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“Sure.”

Shep nodded, already understanding, and Addie resisted wrapping herself around his ankle and forcing him to drag her closer to the bar where the action was. She extended the beat-up paper with its rough sketch of the gazebo and measurements.

“We got interrupted by a case of pig versus garden, but I managed to get the dimensions down.”

Lexi arched her eyebrows, high enough they momentarily disappeared into the platinum blond. “Pig versus garden? Do I even wanna know?”

“Probably not. And I have to warn you there’s a gag order in effect, so if the pig tries to talk to you, you just call Easton or Tucker.”

Lexi laughed. “And see, here I thought I was getting out of the city and moving to somewhere safe. Somewhere where pigs and gardens could get along.”

Addie snickered, Lexi’s unexpected humor easing some of the tension in her shoulders—she kept on surprising her.

The paper crinkled when Lexi lifted it. She frowned at it, lips pursed. “Uh, what does this mean?”

“Oh, I thought you’d know. I’m not sure how you want to drape the tulle, or if you were, like, wrapping it, or…”

Using the side of her palm, Lexi smoothed out the paper, the ink smearing slightly and leaving streaks on her skin. “I’m not sure. I don’t really know what I’m doing.”

“That makes two of us. I’m more the girl to call if you wanna know who to put on your fantasy football team or where to buy the best yoga pants. I can also go on all day about what makes the perfect hoodie—a mixture of fabric that’s thick and snuggly without being bulky and constricting. I prefer a zip-up for traveling and a pullover for watching TV at home or for doubling as pj’s on cold nights.” Addie’s gaze ran over Lexi’s red dress and matching heels. “Have you ever even worn a hoodie?”

She laughed. “Of course. I’m not always dressed up. I just feel naked if I go out without my dressy clothes and makeup.”

Shep materialized, a glass of pink wine in hand. “Did someone saynaked?”

She giggled as he set down her drink and kissed her cheek. “You seriously must have a sixth sense for when I say something improper.”

“And I highly encourage you to set it off as much as possible.” Shep slid a beer bottle across the table, and Addie caught it, the condensation wetting her palm. He tipped his beer at her, and after she reciprocated, they both drank.

Then cheers erupted and they lost him, his attention drifting over his shoulder.

Addie braced her forearms on the table and peeked around the mess of bodies so she could catch the replay. Neither team was one she cared much about, besides seeing how they might measure up to her beloved Falcons.

Still, any day with football on TV was a win in her book.

Lexi encouraged Shep to return to the bar to watch, since they were in the middle of “boring wedding planning” and apparently saying “no kidding” about the boringness wasn’t the right thing.

Oops.

“What about poker?” Lexi asked once they were alone again, the din of the game and celebration back to a normal, background-level decibel.

“At the wedding? That’d seriously rock.”

She frowned, and Addie felt like she’d failed a pop quiz.

Lexi twisted the stem of her wineglass between her fingers. “You were saying you were the girl to call to learn about football.” She took a demure sip of her drink. “I meant could you teach me how to play poker?”

“Oh.Oh!For sure.”

The concern faded as a smile curved her red lips, somehow unsmudged despite the kissing and drinking. “Will just talks about your games so much, and I’d like to try my hand at it. I don’t think I could get my mother on board for poker at the reception, though. Pretty sure she’d have a heart attack if I even mentioned it. She thinks I’m crazy to be getting married here and moving here, and basically, she just thinks I’m plumb crazy. Which, when it comes to that sexy man over there…” Her gaze drifted to Shep and a dreamy quality entered her features. “I am.”

“It’s nice to see, actually. And the townspeople will love you forever for having the wedding here and letting them be part of it.” Addie picked up one of the stray coasters and spun it to give her fingers something to do. “And I’m sorry about saying that wedding planning is boring. It just…”

“Is,” she supplied. “I mean for me, it’s overwhelming, but like I said when I asked for your help, I know it’s not your thing.”

“I seriously don’t mind helping. But admittedly teaching you poker is something I’m way more qualified for.”

It also gave Lexi more bonus points. Clearly she was embracing small-town life and trying to fit into the group, and hopefully that meant things wouldn’t have to change too terribly much after they were married.