“That’s...sweet.”
“It’s embarrassing.”
Liv smiled. She loved seeing this side of Grady. She never would have expected him to be embarrassed about his favorite movie growing up being Beverly Hills Cop and she felt honored that he’d told her that it was the inspiration for his career choice.
He dropped his hands from the steering wheel and looked at her expectantly. “Your turn.”
“My turn?”
“You have to tell me a movie that you love that’s embarrassing.”
“Um...well, I have two favorite movies. They are not necessarily embarrassing in and of themselves, although one of them definitely doesn’t hold up in the current climate, but the reason I love them is a little embarrassing.”
His grin grew wider. “I’m intrigued.”
She couldn’t believe that she was actually admitting this to Grady. She’d never even told Rasha why the movies were her favorites.
“My favorite movies are Sixteen Candles and Hope Floats.”
He stared at her, waiting.
“Have you seen them?” she asked.
He nodded.
“You’ve seen Hope Floats?”
“My mom loves Sandra Bullock.”
“Oh, right well there’s one scene that the two movies have in common and that’s why I love them.” Liv could see that he was trying to puzzle it together, which she found adorable but she doubted he would figure it out. “The scenes where...” Her explanation was interrupted when she heard a loud rap on the window.
She jumped and saw that her Aunt Sandy was standing outside waving at her. Sandy wasn’t actually her aunt; she was her dad’s first cousin but she’d always called her aunt. It took her a moment to remember where they were.
They were at Bridgette’s wedding. The wedding that was supposed to be hers. In the short ride over to the event they were attending it had completely slipped her mind. She had been solely focused on Grady. She just wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
* * *
Grady sipped his beer while waiting at the bar. The wedding was short and sweet and now it was the cocktail hour. Liv was sticking to soda tonight. She’d mentioned, several times, that she didn’t normally drink, and the past couple of nights that she had, were the exception.
He’d been nursing his beer for the past twenty minutes waiting for Liv. She’d excused herself to use the restroom and he was using the time to replay every conversation they’d had. They’d talked about movies, music, hobbies, and his job but he still didn’t know what she did.
Their conversation was so easy, it flowed so effortlessly that the subject just hadn’t come up. He felt like a jerk for not asking and his plan was to remedy that mistake as soon as he saw her again. Which should be any minute now, she’d been gone a while. He wondered if maybe she wasn’t feeling well. He was about to go and check on her when he saw the bride was headed in his direction.
All he could think as she approached him was that she was wearing Liv’s wedding dress. During the wedding, he’d actually pictured Liv in it with him standing at the end of the aisle waiting for her.
It was strange to have such polar opposite emotions about the wedding he was attending. On one hand, he was pissed that her cousin had stolen her wedding. On the other hand, he couldn’t be happier that Liv hadn’t been the one tying the knot.
“Hi.” Bridgette smiled as she stopped in front of him.
“Congratulations,” he nodded at her. “It was a beautiful wedding.”
One that you stole.
“Thank you soooo much. I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Bridgette.” She held out her hand as if he was supposed to kiss her ring.
He didn’t. Instead, he shook it. “Grady, nice to meet you.”
“Grady... and you’re here with…?”