Page 126 of Just One of the Groomsmen
Coppery brown hair with one stray wave that wouldn’t behave.
Just like that, the rush of memories hit her. Of summer days catching baseballs and footballs. Climbing fences and trees and returning home scratched, bruised, and blissfully happy.
Of being out on a boat with him, back in high school, a few times in college, and that night a month ago, when the sparks between them fully ignited and spread until there was no ignoring them.
Her fingers went to her lips as residual butterflies stirred in her gut.
No thinking about that.
Addie took a deep fortifying breath and left the safety of her truck.
Out of respect for Lexi, she’d dressed up, which meant borrowing her sister’s pink dress again. Two more days of wearing a dress, and then she might never put on another.
Then again, while she still didn’t love them, she’d gotten more accustomed to them, so she supposed on the rare occasion, it wouldn’t be the worst thing ever. Heels would never be her thing, but she’d put on the same ones she’d have to wear tomorrow with her bridesmaid’s dress so she could do the waltz and break them in.
Be strong, be strong, be strong…
Lottie intercepted her before anyone else, which was remarkable considering Addie swore she’d been on the other side of the square a minute ago. “I just want you to know that the Craft Cats are on your side.”
Addie lowered her eyebrows. “My side of what?”
“You and Tucker.”
Addie stopped midstride, her spine going stick straight. “What do you mean, me and Tucker?”
“We all know that y’all were a thing for a while and that you’re not anymore.” She leaned in and whispered, “He kissed one of those other bridesmaids, didn’t he? They say cheatin’ isn’t genetic, but sometimes I wonder…”
Addie wanted to defend Tucker’s mom, despite hardly knowing her side of the story or if she had cheated, and this was ridiculous. “I really don’t wanna talk about it,” she said, but couldn’t help adding, “and for the record, no, that’s not what happened.”
A few other people gave her encouraging nods and nonsarcasticbless your hearts as she walked toward the center of the action, and how did she end up as the scorned one? The brokenhearted one?
Just because she was a girl?
Never mind that she was, in fact, nursing a broken heart.
Now she wished their plan to keep things under wraps had worked. It was worse now that everyone knew they’d tried and failed.
A couple more people mentioned it, which made it damn hard not to think about.
“Addie.” Tucker strode right up to her, and since she was a strong, independent woman, she stifled the urge to run and instead put on the best poker face of her life.
“Hey,” she said as she continued toward the table that held the rest of their friends.
Tucker caught her arm and slowly spun her to face him. “You can’t ignore me forever, you know. At some point, you’re gonna have to talk to me.”
She nodded like she was perfectly okay with that. “I’m sorry everyone knows that we…” She made a sweeping gesture between them to fill in the blank because saying the words would hurt too much.
“You think I care? I don’t give a shit. I care about you.” He lifted his arm like he was going to cup her cheek, and she gripped his wrist, stopping him a few inches short of contact.
“Please don’t. I don’t wanna do this here. Let’s get through tonight, and then we’ll talk.”
“Will we? Or will you just find new ways to avoid me?”
A sharp pang went through her chest as she peered into those familiar blue eyes, and the last thing she felt right now was strong.
So much for her pep talk.
“Addie, I’m goin’ crazy not talkin’ to you.”
