Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75408 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75408 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
She looked over at the buffet table. “Oh, Lord. Looks like it’s time to eat. Do you have a speech ready?”
I snapped my head up to look at my sister. “What do you mean, a speech?”
“Well, you’re like the hostess. Don’t you have to give a speech?”
I frantically looked around for Brody. “No, that’s for the wedding. I mean, we don’t give speeches at the…at the…whatever kind of party this is! Shower slash bachelorette slash bachelor party. No one gives speeches at those.”
Palmer lifted her brows and gave me an are-you-sure-about-that look.
“Oh shit,” I whispered as I stood, heading for Brody. “I have to go!”
“Good luck!” she called out.
I not-so-politely pushed my way through the crowd until I got to Brody’s table. I grabbed his arm and pulled him up and into the nearest corner.
“Jesus, Sutton. If you want a moment alone, I’m sure I can find us a better spot.”
I hit him in the stomach, causing him to let out a breath. “Are we supposed to give speeches?”
His face paled. “What? I can’t give two speeches. I’ve only got enough material for the wedding speech.”
I blinked at him. “Material?”
“Words, thoughts, well wishes, whatever the hell you want to call it. I feel like my brain is fried after putting together that damn slideshow you wanted to do.” He yawned, and it made me yawn. “I’m still tired.”
“What are you even complaining about? You fell asleep on my sofa an hour into it. I put the whole thing together while you snored next to me.”
He pointed at me. “Hey, I can’t help it if you have an incredibly comfortable couch. That thing is made for napping.”
I rolled my eyes, then spotted my mother walking by. I grabbed her arm and pulled her into the little nook. “Mom! Are we supposed to give a speech?”
She looked from me to Brody, then started to laugh. “You both look white as ghosts. No, you don’t have to give a speech. But I would suggest getting everyone’s attention so you can start the slideshow.”
“You can’t do that?” I asked.
She shot me a stern look. “Sutton Bradley, you did not just ask me that.”
“I believe she did,” Brody said. It took everything I had not to elbow him in the side.
“One of you, the hosts, should get everyone’s attention and introduce the slideshow. I’ll leave it up to you to decide who it is.”
The second she walked off, Brody and I turned to face each other. “Rock, paper, scissors?” he asked.
“Fine. One. Two. Three.”
“Wait, wait, wait. Best out of three or one and done?”
“Um…” I glanced over my shoulder. Nearly everyone was almost seated. “One and done.”
He nodded.
“One. Two. Three.”
Brody did paper, and I threw out a rock.
“No! Dammit. You always do scissors!” I said.
He winked. “And you always do the rock.” He motioned for me to lead the way. “Shall we?”
I huffed and started to stomp away like a child as Brody chuckled from behind me.
Once we got to the table where we’d be sitting for dinner, I picked up a water glass and tapped the side with a spoon. When I had everyone’s attention, I thanked them for coming. Then Braxton cracked a poor joke and Palmer hit him in the stomach. When the video slideshow started to play, I sat down and let out a relieved breath.
Brody leaned in close to me. “See, that wasn’t so hard.”
I forced myself to smile as I replied, “Payback’s a bitch.”
He lifted his glass and took a drink. “I won fair and square.”
“You cheated.”
“How did I cheat? I can’t help it if you’re predictable.”
“What?” I nearly shouted. Both sets of our parents turned to look at us. I flashed them a wide grin, then leaned in and whispered into Brody’s ear, “After we get married, and you’re sound asleep on that comfy sofa, I’m going to write on your forehead with a Sharpie.”
He tried to hold in his laugh, and a snort came out instead. Drawing away, he looked at me and smiled. Not a lazy smile, but that crooked grin that made my insides melt. “So that’s a yes, then.”
I quickly looked away because I was positive it wasn’t happiness I was seeing in his eyes. It was something deeper. Stronger. I just couldn’t pinpoint it.
“Sutton?”
“I already agreed to it, Brody.”
When he reached under the table and took my hand, squeezing it lightly, my chest tightened with a feeling I hadn’t had in a very long time.
Hope.
Brody
Sutton and I stared at the door of the Justice of the Peace’s office for what felt like an eternity before I reached for the handle and opened it. Mindy Larson—no relation to Jackass Larson—looked up from her desk and smiled. I had called Mitch Murphy, our Justice of the Peace, on Friday to let him know we would be here this morning.