Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“That’s a pretty dress,” Jenna says from beside me as she smiles at Avery, and I look over at her. For a second, I forgot she was even here. I look back at Addison, whose eyes are on Jenna’s hand gripping my arm.
“Um,” Sofia says, “Addison, this is Stefano.” She blinks her eyes a million times a minute. “And his girlfriend.” She looks at Jenna, waiting for her to fill her in because that is how much I’ve discussed her to anyone.
“Jenna,” she says, smiling at them.
“Nice to meet you both,” Addison replies, avoiding looking at me as she glances over at Sofia. They share a look and Sofia just nods at her silently and grabs her hand.
“I hate to kick you guys out, but I need to get dressed.” Sofia turns to Addison and asks her, “Is it time for me to get dressed?” Addison doesn’t say anything and just nods her head yes. She then looks back at me and down at my hand. “Is that for me?”
I hold up the box. “Yeah. This is from Matty.”
“Thank you.” She grabs the box from me and I stand here for longer than I need to, looking at Addison and then back down at Avery, afraid to walk out of the room, and then Sofia leaves. Avery smiles at me as she leans into Addison.
“I’ll see you out there,” I say to Avery before turning and walking out of the door. The door closes behind me with a click, and I immediately want to turn around and go back in there.
“That was so weird,” Jenna observes, looking at the commotion going on around us. I look up at the sky, trying not to freak the fuck out right now. “Why don’t we go and get a drink?” she suggests to me, walking over and wrapping her arms around my neck, and I have the sudden need to step away from her.
“You go, I’ll meet you there,” I tell her.
“I don’t want to go alone.” She sings out her words. “I want to go with you. Why can’t you come with me?”
“I have to go see if Matty needs anything,” I say, trying not to sound irritated by her nagging, but I also feel a headache coming on. “You knew this coming here,” I remind her. “You were the one who said it would be like you weren’t even here.”
“Fine,” she huffs, her arms falling from my neck. “I’ll go and get a drink and then save you a seat next to me.” She smiles. “I might even save you a dance,” she flirts, right before she walks away from me. I turn and look back at the door, wanting to storm back in there, but also not wanting to make a scene at the wedding.
I watch her make her way to the barn before I hightail it back over to the groom’s house. I run up the steps and into the house, seeing it’s Matty, Stone, and my other cousin Christopher, sitting down all drinking a beer. “Holy shit, are you okay?” Stone asks me when I walk in. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” The two of them are dressed exactly like me, Matty is the only one without the vest but with a jacket instead.
I walk over and fall into the chair before my legs literally give out on me. “I think I did,” I mumble and then look at Matty, who is just staring at me.
“Did you deliver the gift?” he asks me, sitting up, nervous I didn’t deliver the gift.
“I did,” I inform him. “Who is planning your wedding?” The question comes out without me even thinking twice, which is not normal for me. I always, always make a plan before I have any discussion with anyone.
“Clarabella, Presley, and Shelby,” he replies, leaning back in the chair, taking a pull of his beer, “they work together.”
“Who is Addison to Sofia?” I ask him, trying not to seem like I’m prying or even seeming like I would care who she is. But he doesn’t answer me. Instead, he just glares at me.
“Off-limits,” he grouses between clenched teeth. “She’s a single mom.” He tells me something I already know. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Aren’t you here with a girl?” Stone laughs as he asks me the question.
“Didn’t you just start dating her also?” Christopher follows up with his own question.
All I can do is ignore them. “How old is Avery?” I ask him, even though I know deep down inside me she’s mine. I can’t explain it, but I know. I knew the minute I locked eyes on her, she was mine.
“I have no idea, four… five… six.” He shrugs.
“Have you met her little girl?” I ask him, and his glare gets even more intense.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now? You want to do this at my wedding?” he shouts and Christopher and Stone try not to laugh at his tone.