said something and Donovan backed it with the avid enthusiasm of the youngest brother wanting to be a part of everything.

"If you have doubts about this," James said. "Why are you both going along with it?"

This was a question that always played in James's mind. Both his brothers could say no to his pranks but eventually, they agreed. James believed they needed levity in their serious lives.

"I'm going along," Clint said. "Because I don't think Carter will believe it for a second."

"I'm coming to make sure it doesn't get out of hand," Brock said.ย 

Logic and protection, those were his brothers. Didn't matter to James, as long as they came.

"You know you will have to have a serious face if this is going to even work," Clint said.

In an instant, James dropped his wide grin and donned a mask of sobriety. His role as prankster had taught him acting was a key trait to develop.

"Let's go," he said.

They rode the elevator to Carter's apartment floor and James lead the way to her door. When he knocked, he heard her call out. A second later, the door opened and Carter eyed the trio. James wasn't sure but her appearance seemed more haphazard than usual. But it was after work, maybe that was how she decompressed.

"You said you needed to talk?" Carter asked. "What's up?"

She cleared off chairs around her dining table for them. Clint shut the door and they all sat down. Watching them, Carter curled one leg under her and crossed her arms. James knew how to read body language, he had to for his job. Though Carter portrayed a causal air, her body told him she felt uncertain. An emotion that would only make the prank more entertaining.

Clint and Brock looked to James, this was his show. James fell into his role, knowing it was the bright spot of amusement he had in his routine life. He sagged against his chair and ran his hand through his hair, giving off as much hesitation as he could.

"Look, Carter..." He glanced at his brothers. But this time with a mix of worry in his expression as if he needed their moral support. He knew Carter would pick up on it. And that factor made James more excited but he held that feeling in. "You know we love Donovan."

"Of course," she said.

"We only ever want the best for him. We'd do anything for him." He gestured to her. "And you know that we have come to love you too."

Carter smiled at that.

"But... Marriage is different than dating. And honestly." He paused as if his words pained him. "We've talked about it and we're not sure you're the right type of wife for Donovan. We think he deserves someone better suited to him."

James waited as the words landed on Carter. Years of getting to know her had prepared him for the outburst about to come. This girl was a fighter and there was no one she'd fight harder for than Donovan.

James was ready.

Carter stared at them each in turn and dropped her head.

"You're right," she said.

James froze mid-rise, his rebuttal already in his throat. He sank back down, sharply looking at his brothers. Both sat completely still in their seats, eyes glued to Carter.

"What?" James asked.

Carter nodded slowly. "You're right. I'm not a good fit for Donovan. He deserves someone better."

James tried to say something but found his throat petrified. Carter was not responding how he'd predicted. She was supposed to fight him. Why wasn't she fighting him?

"I've been thinking this since we got engaged and honestly, you saying this only confirms it." Carter lifted her head and James felt his heart seize at the sight of her glassy eyes. "You love him more than anything. That means you'd always want what's best for him and want his happiness. You telling me this means I'm not going to be the best for him. I understand that now."

James waved his hands frantically. "Okay, no, this is not what it seems."

"James, don't. Don't take back your words for my sake. We both know what needs to be done."

Before James could even comprehend what Carter was doing, she held her phone in her hand and it rang once.

"Carter, don't-"

"Carter, I'm just parking. I'll be up in a second," Donovan said on the other end of the line.

"Don't," Carter said, her voice choked. "Don't come. Donovan, it's pointless to continue with this relationship when I know that I'm not good enough for you and so do your brothers."

"Carter that's not true-" James tried again but she held up her hand.

James felt as if his entire body was a stone cage trapping in his panicking heart.

"Carter what are you saying?" Donovan asked.

Carter pressed her hand to her mouth. "Don't... don't come. It's over."

"What!" Donovan shouted. "Carter, I'm coming. We need to talk. I don't know what's going on, I don't know what my brothers said but we'll talk about this."

The fear in Donovan's voice shot through James. This was a prank for Carter, to indoctrinate her into their group, not destroy his little brother.

"Please don't," Carter said, sounding more vulnerable than James had ever heard her.

"Carter," Brock said, finally unfreezing. "This was a joke. James is an idiot and didn't mean it. This was all a joke."

"Carter, think about it," Clint said, the voice of calm.

Carter shook her head. "Joke or not, if I was already feeling this then that means something."

"No, no, no," James said. "That's not true-"

Pounding footsteps echoed from the hallway beyond the apartment door and Carter jerked out of her seat.

"I can't see him," she said.

Slipping her engagement ring off her finger, she put it on the table and darted into the bathroom. The door closed the second the apartment door opened and Donovan raced inside.

"What's going on? Where's Carter?" he shouted.

The utter panic and fear on Donovan's face made James want to go back in time and punch his former self.

"She's in the bathroom," Clint said.

Donovan dropped the bag of takeout food on the floor and rushed over. He pressed his hands into the door as if he could faze through it to her.

