Page 122 of Always a Bridesmaid
“You could’ve warned me about Violet being a bridesmaid,” he whispered to Addie.
“I’m trying to avoid drama and not have a panic attack, okay? It was stressful enough that Alexandria ended up on bedrest, and I had to scramble to ensure everything went smoothly while worrying about her.
“But it’s my wedding, and I don’t have to explain anything to you. And trust me, this is the least violent of the options I considered after finding out you dumped Violet. How big of an idiot do you have to be to let someone like that get away?” Addie fired a stern expression his way. “And I say that with love.”
He’d hate to hear itwithoutthe love part. “I know I fucked up.”
“Damn right, you did.”
Mr. Murphy peeked around from Addie’s other side, his eyes wide. “Not to sound like my wife, but you two do realize we’re a handful of minutes away from standin’ in front of the preacher.”
“I’m painfully aware,” Addie said. Then she turned to Ford, her hand dropping from his arm to her hip. “Look, after this shindig, I’ll have some more words for you. Right now, I’m fixin’ to get hitched to my sexy best friend.”
That was the reality check Ford needed to pull his head out of his ass. “And I’m doin’ a shi—crappy job of being your dude of honor. I’m sorry. I’ll shut up.” He straightened and settled her hand in the crook of his elbow once again.
With everyone else in place at the front, Lucia was off and on her way.
She grabbed a handful of sunflower petals and flung them in a wide arch, one that unmistakably hit people on the edges of the walkway. She spun and flung and spread smiles to everyone around her, and Ford forced himself to focus on the wedding. On making sure Addie got every single thing she wanted today.
But then he had a thought, one that aroused his curiosity yet again, and he’d never been good at keeping his trap shut. “Here’s another thing I probably shouldn’t be asking about right now, but how’d you and Tuck smooth over your fight? The one about playing catch with your son?”
“Totally wrong moment, but I reckon we have another thirty seconds to kill. After I cooled down, Tucker came over and apologized. He told me that when he gave more thought to the idea of having kids, he realized our superior athletic genes would be passed on whether we have a son or a daughter.”
The smile that curved her lips spoke volumes about how much she loved Tucker and the idea of having a family with him. “Then he added that when it came down to it, the only thing that mattered to him was that regardless of what our future held, the most important thing was we would be going through it together.”
Addie leaned her head on Ford’s shoulder. “I get to spend my life with Tucker Crawford. Once you find the right person, the other things you thought were so important fade away.”
“Hear, hear,” Mr. Murphy added from her other side, pride beaming from the man as he grinned at his daughter.
The music switched, signaling it was time to get this show on the road.
As promised, Ford did a quick check to ensure Addie’s dress and hair were perfect, and then he started down the aisle.Right foot, left foot,Ford repeated in his head, forcing himself to walk slower than usual.
As they neared the end, he couldn’t help himself anymore. Thanks to the lightbulb moment he’d had last night, he’d already been sure he was in love with Violet and didn’t want to live without her.
As he gazed at her, the music, the decorations, everything but her faded into the background.
Throughout the ceremony, he couldn’t help glancing at her here and there.
When Tucker and Addie read their vows, a glowing, raptured expression befell Violet’s features, her watery smile stirring up emotions he didn’t realize he had: joy, empathy, and so much adoration he thought he might drown in it.
Addie promised to give Tucker the benefit of the doubt; to wear his “ratty Saints cap” on the rare occasion; and to accompany him fishing on his handcrafted boats.
Tucker vowed to only protect Addie when she asked, which he knew would be never because she was too stubborn. Then he told her she could protect him anytime.
“For a long time, the future scared me,” Tucker said. “But then I returned to Uncertainty and became certain that as long as you, Addison Diana Murphy, were in my life, it’d be full of joy, love, and happiness.”
As much as Ford hated to admit it, he’d gotten scared. He’d let other people—and his past—mess with his head.
Violet Abrams was his future, though. And as soon as the ceremony was over, he was going to do whatever it took to win her back.
Chapter Thirty
The photographer had an older camera, a giant contraption that must’ve taken weight training prep to lug around. And although Violet wanted to make suggestions, she worked on being a good subject.
Taking pictures wasn’t her job today.
Being the perfect bridesmaid was.
