Page 12 of Just One of the Groomsmen
Now Tucker’s mouth was the one that dropped.
He gaped at Nonna as if he had no idea what to say or do, so Addie retrieved the purse she’d left near the door, pulled out the wad of ones she’d received for change after drinking a Coke, and then tucked two into the waistband of his jeans. “There’s mine, since I’d hate for you to bail out my grandma and leave me to rot.”
“Seems like you both have an excess of dollar bills laying around.”
“They’re for when we hit the strip club,” Addie said with a wide grin. “Naturally.”
Nonna turned red and clucked her tongue. “Addison Diana Murphy.”
“Relax, Nonna. He knowsIdon’t go to the strip club, but man are the rumors gonna fly about you.”
He laughed again, and her grandmother reverted to muttering Italian swear words as she scolded them both. In the most loving way, of course.
Addie readjusted the flowers in her hands, since the plastic kept bending weird. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we best get to plantin’. I’d ask you along, but I’m afraid it’d be harder for our lawyer to get us out of jail from the back of a cop car.”
Tucker snagged her overalls where they crossed in the back as she started past him, reminding her of the downside to the shoulder straps—he’d used that move in football and soccer games before and it drove her crazy. “Maybe I could get my car keys so I don’t have to walk home?”
“Oh. Right.” She handed him the flowers and retrieved his keys from her purse. “Thanks again for savin’ the evening, although I would’ve been perfectly happy to skip the bridal shower.”
“How was the hoity-toity restaurant, by the way? Did you scare off all the preppy gentlemen, or did you actually let a few of ’em hit on you before putting the fear of God in them?”
Nonna paused. “Oh, I’d like to hear the answer to this one, too. Although, aren’t you dating the dentist?”
“You went on a date with Mr. Beasley?” Tucker asked, judgy-edged bafflement clear in his tone.
The face of the sixty-five-year-old grandfather type who’d filled one of her cavities flashed to mind.“Ew. No.”
“There’s a new dentist in town,” Nonna happily provided. “Young. Handsome. Total eligible-bachelor type.”
“Listen up, gossip girls, my dating life is neither of your business.” That didn’t sound right. “Businesses?” Nope, that wasn’t it, either. “Whatever, you know what I mean.”
Besides, in order for her to tell them,she’dhave to know what was going on with the dentist, and she hadn’t a clue.
“As for the restaurant, I will say the food was good, even if they were super chintzy when it came to serving size. And that’s all I’ll say.”
Tucker held up his hands in retreat. “Fair enough, fair enough. Hey, so between all your criminal activities over the next few days, give me a call when you get the chance.”
“Sure.” It killed her to not pry out the truth right here and now, and she opened her mouth to fish for at least a clue, but Nonna spoke up first.
“I love you two, I do, but I’m an old woman who needs her beauty sleep.”
Which was naturally why they were sneaking out to plant flowers at eleven at night.
Addison took back the pack of seedlings. “I’ll call you soon so you can catch me up on your life and make some plans for after you break me out of the slammer.”
“Sounds good,” he said, and he even escorted them outside. Then he climbed into his car while she and her grandmother snuck across to the neighbors’ yard and planted a mix of pansies and petunias.
As you do.
…
Tucker felt like a bit of a stalker waiting in his car, but people in town felt very strongly about their second amendment rights, and he wanted to make sure Addie and her grandmother returned home safely.
He doubted anyone would threaten them once they saw what they were actually doing, plus Addie was good at stretching the truth on the spot.
They’d had lots of practice, after all.
Like the time he’d seen one of Principal Pike’s “casual Friday” Hawaiian shirts on the clothesline and had the bright idea to borrow it and make a scarecrow version to display during homecoming week.
