“Baby?” My eyebrows drew together in concern. She was so pale. “Are you okay?”
“I think…” Nat worried her lower lip. “I mean I’m not sure but I think… I just felt a contraction.”
Okay, and officially terrified.
I was going to be a dad.
“Nat, we should go to the hospital just in case—”
“Ouch!” She punched me in the arm.
“What did I do?” I held up my hands in innocence.
Her eyes narrowed as she pointed down to her round belly. “This. You’re responsible for this.”
“You’re welcome?”
“Ouch!” She stomped her foot and smacked me again.
“Shit, you’re going to beat me today, aren’t you?” I groaned as she gripped my hand and continued to stare into space. “Nat, what do you wanna do? If you still want to try and go to the spa, I can take you and…”
Nat’s eyebrows shot up. “And what? Get a pedicure?”
“I was going to say wait in the car.” I grimaced.
“I’m fine.” She inhaled. “I just need… to stop stressing. I mean, it’s not like I’m already going into labor or anything.”
She clenched my hand.
“Right.” I pulled out my cell.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“Calling the guys.”
“Why?” She let go of my hand and tried to snatch my phone.
I held the phone high enough away from her so she couldn’t reach. “No chance in hell am I going golfing while you’re having contractions.”
Her lower lip pouted.
“Nat,” I warned. “Don’t look at me like that.”
Her damn lip quivered.
“God help us when we have a girl,” I grumbled as the phone rang in my ear.
“I’m dying,” Demetri announced on the other end.
“Um, hello to you too?”
“No, seriously dying, as in I did pushups last night. I even contemplated running this morning. If I can’t have sex soon… well, we may be having a funeral instead of a wedding, man.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Guys can’t die that way. Stop being a pansy and deal with it.”
Nat punched me again in the shoulder.
“I don’t know, man,” Demetri groaned. “She offered me bacon, and I seriously almost wept. Wept — because she’d bitten into part of it, and I swear I could taste part of her—”
“And I’m gonna stop you right there,” I interrupted. “Nat’s having contractions.”
“Holy shit!” Demetri shouted, making it so I had to pull the phone from my ear. “How far apart?”
I stared at the phone and shook my head then barked into the receiver. “What are you? A doctor now?”
“I know females” was his simple answer. Only Demetri.
“I’m ignoring that answer,” I grumbled, receiving another punch from Nat and a chuckle from Demetri. “I’m not sure I can go golfing…”
“Noted.” Demetri let out a heavy sigh then whispered, “We’ll just go with the girls to the spa.”
“We will?” I chuckled. “And do what?”
“Drink beer,” Demetri snapped. “Shit, I don’t drink. We need man magazines or something so we don’t get judged, but Nat’s insane if she thinks we’re letting her go out with the girls while she’s having contractions.”
“Thank you. I said the same thing.”
“Isn’t it cool?”
“Huh? What?”
“That our minds are like one.”
“I’m hanging up now. Call Jaymeson for me?”
Demetri laughed. “Right. Nothing would make me happier than to call Jaymeson and again inform him that we can’t do a real bachelor party. Seriously, last time he was pissed we hiked up a mountain. Now he’s going to shit his pants.”
“Him we’ll give beer to,” I mumbled.
“Or shots…” I could practically hear Demetri’s grimace through the phone. “Right. I’ll see you at the spa— Shit, words no man should ever utter. Hell, in about fifteen?”
“Yup.”
I hung up and shoved the phone in my back pocket just as Nat punched me again in the shoulder. If she kept that up, it was going to look like she beat me.
“So?” She leaned against the counter and fanned her face. “See totally fine?” Right. If her grimace was any indication...
“Nat…” I licked my lips and tucked her blond hair behind her ears. “…you know I love you, right? And that I think you’re one of bravest women I’ve ever met?”
She melted against me, nodding her head against my chest.
“That also goes for the fact that you are the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. The guys are going to meet us at the spa, and we’re going to...” Yeah, I had no idea. Sit?
“Pamper?”
“Yeah,” I breathed. “I mean, we could get massages or something.”
She sighed heavily.
Meaning, I win.
