Page 81 of Just One of the Groomsmen
Coffee and kissing and sitting on his lap, but Addie couldn’t admit that.
There was no way Lexi wouldn’t tell Shep, and the guys would freak. For a bunch of younger dudes, they sure hated change like grouchy old men. It was part of why they disliked everyone she dated and attempted to bring to poker night.
They’d throw out their opinions and smart-ass remarks, unable to help themselves, and it would create more pressure and drama, and besides all that, Tucker made it clear he’d rather not tell anyone.
Am I his dirty little secret or is he mine?
“Addie?” Lexi waved a hand in front of her face. “Don’t you remember? And isn’t that his truck in your driveway?”
“Last night is a bit fuzzy,” she said, which was at least true. “I made sure things weren’t weird this morning before I left, and he let me borrow his truck. He realizes I was just drunk.”
Lexi frowned. “But you like him sober, too.”
“Can you not mention this to Shep? I don’t want the guys to know. It’d make things weird and throw things off between us and—”
“Say no more.”
Luckily, the arrival of Mom and Nonna made that easier to do.
Addie did quick introductions, even though they’d all briefly met at one place or another, and then they sat and Lexi whipped out her huge guest list and a giant seating chart with tabs to write people’s names on, and they got to work.
“At least the blue pulls some AU color into the mix,” Addie said as she studied the color scheme along the top of the chart.
She hadn’t meant to say it aloud, and she froze, hoping she hadn’t accidentally offended Lexi.
“That’s exactly what Will said. And if he asks, the dresses are garnet not crimson. He doesn’t know the difference.”
“Honey, everybody in Alabama knows the difference,” Mom said.
Exasperation crept into Lexi’s features. “I just like red!”
Mom patted Lexi’s hand. “It’s okay. Your faux secret is safe with us.”
“Plus, you threw in the…” Addie squinted at the text so she’d get it exactly right. “Plum and gold along with the navy. If it was just crimson and gray, the town might revolt, but you’re good.”
“Yes, heaven forbid my wedding be about getting married surrounded by colors I like instead of football,” Lexi said, sticking another tab in place.
Mom and Nonna chuckled and assured her it was going to be a lovely ceremony, and Addie added what boiled down to “ditto.”
The colors were very pretty together, the gazebo would be decorated and all lit up, and the town center would be filled with people she’d known forever. It would be like a super-dressy town festival, and as a kid, she lived for those days.
Part of it was the lack of supervision it afforded her and the guys, and of course the food—no one cooked like a bunch of Southern women who had affinities for things like butter, jams, and pies—but those events reminded her that nosy as they may be, the townsfolk loved celebrating together.
Loved one another.
After a while of sorting through names and shuffling people around, Addie’s eyes refused to focus. She stood and stretched. “I’m gonna go see what I can find for us to snack on.”
“I’ll help,” Lexi said, heading to the kitchen with her.
She glanced around at the decor, from the floral wallpaper to the hanging wooden spoons with sayings likeSeason everything with loveandLife is short, lick the spoonto the shelf of Bundt pans and ceramic pie holders that looked like pie, in case you wanted to get an idea of the dessertbeforelifting the lid.
“Not what I expected.” Lexi gestured to the wooden sign with a mason jar and the wordsYou’re the moon to my shine.“You’re girlier than you let on. More of a romantic, too.”
“Sorry to disappoint, but it was decorated like this when I moved in. I’m just renting.” Addie opened the fridge and freezer doors and peered inside. “Mr. Sumpter was actually the moon to Mrs. Sumpter’s shine.”
“But what if Tucker said that to you?” Lexi asked with a big smile and swoon-laced sigh.
“Then I’d be obligated to punch him,” Addie said, only half joking.
