Just One of the Groomsmen

by Cindi Madsen

  “Everyone,” Lexi said. “Gather round so we can get started.”

  Addie walked toward the center of the floor, and he couldn’t help teasing her. “Looks like you’re taking instructions pretty well to me.”

  She stuck out her foot and tripped him, and he stumbled before catching himself.

  Just like that, this dance practice he’d been dreading since getting the text became that much more fun.

  Addie had always challenged him, but she was smart and quick-witted, and he was seeing a new, flirty side of her that he couldn’t get enough of.

  The eccentric woman who had on a colorful skirt and a scarf tied around her head like a rainbow version of Rambo cleared her throat and began giving them the details about how the first dance at the wedding would go.

  The music would start, and at first, it would be just Shep and Lexi waltzing in the middle of the floor to Tori Kelly and Ed Sheeran’s “I Was Made For Loving You.” As soon as the song moved to the second verse, the bridesmaids and groomsmen would join in and dance around the couple, who’d remain in the middle.

  Lexi gave Tucker and Addie an especially wide grin when she paired them up, and Tucker scooted closer to his sexy dance partner. “Does she know?”

  “She knows that I… You know.”

  “Gonna need more details.”

  If Shep’s girl was onto them, there was no way she wouldn’t tell him. It was surprising his friend hadn’t cornered him yet and asked what the hell.

  Then Easton would know he’d gone ahead and crossed the line, and Ford would join in, and they’d land in that unnecessary drama they’d worried about.

  Part of him wanted to say so what.

  So what if they knew that he wanted to kiss the girl they all claimed wasn’t one?

  So what if they didn’t know how to plan for or solve every complication?

  Those complications were why, though.

  It’d only be a matter of time before everyone they passed on the street was adding their opinion. About how they always knew it’d happen or how it would never work. They’d make bets on if it’d last and gather information that could double as ammunition, in order to better decide whose side to be on if it went south.

  When news of his parents’ divorce broke, their mutual friends acted supportive and promised to remain neutral, but as it turned messy and more of what they assumed were facts came out, most of Mom’s friends turned on her, judging her for moving on so soon.

  Sides were taken, and people who’d come over for countless barbecues and birthday parties through the years were suddenly arguing in the street over who was “in the right” and making decrees about never talking to one another again.

  As Addie pointed out, neither of them was great at making long-term relationships work.

  It was easy to say things would stay the same, but they never did. If they failed and bitterness and resentment crept in and they couldn’t be around each other—like his parents couldn’t be in the same room without arguing to this day—what would that do to their group of friends?

  Uncomfortable pressure built in his chest, and on top of that, he couldn’t stop worrying people would end up talking about Addie the way they’d talked about Mom.

  I’ll do whatever I can to keep that from happening. And if they don’t know, they won’t have any ammunition to use against her.

  “Lexi noticed something was up between us after the football game,” Addie whispered, bringing him back to what’d started his mind down the anxiety-filled path in the first place. “Since it made it easier for her to be cool with me being in the wedding, and I was caught anyway, I admitted that my feelings for you had changed. But I haven’t told her anything happened because we agreed to keep it a secret.”

  Shep walked up behind them, placing his hands on both of their shoulders and sticking his head between theirs. “Are you two paying attention? Because if this doesn’t go well, Lexi will be upset, and I need her to be happy when I get her home, if you catch my drift.”

  Addie opened her mouth—Tucker would bet money to make a smart-ass remark about his code being way too cryptic—but then Shep squeezed their shoulders harder.

  “Not to mention that thanks to agreein’ to have the weddin’ here, Lexi’s had to deal with a whole bunch of crazy shit involving the people in town, and pressure from her mom and friends, so she’s getting her damn waltz. You guys copy?”

  “We copy, we copy,” Addie said, shrinking away from his vise grip. “Also, uncle already.”

  “Oh, and thanks for spilling the HP beans to Lexi, Murph. Don’t think I won’t pay you back for that.” Shep clapped them both on the back, and then stepped between them and toward Lexi so he could help demonstrate the steps.

  “HP beans?” Tucker asked, and Addie shrugged, her expression equal parts self-satisfaction and false innocence. After making sure Shep was preoccupied learning the “proper form for the waltz,” Tucker draped his arm around Addie’s shoulders and whispered, “How good a mood do you need to be in, if you catch my drift?”

  Addie elbowed him in the side, grinning when he grunted. Then they got another stern glare, and just like when they were kids, they assumed the instinctual stick-straight posture that only ever pronounced your guilt.

  The dance instructor raised her voice to address the room. “Okay, now we’re all going to try it.”

  Most of the time, Tucker would be tempted to fake an injury to get out of anything involving learning dance steps. Since he now had a perfectly good excuse to put his hands on Addie, he was unexpectedly all about it.

  Her forehead crinkled as she watched the woman at the front laying out the steps while rattling off foreign terms. “I just vowed to never dance again, and look where that got me.”

  “As I recall, you even told me you wouldn’t dance with me.”

  A threatening grin stretched her lips. “If I break your leg, that can still apply. Hell, break my leg.” She curled her fists in his shirt and jostled him. “I’m actually asking for your help here.”

