Page 50 of That Kind of Guy

Avery tensed again. Instinctively, my hand moved from her arm to the top of her shoulder and my thumb brushed the skin just above her collar, where her neck met her shoulder. Why was she getting worked up about her mom going shopping with her? It didn’t seem like a big deal.

“I don’t think she can make it, it’s pretty short notice,” she said.

My dad, always the astute one, picked up on Avery’s discomfort. “I heard you two paid a visit to our local turtle emporium today.”

“Gross,” I told them, and my mom grinned.

Avery’s eyes lit up. “Oh my god, I totally forgot. One second.” She pulled away from me, and I let her, but she returned a second later with a stack of photographs. She held one up. “Elizabeth, it’s you.”

My mom took one look at the photo and started howling. Sam took another photograph from Avery and threw his head back laughing.

“What?” I asked.

Holden walked out onto the patio, looked over Elizabeth’s shoulder, then at me, then back at the picture, and grinned.

“What?” I demanded.

“I stopped by Don’s place on my way here,” Avery told me. “He printed out the pictures for me.” She closed her eyes briefly and shook her head in satisfaction. “And they aregood.”

“What’s going on?” Wyatt asked, taking the photo from my dad. “Oh, dude,” he said, laughing and looking at me with pity. “You’ll do anything to win, huh?”

“I didn’t have a choice,” I told them, speaking above their laughter. “Avery set me up.” I cringed down at the picture of Avery and I, turtles held up to our faces. The camera had captured Avery’s pure mirth and my cold fear.

Thankfully, the caterer signaled that dinner was ready, so we headed inside.

“We haven’t really talked about the wedding,” Avery murmured to me just before the patio door inside. My arm was still firmly around her shoulders. I didn’t think she’d keep trying to help during dinner, but I couldn’t be sure, and besides, we looked like a great couple with my arm around her. Picture perfect. She was wearing perfume tonight, something light and citrus, oranges maybe, with a spicy note that I couldn’t identify.

“Div will hire a planner to put it together,” I promised. “We don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“Okay,” she yielded, frowning. “But what about the money part?”

I should have known she would ask about this. “What about it?”

“We haven’t discussed the budget.”

“That’s because it’s none of your business.”

She snorted. “Um, it kind ofismy business since I’m involved. How much do I owe you?”

I shook my head. “Don’t worry about it.”

She made a face. “Emmett.”

“Adams. You’re not paying for it.”

“Yes, I am.”

“No.” I gave her a firm look. My firmest, sternest look. “You aren’t. Look, Adams, I don’t know if you’ve figured this out, but I have lots of money. Who am I going to spend it on, my brothers? My parents? I already do that. My mom has all the damn antique teapots she likes. No one can possibly drink that much tea. I have a nice house, I have a nice car, I have everything I need. I’m set. The wedding money is going straight back into the local vendors of the town. Besides,” I said, swallowing. “It’s for the election, so it’s money well spent.”

She stared into my eyes. Our faces were only a foot apart. “I don’t like this.”

“Tough shit, baby. Come on, let’s eat.” I ignored the way her mouth fell open and pulled her inside. I guess Avery didn’t get a lot oftough shit, baby’s, and that made me grin. We took a seat at the table.

The caterer had added a few tables to mine so that the group of thirty could sit comfortably, and my home was filled with lively conversation as the food was served. Those stupid pictures from the turtle jail circulated, and laughter rippled through the room as people saw them. At least my guests were having a good time. Avery was chatting with Hannah and a friend of mine from the town council, engrossed in a conversation about rare books. It was nice to see her relax like this.

I caught the server’s attention. “Could she please have another?” I asked, handing him Avery’s empty drink. A few minutes later, a replacement drink arrived, and Avery reached out and took a sip.

“Thanks,” she whispered to me, hand coming to my arm.

---