Page 90 of That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump
“That was years ago,” I pipe up. “People are allowed to change. Things we thought we wanted when we were kids can… just change…” I let my voice trail off.
My mother loops her arm through my elbow. Then she looks over at my father. He and Mr. Graham shuffle their feet, hands stuffed in their pockets. “Dale? Are you listening to all this?”
“Yes, dear.” He bobs his head. “I’m just waiting for your instructions.”
“Me too,” Mr. Graham says.
Mrs. Graham clucks. “As if we ever tell you men what to do.”
This elicits more snickering from the group. At some point, Daisy has moved over to one side of Big Mama. Brooke is on her other side. The three of them are sharing what’s left of the popcorn.
Brady clears his throat and looks from person to person. “Natalie and I… we would’ve said something sooner, but…”
My dad’s mouth goes crooked. “You didn’t want to take any attention away from Beau and Kasey. So we heard.”
“That’s exactly right, Mr. Slater.”
“Call us Betty and Dale,” my mother gushes.
“Or you could call us Mom and Dad,” Mrs. Graham suggests. When everyone gapes at her, she shrugs. “What? Just an idea.”
My mother looks at me, her eyes wet and beaming. “Does this mean you’re not moving after all, Natalie?”
My stomach does a full revolution, and my mouth goes dry. “See. These are the kinds of conversations Brady and I wanted to avoid until after the wedding.”
“But you can’t very well go to California now, can you?”
“Unless Brady goes with you,” Kasey says. “Then we could all be in LA together.”
“Yes!” Amber says, finally adding in her two cents. “That would be amazing!” She lays a hand on her stomach. “And if I can get my sister there from Austin, we’ll all be one big happy family.”
I tilt my head at Kasey. “For a little while at least. Right, Kase?”
Kasey shifts her focus to Beau, then back to me. “I guess you heard.”
“Heard what?” Amber asks.
“We don’t have any concrete plans yet,” Kasey says, “but Beau and I will most likely be moving at some point. Not immediately. Sometime in the next year or so. We just want to keep our options open.”
“Speaking of not saying something sooner,” Brady says under his breath.
“Cheers to the nomad life!” Hawk crows, beaming a grin of satisfaction at Beau and Kasey.
Mac claps Brady on the back. “Well, at least my cousin’s planning to stick around here. He’s got his future to think about. And the clinic, right, Brady?” Mac tries to make eye contact with him, but Brady ducks his head.
“You’re right,” Brady says, raising his volume. “Nat and I do have a lot we need to discuss. But we probably won’t do that right now. Not with you all as an audience. If you don’t mind. I mean, we love you people, but…”
“Okay, folks!” Beau hoots to get the group’s attention. “Everyone knows where we need to stand tomorrow, right? And we know who’s singing when? And who’s handing out roses to the mothers? And who’s helping out with Kasey’s grandmother?”
“My hips are fine!” Big Mama yelps.
“In that case,” Beau concludes, “I propose this not-quite-a-rehearsal has come to an end.”
“Wait just a minute.” Mrs. Graham clutches her clipboard to her chest. “I’m the wedding coordinator. I say when we’re done.” She glances around, blinking at everyone. “All right, then.” She presses her lips together primly. “We’re done.”
“Thanks so much for your help, Mom,” Kasey says. “We couldn’t manage any of this without you.”
Mrs. Graham’s chest puffs up, and she pats at her cloud of red hair. “Thank you for noticing, dear.”
