Page 135 of Just One of the Groomsmen
He let out a soft laugh and brushed his lips across hers. “Then I’ll make sure to gator-proof the place.”
“Deal.”
“There you two are.” Nonna Lucia rounded the table, and they stood and exchanged hugs and cheek kisses. She beamed at them. “You make such a handsome couple. I so glad I called it. I knew eventually you’d find your way to each other.”
“Was this gonna be before or after you set me up on dates with girls?” Addie asked, and her grandmother clucked her tongue at her.
“I just know. Maybe it take me a while to see it, like it take you two a while to see it. But once I do, I tell this young man to fix it. He’s a good boy, so he fixed it.”
“Yes, ma’am. I do what I’m told.”
“I’ll have to remember that,” Addie muttered under her breath, and the hand he had on her hip gripped her a little tighter. “Love you, Nonna.”
“You too.” Nonna patted both of their cheeks. “Both of you.”
The celebration went on for a few hours, with more pictures and music and toasts that focused on how wonderful the bride and groom were. If someone would’ve asked Addie a couple of months ago what she thought of weddings, she might’ve said,A big no thanks to that.
As she sat there, soaking in the love and the joy between the happy couple—as well as among the family and friends and a town that was way too involved in everyone’s business but also showed up for one another—she changed her mind about weddings and love and the whole crazy thing.
Well, the jury was still out on the fancy clothes, although admittedly, the guys looked good in their matching suits.
Finally, things settled down enough for Addie to steal a moment with the bride. She gave Lexi a hug and told her how beautiful she looked, which she did, then said, “I also wanted to thank you. For letting me be in the wedding, for taking the time to understand my relationship with Shep, and for last night—especiallyfor last night. You went above and beyond.”
“What can I say? When I see two people are meant to be together, I’m willing to go above and beyond.”
“You’re also surprisingly strong.” Addie shook out the hand Lexi had gripped last night. “I have no doubt you would’ve tackled me to get me to stay, dress and all.”
“Oh, I would’ve.” Lexi bumped her shoulder into Addie’s. “I learned from the best, too. Admittedly, you and Tucker did have me a bit worried. It was right down to the wire, and I get invested, okay? Do you have any idea the kind of stress that puts on a person’s heart?”
“Girl, I’m a hardcore football fan. I know all about getting invested and heart palpitations and down to the wire.”
Lexi sighed and shook her head. “I don’t think I could do it every week.”
“But that’s the thing. Every week you get another chance. Every game. You can have this amazing play, but it could go to shit the very next. Or you have three crap plays, but you make that one perfect pass andbam! Everything’s possible again.”
“I like that. I’m going to stick to…not football, but yeah.” Lexi leaned closer. “I’m a little afraid to point out this just proves you’re more of a romantic than you claim to be. Even if it’s for a game. And for one guy.”
“As long as you don’t spread it around, you have nothing to fear.”
They shared a laugh, and then the guys drifted over.
Tucker’s arms circled her waist as he tucked his chin on her shoulder, and she relaxed into his embrace and pictured what their future might bring, several extraordinary possibilities stretched out in front of them.
Even better, she knew that in every single one, they’d be together, and that meant no matter which path they chose, they’d all have happy endings.
Hmm. Maybe she was a romantic after all.
Epilogue
It was all Addie could do to keep her poker face in place as her friends squeezed around the table in the houseboat. Lexi had also come at her request, and Addie reached underneath the table and linked her fingers with Tucker’s.
In the past they’d used tables—and even overalls—to hide their affectionate gestures, but tonight it effectively hid something else.
Any emergency meeting text, or one about a change in plans, would’ve brought suspicion. The invite to Lexi happened enough to avoid too much of that, and for some reason Addie couldn’t recall, she and Tucker thought it would be more fun this way.
To just spring the news on them.
It was nice to be back at the houseboat, too, where their biggest adventures always seemed to begin.