"Carter, please talk to me," he said. "I don't understand what's going on. What did I do? Please, please tell me. Let me fix this. I can't... You can't... Please don't."

Donovan leaned his head against the wood, his shoulders slumping. James hurried to Donovan's side at the complete brokenness in his brother's tone.

"Carter," he shouted. "This is my fault. I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to turn out this way. Don't break up over my stupidity. I didn't mean any of it. It was a prank. A stupid prank."

Donovan rounded on him. "What? This is your fault? Why would you do this?"

Startled, James took a step back, raising his hands. "Donny, it wasn't meant to go this way. She was supposed to fight against us and that would be it."

"Get out, James! Leave! Why would you do something like this!"

"Donny, I-"

Donovan turned away from James and back to the door. James looked at his older brothers but they seemed as in shock as he felt.

"Carter," Donovan said. "Please come out. I can't lose you. James is-"

"Donovan."

Simply Carter saying his name choked off Donovan's words and James heard every ounce of Carter's love but also designation.

"What James said doesn't matter," Carter said, quietly. "What matters is how I felt hearing it. And all I felt was how true it was. I'm not the one you should be marrying. There's someone better out there. I don't deserve you."

Donovan stood there immobile and James pushed him aside.

"That isn't true," James said. "Carter, listen to me. Prank aside, I've never met anyone more deserving of my brother. I love him so much but something I could see right as I met you was that you loved him more. I don't care what you believe about whether you deserve him, listen to me. I'm telling you, you deserve him. Just like he deserves you. There are no two people more perfect for each other."

James rested his head on the door. "Carter. He loves you. He loves you in a way that I can only hope that I love my future wife. He would go through hell for you. Like I know you'd do the same for him. Don't throw away something that everyone in the world is searching for. I could not be happier that he found you. And all I want is for you to be my sister-in-law."

The lock clicked and James only had a second to back up before it swung open and Carter stood on the other side, grinning.

"Oh good, I have your approval," she said, brightly. "That's reassuring. Now, let's eat. I'm hungry."

James couldn't move, couldn't even think as Carter stepped around him.

"Hey," she said, kissing Donovan hello.

He smiled at her easily. "I got you Mexican food. I hope it's not too damaged from being dropped."

"I will forgive you since it was for the sake of drama."

Carter picked up the bag and sank onto the couch, Donovan claiming the spot bedside her. James stared, feeling like his brain had stopped working.

"I hope you brought some for us," Brock said, pulling a chair over to the coffee table.

"I'm starving," Clint said, adding his own chair. "Watching James panic and trying to keep from laughing at Donovan's acting works up my appetite."

"Don't worry, I brought enough," Donovan said, pulling out containers.

"James, do you want some," Carter asked.

At her calm but inquiring expression, James snapped out of his shock.

"What?! What is happening? Two seconds ago you broke your engagement and now-"

"Oh right," Carter said, collecting her ring from the table and putting it back on. "You were saying?"

James stared at them, his mind unable to process the rapid turn of events.

"Clint," Carter said, pointing to her kitchen counter where her computer sat open. "Can you go press stop on the recording? I have what I need."

As Clint rose and turned off the recording, James understood it all. This entire time. She'd-

He exploded with laughter. Planned. All planned from the beginning. He staggered and clutched the back of a chair.

"How- How?" he wheezed out.

Carter grinned. "Donovan always figured you'd want to prank me. I recruited Brock and Clint early on. They would tell me if you had anything planned and I'd be able to counter it. They texted earlier. I was ready for you."

Forget about how much Donovan loved Carter, James felt his love for her reach a level that he'd only felt for his family. Wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, he dropped onto the couch beside her.

"Well played," he said.

He held out his hand and she shook it.

"Thank you."

"It's an honor to have you join the family."

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Doughnut doodle!

(I think my It Girl greetings are rubbing off on this book)

Anyways! First chapter from James's POV and a prank that got flipped on its head. What did you think? I hope you found it amusing. ๐Ÿ’ฌ๐Ÿ—ฏ๐Ÿ’ญ๐Ÿ˜‚

Honestly, writing this I didn't know if you'd expect Carter to switch the prank back on James because that was a lot of the suggestions for Keller Brother chapters. Or maybe you'd assume Carter would control it. Anyways, I tried to make it seem like Carter bought it. I don't know if anyone was fooled.

When it comes to Carter it's hard to believe that she would fall for anything because well... she's Carter. Which I think is enough said.

It was fun to see the world through James's perspective.

Honestly, I'm a little boring today and so I don't have much to say.

I will let you go to something more entertaining without delay

Before you go please shout out to me with a nice 'hey'

It really makes feel like I'm not a lay...about.

Okay, so my poem fell to pieces at the end but that's usually how poetry goes for me.

Vote, comment, follow but only if you really can't give a good excuse as to why you shouldn't.

A photo of a baby penguin representing how James would look for a majority's of this chapter, lovable but dumb.

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