Page 79 of Accidentally Forever
Of course, this wasn’t a Montgomery wedding. Meaning there was a distinct lack of cheese and dairy jokes at this rehearsal dinner. However, I wasn’t about to complain to Nina, the wedding planner who had been running from one side of the room to the other all night.I didn’t know how the woman did that in stilettos that seemed to be so tiny they could break at any moment. That’s why I stood clear of heels.
There had been that one time at the family barbecue when we had needed some way to pass the time during a random obstacle course. My mom had laughed at all of us, though we had broken two of her shoes. Dad ended up getting her the fancy red soled ones as an apology, considering it was his idea.
“Why are you smiling like that?” Justin asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I sipped my whiskey and shrugged. “I was just thinking about a family story. Nothing important.”
“I don’t know how you can even think with so many family members around you all the time. I’m an only kid. And sometimes even my parents are too much.”
My lips quirked. Not everybody understood our family. My father had five brothers, and my mother had six. My mother also had four male cousins on one side, and a few others on the other side, while my dad had sixteen cousins, plus the countless people who had married in or just became family versus friends.
That meant my family was slightly boisterous. In fact, compared to the rest of my cousins, my brother and I had the most members. It was a little ridiculous.
“You do realize I only have one sibling, right? Silas and I were rather quiet.”
Justin snorted before downing the rest of his scotch. He tapped the bar with two fingers, and the bartender poured another shot.
I was a little worried how much he was drinking the night before his wedding, but I knew Justin could hold his liquor. Plus he was staying at my house, so I would make sure he had enough water and caffeine to get through the evening.
Justin scoffed. “You say that, but you hang out with your cousins more than any other person I know. It’s nice, but it’s a lot.”
“True. It can be a lot. But you’re not marrying me. So you don’t need to know everybody’s name.”
Justin narrowed his gaze at me. “Does Gia hate your family?”
I winced. “No. But she’s an only child like you and didn’t really understand family dinners.”
In fact, Gia nearly ran in the other direction when the loud and boisterous Montgomerys and Wilders had showed up. It wasn’t as if my family circled her and tried to induct her into a cult. They just wanted to get to know her.
I drained the rest of my glass, not really in the mood to talk about that memory.
“She’ll get used to my family.” I hoped. “But this is your wedding. Let’s not talk about my girlfriend.” Who wasn’t even coming to the wedding since she had another event. I’d have thought she’d want to come to this one because there wouldn’t be any of my family here, but I’d been wrong. And that was probably not a healthy way to think considering I loved my family and liked spending time with them.
“Yes. Because I’m getting married tomorrow. To Mercy.” He gave me that faraway look, and I just smiled at the man.
“You are. And we just finished your lovely rehearsal dinner. Let’s get back to my place so that we can sleep this off, and make sure you have your vows written.”
Justin’s eyes widened. “Shit. Was I supposed to write those?”
I froze, blinking at my friend. “What?”
“Kidding. You know Mercy, like she’d ever let me not have my vows perfectly done.”
I studied his face, wondering where that tone came from, but smiled as Mercy, the bride herself, walked forward.
Her long dark blonde hair was piled up in a weird bun thing, and she’d painted her lips bright red. She had on a dark gray dress that matched the bridesmaids insome form of theme, and I lifted my water glass in a toast.
“Hello there, Bride.”
She rolled her eyes at me. “Oh, Lexington. Are you getting my betrothed in trouble?” She wrapped her arm around Justin’s shoulder, and he leaned against her. The two looked so comfortable with each other, completely in love. And I was only a little jealous. Not of either one of them, but the fact that they’d found someone. Much like many of my cousins had. Maybe Gia would be the one. It could happen.
Maybe.
“I thought you were heading out?” Justin asked, as he set down his empty glass.
“I am. I just wanted to say goodbye.” She looked over at me and winked. “Cover your eyes, Lexington. There’s about to be PDA.”
I laughed, and then jokingly covered my eyes.
