Page 112 of Always a Bridesmaid
“Crazy. Angry. Or crazy angry.” The chair squeaked as Easton propped his forearms on his thighs. “I just thought you should know. Maybe err on the cautious side and take your time. I know how paranoid you are about relationships.”
“Pfft.Not paranoid,” Ford had said. “Skeptical, maybe.” He punched Easton’s shoulder. “Like you’re one to talk.”
Easton had tossed a beer to Ford and popped open a can for himself. “I’m not the one getting serious, though.”
Those words played through Ford’s head all day, a stuck record that wouldn’t be fixed by any amount of head shaking.
A tipsy Lucia danced past him, paused, and flung the hot pink feather boa around her neck over her shoulder. “See this? I win it at ring toss. Don’t I look fabulous?”
“You always look fabulous. But the hot pink feathers suit you.”
Lucia laughed and patted his cheek. “Speaking of beautiful, you and Violet are going to make beautifulbambini. And I get to be their nonna, too. Because knowing Addison, she will drag out making me abisnonna—that’s a great grandma.”
Humming and swaying, Lucia lifted the glass in her hand. She sipped at it, slurping loudly from the phallic-shaped straw. “I all out. Better get more.”
Continuing to hum, she shimmied over to the drink table.
That damn fist that’d seized his throat tightened, the room growing fuzzy as he struggled for air.
The bump to his shoulder allowed a sip of oxygen through.
The sidelong glance that revealed Violet had sunk onto the stool next to him took it away.
“I’ve been relieved of duty.” She slid a red drink in front of him. “Don’t worry; it’s whiskey. Mixed with cherry juice and almond amaretto. Lucia made them so Addie would have her whiskey but they’d also match the decor. Cool, huh?”
Violet wrapped her lips around her straw—something he was working very hard not to pay close attention to—and sipped at the drink in her hand.
Figuring he could use fortification, Ford lifted his glass and slurped from the ridiculous straw.Damn, that is good.
Focus, McGuire. The longer you go without addressing the issue, the more hurt both of you are gonna end up.
When it came down to it, they didn’t want the same things. She wanted to settle down and have babies, and he was an adventure seeker. One who craved freedom, dangerous jobs, and the ability to head into the mountains for days at a time.
That “full life” stuff was all well and good for other people, but it wasn’t for him. Not when his contentedness required adventure and independence.
Ford cleared his throat—not that it helped. Maybe if they just slowed down the runaway dating train, they could find a happy medium. Or was that drawing it out for more future pain?
Either way, he couldn’t hold it in anymore. “I feel like things are gettin’ too serious.”
“Dude, I’m drinking from a dick-shaped straw—as are you. I don’t think we’re anywhere near serious.”
“I meant with us.”
Her face crinkled—and then crumpled—as the words hung in the air. In the background, women continued to laugh and scream and celebrate.
“I was hoping we could pump the brakes a little. Take things slow.”
Violet lifted her gaze from the spot on the bar she’d fixated on. The lights reflected off her glistening eyes, tears an inevitability, and he cursed himself for not waiting until after the party.
In his defense, drawing it out any longer would be akin to torture. Wouldn’t it make him more of an asshole to pretend things were dandy?
The muscles in her jaw clenched, and her words came out strangled with emotion. “Too serious? Are you for real right now? What? Did you just realize you’ve only had sex with one person the last two weeks? Better pump the brakes and start banging other women ASAP.”
“It’s not that.” Truth could be a burden, and he desperately needed to unload before it crushed him. “It’s the marriage talk, and people mentioning kids, and I can feel the shackles getting tighter.”
Violet winced as if he’d slapped her. “Shackles? In this scenario of yours, amIthe shackles? Or did I slap ’em on like a prison warden and drag you around behind me? Because I seem to remember you asking me to stay. And I was so excited to tell you tonight that I’d decided to.”
He exhaled a shallow breath.
