“You must let go!” I say sternly.
As I pull, one of the needles slips out of my hand, and the force somehow carries it toward Logan. It stabs him in the neck.
“Jesus!” he says.
“I’m so sorry. Oh, dear.”
We all laugh, even Ginny, for the first time all evening.
“Who knew knitting would be the deadly art?” Logan says as he, Blake, and Dave sit with us. “So, Mace, who are we walking down the aisle with, anyway? Are you with Flip?”
“Of course she is,” Ginny says. “Dave’s brother is his best man, and Macey’s my maiden of honor.”
“And I’m with your cousin, Gin?” Logan says. “The one with the super-large ears?”
“That would be Erma,” I say as Logan and Dave laugh.
Ginny and I admonish them and try not to smile. Erma’s ears are the largest I’ve ever seen. They’ve been that way since she was a kid. Mama used to pray she’d “grow into them one day,” but they seemed to keep growing right along with the rest of her.
Gigi comes over and clings to Logan, not taking her hands off of him even to take a sip of water out of her dainty little water bottle her father had handmade for her from some famous glass shop in Manhattan. I turn away to talk to Ginny, but I can hear Gigi giggling on my right.
Thank God, the fireworks are starting. Riley and Free are just a few blankets away, and I excuse myself to go join them.
“Hey, girls.”
Free pats the blanket for me to sit down.
“You look hot,” she says. “And I don’t mean because of the weather.”
I give her a hug. “Thank you, sweetie. Are either of you bringing dates?”
“We’re each other’s date tonight.” Free puts her arm around Riley. “Two single women.”
“At least y’all have a date. I’m sitting over there with the two engaged couples, feeling like a loser.”
“You and Flip could make out on the dance floor after the ceremony,” Riley suggests.
“Please.”
Flip is ten years older than me and has never had a girlfriend. According to Dave, he “sort of lost his virginity, once.” I told him I don’t want to know what that means. And while I respect waiting and holding out for the right person, I’m not about to initiate him into the world of sex.
“Pretty,” Riley says as pink and white light explodes in the sky.
“I love fireworks,” I say.
“Speaking of fireworks,” Riley says with a cheeky grin. “How did you and Logan make out in the cell?”
Free laughs.
“Nice try,” I say to Riley. “I’m just going to focus on Ginny. On Ginny getting married.”
97
The bridesmaids and groomsmen pile into the first over-sized carriage. I’m relieved when I end up as far away from Logan as possible, but then his mother calls to him as we’re about to pull away that he dropped his phone, so he gets out and back in and ends up right next to me.
I lean out past him to wave to Ginny and her father in the horse and carriage behind us.
Logan moves his arm so he can lean against the seat, and his hand accidentally touches my bare back. I clench my jaw and don’t look at him. He pats my back awkwardly where his hand landed and then carefully moves it away. Thank God he’s not my partner—this will probably be the last time I have to be this close to him all night.