  He wrapped her tighter in his embrace, splaying his hand on her back. “But what you get is my protection.”

  “What good are you to me, then?”

  He lowered his lips to her ear. “Once I get you alone, I’ll present my case, and trust me, it’s a strong one. With lots of impressive demonstrations.”

  He gently bit at her earlobe, and her fingers dug into his shoulder. Her chest rose and fell against his, and then he was thinking about her lacy black bra, which led to thoughts of getting his hands on the curves he’d gotten a peek at.

  As soon as she was ready, he’d make sure he followed through on his promise.

  Lexi approached, and he froze and tried to temper his body’s response to being smooshed up against Addie as the bride-to-be surveyed them with a critical eye.

  “Addie, you probably want to practice in heels,” Lexi said. “Lucky for you, I brought a spare pair in case you forgot.”

  “I’m starting to suspect that you don’t know what the words ‘want’ ‘lucky’ or ‘forgot’ mean. You’re not seriously expecting me to keep my heels on for the whole wedding and reception, are you?”

  While Lexi had remained a fairly mellow bride, that comment brought out the crazy-eyed diva.

  “I’ll wear heels,” Addie quickly said. “It’s cool.”

  The laugh he’d tried to hold back escaped and Addie elbowed him in the ribs again.

  He was going to have a bruise there by the end of the night if this kept up, and his mind conjured images of rough foreplay, with him pressing Addie against things, and her pushing right back.

  Once Lexi crossed the room to get the shoes, Addie sagged against him. “I’m going to be hanging on you, making you carry all my weight, just to save my poor feet and their circulation.”

  He slid both hands low on her back an
d secured her tighter against him. “Not as much of a threat as you might think. Especially if the dress you’ll be wearing is as revealing as you claim.”

  Lexi returned with the shoes, and as he helped her into them, Addie gripped his hand and mouthed “save me,” while the rest of the guys snickered.

  They all got the bird, which she quickly folded down when Lexi straightened and asked how they fit. “So comfortable, I thought they were my sneakers.”

  Lexi pursed her lips, not buying it for a second. “Your sarcasm makes me feel less bad about forcing you into them.”

  “I think we just crossed into the next phase of our friendship—brutal honesty. Go us,” Addie said, and she lightly punched Lexi’s shoulder.

  Lexi flashed her a grin and then returned to Shep, who gave them all threatening behave-or-else glares.

  If Tucker ever fell so hard for a girl that he willingly went along with the idea of waltzing, he’d ask one of the other guys to put him out of his misery.

  The music swelled, and the instructor shouted the steps as she clapped out a loud rhythm. Then it turned into the blind leading the blind. Addie stumbled as he went back and she stepped right, and he barely caught her. She let loose a string of swear words that raised a lot of eyebrows and unhinged a lot of jaws, and the guys snorted out laughs.

  “How’s it goin’ over there, Murph?” Ford asked, and if her eyes could shoot the lasers she was clearly trying to fire from them, he’d be dead.

  “You want me to tell ’em to be nice?” Tucker asked, voice low.

  “No, then they’d know something was up. You’ve never defended me before.”

  Offense tweaked his gut. “I have, too. Plenty of times. Like when they were plannin’ on lettin’ the air out of your boyfriend’s truck so he’d miss poker night. I was the one who stopped that—you’re welcome.”

  “When was that, and with who?”

  “After the regional game senior year, and that prick you dated way too long. None of us wanted him at the party, but I argued that then you wouldn’t be at the party because you’d be too busy changing the tire for his pansy ass, and I wanted you there, even if we had to deal with the douche.”

  Now he was thinking of the way the guy hurt her, and then he was worried that he’d be the next douche who did, no matter how hard he tried to prevent it.

  I’m not even supposed to be getting anything near to serious right now. I have no business pretending I’m in a place to.

  “I never knew that, although I can’t say I’m surprised. He was sort of a douche,” she said, then she tripped on the heels again.

  Tucker steadied her, but she reached down and unbuckled the strap around her ankle, the hole in her jeans stretching so wide that her knee and a couple inches of her silky-smooth thigh made an appearance.

  “That’s it,” she said. “Sorry, Lexi, but I’m going to have to learn without the shoes first.”

  She kicked one off, hitting Ford square in the back. The other one got aimed at Easton.

  Then everyone was laughing again. Correction, make that everyone on the groom’s side.

  The bride’s family and friends wore scandalized expressions.

  Brittany strolled over, her heels clicking against the floor. She hit him with a flirty grin as she extended her hand. “Here, Tucker, lemme teach you so you can learn the steps before you attempt to use them with her.”

  Addie wrapped herself around him, her body heat soaking into him and giving him more dirty thoughts to keep the others company. “He’s learnin’ the steps just fine.”

  “I’m just saying—”

  “I’m dancing with him, so thanks for your totally nonsuspect desire to suddenly help, but we’re good.”

  With a huff, Brittany stormed back over to where she’d come from.

  The amused grin he couldn’t hold back brought out Addie’s disgruntled glare. “What?”

