Page 83 of Just One of the Groomsmen
“A lot of unsolicited advice. But it’s also awesome.” Which reminded her, she should call Alexandria. Only she was a truth detector, and she’d realize something was up if she so much as uttered Tucker’s name.
Man, keeping this a secret is gonna be harder than I expected.
By the time the fruit was cut, the wings were done, so they carried the food into the living room.
Mom frowned at the watermelon wedges. “Why didn’t you cut them up in squares? They’re so hard to eat this way without getting messy.”
Addie grabbed one, bit as far down the wedge as she could, and then grinned at her mom as juice dripped from the rind.
Mom shook her head and sighed. “I’m gonna go cut ’em up and get us some forks. Lexi, if you wanna follow me, I have an idea I’d like to run by you.”
As soon as they disappeared around the corner, Addie pulled the white bakery bag out of her purse and slipped it to her grandma.
“You’re an angel,” Nonna said, kissing each of Addie’s cheeks.
Considering she was lying to her grandma about the cookies inside, she wasn’t sure how well the angel part fit.
Maisy, who’d bought the bakery and revamped it a few years ago, found out about her grandma’s high blood sugar and had concocted these chocolate brownie bites that were low sugar, low fat, and so delicious that Addie could hardly believe either of the former.
And as long as Nonna thought she was getting contraband cookies, she ate them instead of the worse-for-her versions.
She popped a few into her mouth, and Mom came back with the “properly cut” watermelon.
She and Lexi were caught up talking centerpieces, and from the sounds of it, Lexi loved Mom’s idea. She even asked if she’d be willing to arrange them.
“Oh, I’d love to help,” Mom said. “Alexandria got married so long ago, and it looks like this might be the only other wedding I get to decorate for.”
Here she goes. The tragedy of only havingonedaughter.
“Women can marry other women now,” Nonna said, waving around a hot wing that Mom frowned at. “Get with the twenty-first century, Priscilla.”
“Hey, I’m perfectly happy to plan a wedding for Addie, whoever she decides to marry. But until I get confirmation that’s happening, I’m gonna get my weddin’ fix wherever I can.”
Lexi gave Addie a confused look and she waved her hands likedon’t bother going near this mess.
They renewed their centerpiece discussion, and Lexi pulled out a couple of magazines and her laptop so they could talk options.
Thank goodness. Nobody wantsmeputting together centerpieces.
A positively evil chuckle emanated from her grandmother, who was leaned over the seating chart that’d taken hours to organize.
Addie covered the paper with her hand. “Nonna, what are you doin’?”
“I thought I’d make the reception more interesting. Wouldn’t it be funny to put George Sullivan and his new wife by his ex-wife and his rumored mistress?”
Addie twisted, cutting them off from Mom and Lexi. “That’s a level of deviousness that even the devil would say, ‘Whoa, hold on there. Let’s think about this for a minute.’”
Nonna scowled, apparently offended Addie had dared to call her plan evil, despite it being exactly that. “You used to be more fun.”
Now it was Addie’s turn to scowl. “Hey. I’m plenty fun. I just don’t want to do anything to upset the bride. It’s already complicated enough as it is, trying to be a groomsman and a bridesmaid at the same time.”
Luckily, most of the groomsman duties were easy, and closer to the ceremony. She undid the seating chart damage and told her grandmother to eat her food while she could.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she dug it out.
Tucker:Remember when you showed up in that tiny dress to seduce me last night? Because I sure as hell do.
Keeping the phone low, she typed out her response.
