Page 6 of Just One of the Groomsmen
What he wanted more than anything was to return to his friends and the town he loved, and he wasn’t sure how he could possibly go back and be satisfied with his old life after tonight showed him everything that was missing from it.
Chapter Two
Four months later
Addie tossed clothes out of her old dresser, trying in vain to find something to wear. She’d gone straight from a hectic day at work where her boss was on a rampage to her parents’ house to check on her grandmother, and now she didn’t have time to go home to change.
She’d already texted Lexi and asked her to pick her up here, too, and considering she was on her way to her very first bridal shower and had no idea what to expect, her nerves were stretched to the fraying point.
Yoga pants were good enough for her and her clients, but since she knew the unconventional decision to have her as a groomsman had already made her the problem child of the wedding party, she was making an effort to keep Shep’s bride-to-be happy.
She wasn’t sure why she thought she’d have better luck with her high school wardrobe. It was all jeans, old baggy T-shirts, and cozy sweatshirts.
Ooh, this is where my AU Tigers sweatshirt is.
Her mother had tried getting rid of it several times thanks to the bleach stain on the front, but it used to be her favorite. Not dressy enough for tonight, but it was going in her take-home pile.
Next time Tucker comes back to town, I’ll show him that I own more than one sweatshirt.
Of course it was equally as ratty as her Falcons one, and wouldn’t get as big a rise out of him, so then again maybe not.
These jeans are on the nicer side.Addie shed her yoga pants and slipped her feet inside the legs of the jeans. She tugged until they were halfway up her thighs.
Where they might remain forever.
One thing was for sure, she wouldn’t be getting them on without ripping the denim and losing the ability to breathe.
As she bent to pull them off, her bound legs caused her to wobble. She fell backward, hitting the bed before thumping her way to the floor.
“Ouch.”
The door swung open, and she grabbed the quilt off the bed to cover herself the best she could, in case it was Dad and they both ended up scarred for life.
Instead, her sister stepped inside and looked down at her, forehead all scrunched up. “What on earth are you doing?”
“Getting a harsh reminder that I’m not the same size I used to be in high school,” Addie said. “When did you get into town?”
“Just barely.” Alexandria extended a hand and helped Addie off the floor, and she gave her sister a quick hug.
Alexandria was six years older, and while they didn’t have much in common, they were blood, and they cared about each other, despite being so opposite.
For example, if anyone tried to call her Alex, she’d freeze them to death with her icy glare, whereas Addie would do about the same if anyone used her full name.
Obviously Alexandria was the girly, pretty one. The one teachers asked Addie why she couldn’t be more like, same as her mom had countless times before.
Her sister had followed the typical life plan. College, marriage, motherhood. At least that last one meant Addie didn’t get as much pressure from Mom and Nonna Lucia about wanting grandchildren. “How long are you staying?”
“Just the weekend.”
The only edge Addie had over her sister in all things “should” came from the fact that she still lived in Uncertainty, and her sister had moved a whole state away.
Her family had been so upset, asking if they’d done something wrong, because how couldn’t you want to stay in Uncertainty, Alabama, where everyone knew everyone, and that somehow entitled them to being all up in your business?
Addie sat on the bed and tugged at the denim encasing her legs. “I wish I knew you were coming. Maybe then I could’ve gotten out of this bridal shower thing I have to go to.”
Alexandria gaped at her as if she’d suddenly grown a unicorn horn. “You’regoing to a bridal shower?”
Finally, the pants came free and Addie sighed in relief. “It’s for Shep’s fiancée and I’m one of the groomsmen, so…”
