Addison #2
“Actually tell me. Don’t wait until you can barely move.”
“I promise.”
I gave her a look.
“I mostly promise.”
“Sawyer.”
She laughed. “I promise, baby. For real.”
We drove to the hotel together, Sawyer in the passenger seat because I had made it very clear that driving was not up for discussion.
She missed her motorcycle something terrible, and she made sure she told me multiple times a day.
The rehearsal dinner was in one of the hotel ballrooms. Lilly’s wedding planner was already there when we arrived, clipboard in hand, speaking into her headset like she was personally responsible for keeping the entire planet on schedule.
The second we stepped into the room, my stomach started doing actual flips.
Sawyer must have felt me tense because her good hand found mine. “Hey,” she said quietly.
I looked at her.
“I’m right here.”
The words hit the same place they always did. Low. Anchoring.
“I know.”
She squeezed my hand once, and we walked in together.
Lilly spotted us first and made a beeline across the room like she had been waiting all evening for this.
“Sawyer,” she said brightly. “Hi. I know we met briefly, but let’s do this correctly, shall we?”
Sawyer smiled. “Nice to finally meet you properly.”
Lilly looked between us, her grin widening when she saw our joined hands. “Addison won’t stop talking about you.”
I made a noise of immediate protest. “Lilly.”
“She literally won’t.”
Sawyer glanced at me, her eyes amused. “Yeah?”
“I have said some things.”
“I bet,” she murmured, and the way she said it made my stomach flip for an entirely different reason.
Lauren and Ashley came over next, both of them trying very hard to act normal and failing in a way that was honestly adorable.
Lauren stopped herself before going in for a hug and gestured toward Sawyer’s sling instead. “Can I hug you, or is that a terrible idea?”
“Good side,” Sawyer said.
Lauren carefully wrapped an arm around her uninjured side. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Me too.”
Ashley looked from Sawyer to me and back again, her eyes bright with delight. “Addison has been losing her mind over you.”
“Ashley,” I hissed.
Sawyer’s smile softened. “She has?”
Ashley nodded emphatically. “In love. Down bad. It’s gross.”
I covered my face with both hands. “I’m going to die.”
Sawyer leaned closer, her voice dropping near my ear. “Not tonight. You have to drive us home.”
“And be my maid of honor tomorrow!” Lilly added.
I turned my head and caught her mouth with mine for a second.
Quick.
Impulsive.
Public.
When I pulled back, her eyes were dark and warm.
“Hi,” she murmured, like we were alone.
“Hi,” I whispered.
My friends literally ‘awed’ at us.
The rest of the dinner went shockingly well.
Sawyer held her own without trying too hard. She laughed at the right moments, asked questions, and listened in that steady way she had, like she wasn’t performing or trying to impress anyone.
She was just present.
My friends ate it up. I could see it in the way Lauren kept angling herself toward Sawyer and the way Ashley kept glancing at me like, finally.
I watched Sawyer talk. Watched her smile. Watched the way her good hand landed lightly at the small of my back when she passed behind me.
And I kept thinking, This is what I’ve been afraid of? This?
She told me she was fine every time I checked on her, but by the end of dinner, I could see the exhaustion settling in. Her smile was still real, but her movements had slowed, and she held her injured arm closer to her body. And I could tell it was time for some pain meds.
“We should go,” I whispered.
“I’m okay.”
“I know. We’re still going.”
Her mouth twitched. “Bossy.”
“You love it.”
“I kinda do.”
We said our goodbyes, and I promised I would be there early tomorrow for the big day.
When we got back to Sawyer’s place, the adrenaline wore off and the pain caught up with her.
It showed itself in small ways first. Her jaw tightened. Her movements slowed. The way she lowered herself onto the couch told me more than her mouth ever would.
I hovered immediately. “How bad?”
“I’m fine,” she said automatically.
I gave her a look.
Sawyer exhaled. “Okay. I’m not fine. I’m tired, and my shoulder hurts.”
“Thank you for telling me.” I knelt in front of her and carefully unfastened the sling before helping her out of the jacket.
“You don’t have to pretend with me,” I said.
“I know.”
I helped her change, gave her the next dose of her medication, and settled the ice pack against her shoulder like I was following the most important instructions in the world.
Sawyer watched me fuss over her with that small, tender expression that still made me feel like I was being trusted with something sacred.
“You’re doing the most,” she said softly.
“I know.” I adjusted the pillows behind her. “Let me.”
Her eyes softened. “Okay.”
We climbed into bed, and I pressed my mouth to her temple, careful of the stitches.
“You were perfect,” I murmured.
Sawyer huffed quietly. “I was not.”
“You were. You were yourself, and they adored you.”
Her breathing slowed. “Good. I enjoyed it. They are all great.”
I tucked myself against her good side, and her arm wrapped around me like she needed me there.
“Tomorrow,” I whispered into the dark, “you’re walking into that room as my girlfriend.”
Her fingers tightened slightly in my hair.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Sawyer pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “I love you.”
I smiled against her skin. “I love you too.”
Saturday morning was a blur of pink.
Bridesmaids were everywhere. Makeup bags sat open like explosions across every surface. Curling irons hissed. Hairspray hung in the air. Champagne came in plastic cups because Lilly insisted that counted as tradition.
I stood in my dress and let Lauren zip me into it while my hands shook.