The Worst Best Man

The second protagonist, the 40-year-old Aiden, is the most eligible bachelor of Manhattan. He is aloof, impeccable, and handsome, and he works as the COO of his family businesses, which earn billions of dollars. He graduated from Yale, and at the beginning of the novel, he believes that his best assets are the ones that run in his family: his desire to win business deals and overcome any obstacles put in his path. He also thinks that his family excels at manipulating events to their advantage.

He has had very few friends and relationships in which people do not try to use him or take advantage of his social and financial assets. He is used to acting exactly how he wants without having to ask others about their needs or opinions. His family is the opposite of Frankie’s. They are selfish and spoiled, and his half-brother, Elliot, is downright a criminal. Because Aiden has had so few good relationships, he is protective and sometimes acts without considering the agency of others. A prime example occurred years before the events of the novel, when he talked a young Chip out of marrying Pru just after college; his belief that such a move was advisable also turned out to be short-sighted since he didn’t take into consideration how hard the breakup would hit Pru.

When he meets Frankie, he takes her hostility as a challenge. At first, he is determined to conquer her, but he quickly finds that her companionship is exactly what his life has been missing. He appreciates her for being selflessly loyal and knows that she is interested in him for who he is rather than for his social or financial status. She brings with her a family that is warm and trustworthy; they don’t play psychological games, and they actually enjoy each other’s company—an unheard-of proposition in Aiden’s family. Building a relationship with Frankie provides Aiden with the perfect partner and the extended family he needs to live happily ever after.

Pru has been Frankie’s best friend since college even though they are both from vastly different economic backgrounds. Pru’s marriage to Chip Randolph is the inciting incident of the novel, as Frankie meets Aiden at the wedding. Pru is an important supporting character and plays the role of the supportive best friend who gives Frankie thoughtful advice. She can also see that Aiden is a perfect match for her friend; she starts talking about how they will get married even before the protagonists have the chance to exchange a dozen words. Because of this close relationship, Pru knows exactly how to advise Frankie, who listens to Pru when she won’t listen to anyone else.

Because Pru has access to a higher social class, she is able to open doors to Aiden’s world. In this capacity, she helps make Frankie feel more comfortable during her first forays into buying fancy dresses, getting her hair done, and dining at upper-class establishments. While her fiancé (and then husband), Chip, is also important to the plot, given that he is Aiden’s best friend and the kidnapping victim, Pru is the most important supporting character because she powerfully influences the emotional arc of the story. Without her, the protagonists would not have met, and even if they had, they would have remained stubbornly apart.

Frankie’s brothers, Marco and Gio, are the most visible members of the boisterous, caring, and loyal Baranski family. They are often presented together in a way that makes them indistinguishable, and their antics add comedy to the novel even as their loyal advice inspires Aiden to give them the nickname “the philosophers of Brooklyn” (402), as he is never sure whether they will give him good advice or follow through on their threats to beat him up. Their loyalty and acceptance highlight the contrast between the families. Whereas Aiden’s family is selfish, backstabbing, and uptight, the Baranski brothers are thoughtful, loyal, and relaxed. They are truth tellers who shine a light on negative aspects of the life that Aiden has with his family, and they also help him realize the kind of life he could have with Frankie.