The Deedy and I forging a friendship? I’m not sure about this, but it feels like the odds are in her favor now that I know for sure there was nothing sexual between her and Jake.

“He’s going to be your husband.” I smile. “Call him whatever you want to call him. I’ve just never heard anyone call him Tommy before, but maybe that makes it even more fitting for you to call him that. I think had my mom called him that, it would feel wrong in a bad way, not just in an unfamiliar way. Does that make sense?”

“Perfect sense.”

This is awkward. I had my mind set on hating Deedy for no particular reason. Immature? Sure. But I’ve got my own baggage. “So …” I stand before the silence gets too weird. “Tell me about the wedding.” I busy myself with the dishes again.

“We’re out of here. Sure you don’t want to come?” Sydney peeks her head into the kitchen.

“I’m good, but thank you.”

Deedy gives Sydney a wave just before my sister and her family head out the door. “Well, I assume we’ll have the ceremony as soon as we return to Milwaukee. Everyone is invited; we just didn’t want to make a big deal out of it or have anyone feel like they had to make the trip, so that’s why we said we’d get married then come out here for a family reception of sorts.”

“Well, it’s kind of a big deal if you bought a wedding dress.” Okay, our friendship is a work in progress. It’s none of my business what Deedy wears for her second wedding. Maybe she eloped with Gavin and never had a chance to wear the white gown. No judgment here.

Dammit!

Maybe a little judgment. Old habits …

“Wedding dress?” Deedy chuckles. “Your dad is something else. I heard him telling you about my wedding dress. I love him, but he’s still such a guy. I bought a dress. It’s white. I’d wear it to church or someone else’s wedding. There’s no train. It hits just below my knees. No rhinestones. No lace. Just a simple white dress.”

With my back to her, I grin. Fucking hell anyway …

Sorry, Heavenly Father.

Darn it anyway … I think I like Deedy. How did this happen?

“It sounds perfect.”

“Yeah, it’s still a church wedding, but small. Mainly our church family. But I’m excited. And for what it’s worth, I’m just as excited to walk down the aisle to marry your dad as I was when I married Gavin.”

I nod, keeping my gaze firmly planted to the sink. No way. Friends or not. Deedy is not going to make me cry. I’ve hit my yearly limit of tears in the course of a month.