Cold Feet

Tequila and What Sounds Like a Good Idea

Savannah's POV

After spending the afternoon running errands for the wedding, meeting with the preacher, and trying to work on a new design, I sighed tossing the sketchpad aside because there was no focusing. The letter I found in the mailbox yesterday haunted me. I grabbed the glass of wine that was at my elbow staring out over my parents' backyard where I had ensconced myself for the last few hours. Why after all these years had he just had to say something now? In a fucking letter to boot. Had Brantley become a chicken shit after all? I growled at myself for even mentally thinking about this. I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't realize I wasn't alone.

"Ah shit," I heard my best friend sigh from behind my making my head whip around spotting her standing there with her hands on her hips shooting a glare over at Ashley. "She has seen him hasn't she?"

"Yes," Ashley said biting her bottom lip and have the grace to wince a little at her words. I growled at her making Nana laugh as she appeared walking past the two of them carrying the plate of cookies Mama had made earlier. See this is why Nana was one of my best friends because she supplied the sweets and liquor when needed. She was also the only one I would ever full fledge talk to about how things happened with Brantley. Mama much to her dismay had gotten very few details over the years unless her niece or mother in law got chatty. Whit only knew the barebones and Ashley just had seen the devastation first hand. "He walked into my kitchen with her sitting at the counter the other day."

"Dammit Ash," Whitley grumbled reaching out to smack my cousin's arm before walking over to give me a hug. I sighed hugging her back missing my best friend. The distance between Texas and Alabama was too much sometimes. Whit had been my life preserver during the rough patch in my life that sent me fleeing from home. "I can't believe you didn't give her any warning."

"More like," Nana said with an evil cackle shaking her head passing me a cookie while I poured all of them a glass of wine. "She and Eli screwed the pooch royally when it came to both of them. He had no idea she was home either until he waltzed in."

"Fuck me," Whit said with a wince reaching over to squeeze my hand. "You okay Vannah?"

"Sure," I grumbled rolling my eyes. I glanced down at my hands twisting my engagement ring around on my finger. "Why wouldn't I be? I am peachy fucking keen. I'm only stressed because I am getting married in three days and there is so much to do. Hell, we didn't even have time to plan a bachelorette party because so much going on."

"Well now," Nana said with an evil laugh making all our heads whip around at her. "We can remedy that. Let me go grab your mama and tell her to send Corey out for a while."

Whitley's POV

I took a sip of the margarita Savannah's mama had mixed up tapping my foot to the music on the Bluetooth speaker watching Savvy try and balance enough to finish playing the game of Cornhole with her mama. Ashley dropped down onto the outdoor couch beside me and I raise an eyebrow at her.

"Spill," I hissed quietly pointing at Savannah making Ashley gulp. "For the better part of a decade, I have let y'all skirt by me with minimal details but now my ass has step foot in Jefferson so fucking spill Ash. If I am going to have to help soothe her nerves about being back here, I need background information."

"Fine," she said nodding her head leaning back against the couch closing her eyes. "I know that despite Savannah, you are a fan of Brantley's music. Remember the song "You Promised"?" I nodded my head because I remember hearing it and how gut wrenching it was. "Basically the story word for word. Despite all his issues at the time, Vannah stood by him through it all. Ever noticed how sad she gets on days it is rainy, especially in October?" I gasped because I thought it was a quirk of Savannah's no one else noticed. "Sat her stuff out on the front porch of the house they were renting calling me to come get her once he closed the door. He knew how bad it was getting and felt like he was dragging her down. Next day once he sobered up, he dropped by Nana and Grandaddy's giving her a letter. Nana says she had never seen Savannah so mad because she funneled all the hurt into that conversation. Both of them in tears when she tossed her ring at his head then stalked back in the house slamming the door. His funeral is the only time other than now she has come home. She wouldn't even come home for mine and Eli's wedding because she said she wasn't putting E and I through having to choose between our best friends. That she would make the decision for us."