Leaning in closer, Addie whispered, “Mine are, too.”
Sympathizing with her, Kam grinned. “Since the bride and groom are gone, we’re allowed to head home, right?”
“I’m catching a ride with Callie’s parents.”
That took him back a step. “How come?”
“To spare Glory, of course.” Resting against the outdated paneled wall, Addie glanced around the room, ensuring that the lingering guests couldn’t hear her. “Drives me nuts how Liz keeps picking at her. That girl has worked her tail off setting up this wedding, and all Liz has done is complain.”
“To you?” Kam asked, feeling his temper rile. Okay, so the wedding venue was small, but it was the only hall in town. Who cared if the chairs had plastic seats or if the linoleum floor had seen better days? Callie and Tanner were happy. Blissfully so.
Addie shook her head. “Of course not. It’s Glory I’m worried about.”
Right. Who could ever be rude to Addie? “So what do they say?”
She shrugged. “It’s silly stuff, like telling her to slow down or she’ll sweat.”
Kam laughed.
“Or saying she needs to adjust the strap on her dress.”
That sent his attention to her dress again. To him, that strap seemed plenty secure. Good thing, because if it slid down her arm, the entire top of the dress would go with it.
An intriguing idea.
“There was something about the flowers being wilted, and the cake being too sweet—”
He snorted. “In other words, just looking for things to bitch about?”
“It was a beautiful wedding,” Addie said with a sigh.
“Don’t start crying again.”
“I’ll cry if I want to.” On a groan, she moved to sit on a chair, then slipped off her shoes and wiggled her toes.
Kam followed her. “You sure you don’t want me to takeyou home?” At seventy-two, Addie was still an energetic woman who didn’t indulge a lot of idle time—but it was way past her usual bedtime. Early to bed, early to rise had always been her mantra.
“Callie’s parents are just waiting on me.” Her gaze slanted his way. “Figured it wouldn’t hurt to let them wait a few minutes more. You need to hang back with Glory and see that she gets home.”
Honest to God, he’d do anything for Addie.Anything.She’d literally saved his life when she’d taken him in as a kid—but he didn’t want to take Glory home. “She’s twenty-five, Addie. She knows how to get herself home.”
“Kam,” she said, her voice stern. “As the maid of honor, she needs to wrap up everything here, and as best man, you should lend her a hand, which means you two will be the last to leave. Do you really want her alone in a parking lot at this time of night?”
It wasn’t a bad area. Hoker was mostly a quiet town. Except, okay, it was a weekend and things got a little rowdier, but still... “What’s there to wrap up?” Admittedly, he didn’t know anything about weddings or receptions. Seemed to him it was all taken care of.
Addie stood again, this time with her shoes dangling from the fingers of one hand. “Talk to Glory and find out.” She went on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “And Kam?”
“Yes, Addie,” he replied dutifully.
“Benice.”
Smiling, he watched her walk off—barefoot, her long floral dress dragging on the floor behind her.
He waited there until she and Callie’s parents had departed.
In short order, the last remaining guests also filed out. Kam looked around but didn’t see Glory. His brows pulled together, dread settling in his stomach.
Maybe she’d already left, too. Damn it, Addie would have his ass.