The inventive adder can perform carry look-ahead calculations for a bi-endian adder in a cache memory system. The adder can add one of +/−1, 4, 8, or 16 to a loaded value from memory, and the operation can be a 4 or 8 byte add. The inventive adder comprises a plurality of byte adder cells and carry look-ahead (CLA) logic. The adder cells determine which of themselves is the least significant bit (LSB) byte adder cell. The LSB cell then adds one of the increment values to its loaded value. The other cells add 0x00 or 0xFF, depending upon the sign of the increment value, to a loaded value from memory. Each adder performs two adds, one for a carry-in of 0, and the other for a carry in of 1. Both results are sent to a MUX. The CLA logic determines each of the carries, and provides a selection control signal to each MUX. of the different cells.