Page 105 of Always a Bridesmaid
Without realizing he was heading there, he ended up in front of Murph’s. Not that he usually believed in signs, but this seemed like one. After all, it was Addie who’d pushed him to give Violet a shot, and now he needed her advice on how to keep from losing his mindandViolet.
Footsteps alerted him to the fact he was no longer alone, and a glance over his shoulder revealed Lexi hustling up the sidewalk in heels.
“Whoa, where’s the fire?” Ford patted the pocket that held his phone. “I didn’t get a call.”
“You’re not here for the emergency?”
Evidently, his heartcouldpound harder and faster. “What’s wrong? Is Addie hurt?”
Lexi darted around him and reached for the doorknob. “I was on my way to the grand reopening for the bakery, and Addie called me crying. I couldn’t make out what she was saying, so that’s all I know.” She pushed open the door, and Ford followed on her heels.
Addie sat on the couch, a box of tissue at her side and a blanket wrapped around her as if it weren’t eighty degrees outside. She loudly blew her nose and then lifted her red-rimmed eyes. “Sorry I made y’all waste so much of your time planning, because right now, I’m not even sure there’s gonna be a weddin’ anymore.”
With that declaration, she burst into tears.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Tears were one thing; tears falling downAddie’scheeks were another. If he comforted her, she might punch him, and if he didn’t, she might punch him.
Lexi rushed across the room and crouched in front of Addie. “Honey, what happened?”
“Nothing. I just…” A sob racked her chest. “I found out I’m engaged to a misogynistic jerk.”
“What did he do?” Ford asked, curling his hands into fists. “Just say the word, and I’ll dump his body in the swamp where no one will ever find him.”
Addie dropped her head into her hands.
The knock on the door made them all jump, although Ford would deny it.
“Addison.” Tucker’s muffled voice carried through the wood. “Come on. It didn’t come out right. Please let me in so we can talk about this.”
“I have a better idea,” she shouted back. “Go call the boys so you can play ball without me. And FYI, you’ll be playing with all types of balls by yourself fromnow on.”
Ford paced the length of the couch, the hostility in the air magnifying the five-alarm fire currently laying waste to his sanity. “Murph, what do you want me to do?”
“Just…tell Tucker I’ll call him once I’m not so mad that I want to strangle him. Whether that’ll be tonight or tomorrow or never, I’m not sure.”
Always fun to be the bearer of bad news.
Ford stepped outside and used his body to block the doorway as he delivered Addie’s declaration.
Tucker threw back his head and sighed. “Dude, every little thing turns into a huge fucking mountain lately. Half the time she’s the girl I grew up with, and half the time I sit there wondering what the hell just happened and why.”
“I get it. But like the first time the two of you had a big fight, I made a promise to Addie that I’d protect her, even from you. It’s a promise I intend to keep.”
“And like that night at Lexi and Shep’s rehearsal dinner, I appreciate that. I feel better knowing she has you.” Tucker ploughed his fingers through his hair, sending the waves off in different directions. “Tell her that whenever she calms down, I’m ready to come over on hands and knees and beg her to forgive me. Even if I’m still unsure what for.”
Murph rarely got mad without a reason. As he’d thought countless times through the years, she was one of the most logical people he knew, hands down. While she had been less so this past month, Ford still put his money on Tucker having said or done something stupid.
It was sorta their group’s specialty.
Before the two of them began dating, things were so blissfully uncomplicated. At the same time, Ford had never seen either one of them so happy.
Save this afternoon.
After promising Tucker he’d see what he could find out, Ford fortified himself the best he could to deal with all the emotions. Then he headed back inside to check on Addie.
The instant he stepped into the room, both women looked up at him, eyes narrowed, as if they suspected he might’ve turned redcoat.
