Page 64 of That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump
“Yeah. Sure. Of course she will.”But she lined all that up because of you.“I just think—”
“Yoo-hoo!” a voice calls out. High-pitched and female. Definitely loud for a golf course. Beau and I jerk our focus over to the cart path and see Kasey and Natalie headed our way. They’re shushing the tall brunette between them.
Molly Fitzpatrick.
“Well, well, well.” Beau chuckles. “Look who the cat dragged in.”
I grunt. “Which one’s supposed to be the cat in this scenario?”
He splays his hands. “All of them.”
Kasey and Natalie have traded out their trial makeup and hair from earlier. Now they’re sporting casual ponytails and their skin is scrubbed clean. Nat is just as beautiful as always in a dress the same color of her lips. My heart stirs, remembering the taste of them. It’s been half a year, but I never want to forget.
Kasey waves at us. She’s lugging a large plastic bag with the golf course insignia stamped across the front. “Ah,” Beau says. “My bride’s been to the pro shop.”
I squint at the bag. “Maybe she bought you a wedding gift.”
“I think maybe she’s bringingyoua gift.”
I glance at Beau, and he’s eyeing me sideways. “If you’re talking about Molly…”
“Who else would I mean?” He smirks. Yeah. Well, if Kasey thinks she’s going to make a match with me and Molly, she’s going to be sorely disappointed.
As the women approach, Natalie lets her gaze drop to the grass. Molly, on the other hand, is staring straight at me. Her mouth is a crescent of teeth. And suddenly, I’m thinking about Natalie’s crescent-roll moon again. Everything seems to circle back to Nat these days.
“Hey there, men!” Kasey grins. “You remember Molly, don’t you?”
“Of course,” Beau answers for both of us. “Great to see you, Molly.”
“Likewise,” she says. “How’s it going out here?”
“I’m excellent,” Beau says, “but poor Brady isn’t exactly on his game today.” He nods at my ball at the edge of the green, and his eyes twinkle. He’s only kidding around, but he’s got no idea how off my game I actually am right now.
Or why.
“Well, I hope you don’t mind,” Kasey says, “but I took the liberty of making a few purchases at the pro shop. I was pretty sure you hadn’t gotten around to buying anything for your groomsmen yet, so I got some stuff for you. I thought you could give these out at the rehearsal dinner later.”
Beau peers into the bag, and a laugh bursts out of him. “Oh, wow. Excellent!”
“Don’t show Brady,” Kasey says. “Let’s let it be a surprise.”
Beau looks at me and hooks a thumb in Kasey’s direction. “My future wife is practically perfect.”
“Practically?” Kasey scoffs, but she’s still beaming at Beau with pure love in her eyes. “We didn’t mean to interrupt you two. We just thought we’d come out and say hi.”
Molly lets loose a string of nervous laughter, and my heart goes out to her. I don’t want to hurt the woman’s feelings, but I also don’t want to give her the wrong idea.
“Anyway.” Kasey clears her throat. Loudly. So loud it must be some kind of signal. Nat takes a small step forward and confirms my suspicions. The force of Kasey’s throat-clearing actually moved Natalie’s body.
“Molly’s going to be teaching kindergarten this year,” Nat says. “In Abieville.”
“Well, hopefully more than just this school year.” Molly tucks a dark, springy curl behind her ear. “I’m in a tenure-track position.”
Natalie nods, shifts her weight. “Right. Tenure. I almost forgot.”
“If all goes well,” Molly says, “I’ll be offered a permanent spot on the elementary team. It could take two years, but the job security will be worth it.”
“Two years, huh?” I cast a pointed look at Kasey. “A lot can change in two years. Like where people are working. Or where they’re living. Or their jobs. Their neighbors. Et cetera.”
