Page 110 of Always a Bridesmaid
“If it is, I don’t want to be right. He’s a good sport, though, and one of the things I love about him is that he’d do anything for Addie and the rest of his friends.”
“One thing youloveabout him? Does that mean you…” Maisy glanced around, evidently concluded there were too many ears close by, and propelled Violet toward the empty hallway with the restrooms and stack of extra stools. “Do you love him?”
As if it meant to answer on her behalf, Violet’s heart pumped affection throughout her entire body, head to toe. “I…haven’t told him yet. But yes.”
A high-pitched squeal came from Maisy. “I knew it. And you said he wasn’t your type.”
“Are you ever going to let me live that down?”
“Nope,” Maisy said with way too much glee. “I figured he factored into your decision to stay in town. I could tell he was smitten with you from the beginning—I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”
Maisy sighed and took both of Violet’s hands in hers. “You deserve this, Vi. After everything, you deserve a happily ever after more than anyone.”
Part of her wanted to object—not to having a happily ever after but discussing one so soon. Surrounded by decorations celebrating love, though, Violet went ahead and let herself believe her story might end with wedding bells of her own.
“They’re coming!” Lexi yelled.
“Things they say on their honeymoon,” someone yelled, and everyone cackled as they rushed into place.
An orchestra of party horns greeted Ford and Addie as they walked inside, along with whoops and hollers and a whistle loud enough to break glass. Lexi grabbed the personalized “Future Mrs. Crawford” veil and jabbed the comb in front of Addie’s ponytail.
As she took in the decorations, Addie burst into laughter.
Meanwhile, Ford’s eyes bulged like they might pop out of his head, the urge to flee written across his rugged features.
Violet lifted her camera and caught it all.
As the bride-to-be began hugging people, the sense of community filled Violet, mixing in with everything she felt for the guy by Addie’s side. It was like Ford said—the citizens showed up for one another. They cared, and she could feel the compassion hanging in the air.
As soon as she’d snapped pictures of everyone, she zoomed in on the dude of honor, who still had a deer-in-headlights expression.
Then she decided to go rescue him for a change.
She practically skipped, her head in the infatuation-laced clouds.
A clump of balloons drifted in front of Ford, and he batted them away. One of them must’ve been extra staticky, because it floated back to his arm and bopped, bopped, bopped, as if it had something to tell him.
Dark eyebrows arched as Ford read the words printed across the pink latex. With a shake of his head, he knocked it away from him again and muttered, “What the hell have I gotten myself into?”
“It’s probably best if you don’t know and just let it happen,” Violet said as she closed the last foot of distance between them.
He ran his fingers along his jaw. “I’m a little scared.”
“You should be a lot scared.” Violet placed her hand on his chest, and he flinched. “Are you sore or something?”
“Nah. Just…” He shook his head again, his gaze moving to the rest of the decorations. “Whoa.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. You might be the expert when it comes to porcupines and racoons and gators, but me? I know cocks.”
She expected a laugh, but her joke failed to land. Or maybe it wasn’t as funny as she thought it’d be.
Before she could ask about his fishing trip, people swarmed the area, so many conversations going on at once that her head began to swim.
Lexi tapped Violet on the shoulder and asked if she wanted to be in charge of the ring toss or prosecco pong.
Then the party was officially off and running, the crowd pulling Violet and the man she planned on confessing her love to off in different directions.
…
