Page 52 of Honeymoon Phase
“Why?” I ask and notice both of my brothers looking at each other with concern.
“Because the moment she walks down the aisle and sees the way you look at her... she’ll know the truth anyways.”
A heaviness grows in my chest over that sobering reality and, somehow, the stakes got as high as that ninety-foot pole I ate shit on.
Everly’s voice is thick when she adds, “And you deserve for her to be looking back at you the exact same way.”
Chapter 18
Fact or Fiction?
This lumberyard chick is an Autumn.
Addison
I’m late for work Monday morning because... well... I didn’t realize how friggin’ long it would take me to drive from Jamestown to Boulder. It’s not a particularly long drive, it’s just a hell of a lot longer than the five-minute jaunt I’m used to. I’m definitely going to need to start bringing my computer home in the evenings this winter though because if I get snowed in and can’t make it down the peak, I need to be able to at least manage my sales calls.
Thankfully, Chuck and Bullhead have the day-to-day stuff at the yard pretty well-handled. I don’t run the forklifts or pull orders down very often these days. Since my dad started spending more time in Florida, I’ve taken over a lot of what he used to do in terms of sales and ordering. The only thing he hasn’t fully let me in on is the meetings he’s had with the potential buyers that came out of nowhere. Apparently they’re from Colorado Springs and do some level of developing, and they offered him a mountain of money that I can understand looks appealing to him. He’s burned-out and ready to cut ties and leave the yard behind.
But I’m not.
And it drives me crazy that he keeps telling me he’s saving me from myself. I know my own mind, damn it.
I’m distracted when I pull into the lot and see that all the forklifts are lined up on either side of the building center doors,framing the entrance. White balloons and paper bells hang from the prongs and I can’t for the life of me figure out what this could be about. Did I forget about a special event we’re throwing? We don’t host many events here so who the hell authorized this? Maybe my dad forgot to tell me something before he flew out?
I glance around the yard to see if any of the guys are outside to ask and it’s a ghost town, so I hightail my ass inside to see what all the fuss is about.
When I push through the double doors, my jaw drops to the floor when I am greeted by my entire crew of about twenty people inside the showroom, coffee mugs in hand standing beneath a giant banner that says:
CONGRATULATIONS MRS. FLETCHER
“Oh fuck... she’s here!” Bullhead croaks and hits a button on a dusty old boom box where a loud wedding march song crackles through the shitty speakers. Everyone cheers and holds their mugs up, clapping their hands and offering me their well-wishes.
Chuck appears beside me, gesturing to the crowd and ramping them up even more.
“What is this?” I ask as Chuck walks me back toward the counter where customers pay and I see a large cardboard box and, when I’m close enough to look inside, I see it’s a giant sheet cake with my face on it.
I cringe and cover my eyes because it’s a horrific picture of me with two middle fingers up and my tongue out. It was taken by my father years ago. I was an unruly teenager at the time and I’m pretty sure all he did was tell me to smile for the camera. This photo has lived on the bulletin board of our break roomfor close to a decade and I’m 90 percent sure they just plunked that dusty photo right on this beautiful white frosted cake.
Chuck puts two fingers in his mouth and whistles loudly to quiet everyone down. “Shut up so I can say a little something.”
Everyone settles down and I feel my cheeks flame red. “What are you doing, Chuck?”
His voice is loud so everyone can hear as he says, “Well, your dad called to tell me the news over the weekend and the guys and I wanted to show you how happy we are for you, Addie May.” He barks out a dry laugh and everyone raises their mugs in agreement.
I look around and see that they’ve got balloons and streamers and cheap bridal shower decorations strewn all over the place. They even set out the potluck table in the break room and there’s four crockpots and casserole dishes and what looks like a cheese and meat tray all laid out. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
“Sure we did, darling.” Chuck smiles so big, I can’t see his eyes. “Most of us have seen you grow up around here and this was the least we could do to celebrate your news. You’re not just your father’s daughter. You’re ours too.”
My eyes start to sting and I lick my lips to stop my chin from trembling. “Thank you.”
“We all pooled our money and got you a little something too.”
“No,” I exclaim, holding my hands out as Bullhead walks up with a giant box wrapped in brown paper. “No gifts. I won’t take it.”
“Shut up and open your present, damn it,” Bullhead croaks before stepping back.
I sigh heavily and roll my eyes, not liking a single minute of this kind of attention, especially when this was all to fulfill a stupid trust fund requirement.