  Tucker lowered his lips to her ear again, and her perfume flooded his senses. “You’re jealous.”

  “I can’t be jealous when I’m the one still dancin’ with you.”

  His grin widened, and she rolled her eyes.

  He found he liked that she got jealous over the thought of him dancing with someone else, especially since he’d experienced so much of that toxic heat thinking of her at that club.

  Addie readjusted her dancing stance. “While you’re bein’ three kinds of smug over there, I’m not getting any better at this, and you’re the one who has to waltz with me in front of everyone at the weddin’, so maybe you want to lead me instead of mock me?”

  She batted her eyes, deceptively sweet.

  “Your wish is my command.” He tightened the arm he had around her waist and dipped her, and while the people in the room were undoubtedly going to wonder what this was all about, he didn’t care.

  Tucker slowly pulled Addie back up, securing her against his chest. She gripped on to his biceps and swallowed, her pupils overtaking the brown of her irises.

  Oh yeah, dance practice was way more fun than he’d thought it’d be.

  “Holy shit, Crawford,” Easton said. “Were you really working in a law firm, or do you have a secret competitive dance side we should know about?”

  “You probably shouldn’t waste those moves on Murph,” Ford said, and Addie frowned.

  If the moves worked, he couldn’t help thinking that they wouldn’t be a waste.

  …

  Round two with the high heels had been brutal, and the instant Addie sat down to take off Lexi’s shoes, Brittany approached Tucker, and she couldn’t possibly talk to him without her hand on his arm.

  What part of “he’s seeing someone” don’t you understand?

  Probably the part where he can’t be seen with that person he’s “seeing.”

  Yes, there were complications, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to go over and claim him as hers.

  “Thanks for being such a good sport,” Lexi said as she sat in the chair next to her. She must’ve noticed the eye daggers, because she added, “Want me to try to call off Brittany? She’s a bit aggressive when it comes to guys, and I wouldn’t have given her Tucker’s information if I would’ve known that you…” She glanced around. “You know.”

  “You know seems to be the new code word. But it’s okay. He can make his own decisions.”

  I just might have to castrate him if he chooses wrong, so it’s convenient that that won’t make our friendship weird or anything.

  The other bridesmaids were over there as well, chatting with the rest of the guys, so it was more of a group thing, and as soon as her feet regained circulation, she’d go join them.

  Addie rubbed at her aching muscles, hitting the pressure points to help provide relief and wishing they worked magic instead. “I can’t believe you willingly submit yourself to wearing heels.”

  “I love shoes.”

  “I love shoes, too, but I love ones that love me back.”

  Lexi laughed, then slumped down in the chair and let her head fall back with a sigh. “It’s all coming together. I was seriously about to have a nervous breakdown last week, but your mother is a godsend. She has a ton of connections, as well as an eye for design, and we might actually pull off this wedding in time.”

  “Of that I have no doubt.” Addie glanced at Tucker again. Brittany was going above and beyond in her flirting attempts, slowly licking off the frosting from the cupcakes Lexi had provided from Maisy’s Bakery for an after-dance-torture treat.

  “I thought she’d be more help when it came to the wedding,” Lexi said, clearly talking about Brittany again, “but she always claims to be too busy. When she was so excited tonight, I thought it was for the waltz, probably because I love the waltz. Have ever since I saw it in Beauty and the Beast when I was a little girl. It’s so classic and romantic, you know?”

 
There was that “you know” again, and although Addie didn’t know, she nodded.

  She got the gist and why Lexi would like it, even though during that movie, her main thought had been wondering if her parents would let her get a pet wolf.

  “Why are you even still friends with her?” Addie brought her hand over her mouth. “Sorry. My filter’s obviously broken today.”

  Lexi simply shrugged it off. “It’s okay. I get it. But she and I have been through a lot together.”

  Just like Addie and her group of guys had been through a lot together.

  Maybe too much to realistically throw romance into the mix.

  Whoa, that makes me sound like the one girl in the middle of an orgy.

  Make that romance with one guy. Maybe if she was a different girl, and circumstances were different, and ugh.

  Although Tucker’s posture was closed off, his arms crossed, and he was only politely nodding here and there, Addie hated how much watching the pretty brunette flirt with him brought out her insecurities.

  Not like she needed proof that she’d never be smooth, but the other night certainly proved it, and she’d never be able to lick frosting off a cupcake without either smearing it across her face or inhaling at the wrong time and choking on it.

  I wish she’d choke on it. Immediately guilt flooded in. She shouldn’t be aiming bad wishes at anyone.

  How could she compete with that, though? Brittany was exactly the type of girl Tucker had always gone for, too, which so didn’t help.

  Addie was just make-believe sexy, playing in fancy clothes and makeup for a wedding. It wasn’t her.

  Would never be her.

  Once she stopped dressing up, would Tucker think she’d gone back to boring Addie, the plain girl he grew up with?

  They had chemistry to spare right now, but part of that was probably the mystery. The excitement of the unknown.

  There’d been times she’d thought she and a guy had crazy sparks in her past relationships, and then they’d finally have sex and it’d be meh, and all of a sudden she wouldn’t have a relationship anymore.