“Come on.” I wrapped my arm around her. “Let’s get you and our little girl buckled all safely in the car. If she’s anything like her mother, patience isn’t something she practices, meaning, she’s going to be here sooner rather than later, and I think a nice pedicure is just what you need when you’re punching me later this week for getting you pregnant.”
“Such sweet, sweet words.” Nat giggled.
“What can I say? Husband of the year award and all that.” I kissed her head again and opened the door. “Now, let me take care of you.”
CHAPTER SIX
Demetri
JAYMESON WALKED INTO THE spa, took one look around, and damn-near shouted. “You have got to be shitting me.”
Two elderly ladies scowled in his direction.
Then he flashed them a smile straight from Hollywood, and I was pretty sure one of them developed a sudden twitch in her eye while the other looked like she’d stopped breathing.
“Dude.” I smacked him on the chest. “Married. Pregnant wife. Don’t be weird.”
“Please.” Jaymeson shrugged. “It’s not like I can actually turn off the British charm. It’s like its own entity. Oh, and by the way, I’m killing you in your sleep tonight. Just thought you should be prepared for when you don’t wake up.”
I nodded slowly. “Any particular reason you feeling violent?”
Jaymeson’s eyes narrowed. His dark brown hair was shaved closer to his head than normal for his movie role. It made him look a bit more... menacing.
“One thing… all I ask is for one thing.” He held up his hand. “And you wanna know what that is, Dem? Hmm?”
“Sex?” I grinned.
“Get that every day — thrice a day — but thanks for your concern, prude.” He glared. “Guess again.”
“Hmm.” I tapped my chin. “A personality?”
“We’re going to be here forever,” Alec grumbled from his seat in the spa. “I know you wanted a bachelor party for my wedding and then for Demetri’s, but need I remind you that when you ran off and got married, we couldn’t have one for you either.”
“Exactly!” Jaymeson threw his hands in the air. “This was my one chance to live how the other half lives!”
“Dead?” I tilted my head. “Because Pris would kill you.”
“He’s right,” a girl, I imagined was Pris, Jaymeson’s wife, shouted from her spot in the salon.
Jaymeson waved and blew a kiss. His face fell, and then he marched over to the chair. Alec and I followed and watched as Jaymeson, a very whipped Jaymeson, bent down, kissed his wife full on the mouth, and damn-near fondled her in front of everyone before coming back.
“She make you apologize?” I teased.
“Shut it,” Jaymeson snapped. “She would have let me go to a bachelor party.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” Alec slapped him on the back. “Besides it was only supposed to be golf. I mean, how much trouble could we get into?”
Just then, like magic, a storm of screaming girls ran by the spa and
plastered themselves against the windows.
“Shit, we need to lock that door,” Jaymeson said, right as I joined in with Alec in saying, “Not it!”
“Hate you guys by the way. Freaking hate you. Why are we even friends?” Jaymeson grumbled making his way toward the door just as more girls ran by the spa. Something must have grabbed their attention because, before Jaymeson could do anything, security started pulling them away from the doors.
And then they opened.
Jaymeson stepped back and laughed.
I, however, said something like, “Shit.” Yeah, or maybe it was worse than that. I may have dropped an F-bomb.
“Don’t look directly at them!” I shouted, running toward Alyssa.
She ignored my plea and chose to stare behind me. Her mouth dropped open.
Defeated, I turned back around and met my new nemesis and his best friend. Nemesis number two.
“Wes Michels.” The guy held out his hand to me and smiled. “And you are?”
“Pissed.” I groaned. “Can’t you at least try to cover your face or something? Remarkable, it’s like staring at the damn sun. Damn it! Damn it!”
Alyssa stepped around me. “Please excuse my fiancé. He’s under a lot of stress.”
“Drugs.” Wes nodded then winked at her.
“Why does everyone think I’m on drugs?” I asked aloud. “Will I ever live that down? Years ago, guys. Years.”
“Anyways, I’m Alyssa.” She stuck out her hand and then tilted her head at the girl next to Wes. “You must be… Kiersten?”
“Yeah.” The pretty redhead looked like a freaking super model come to life. I’d never dug redheads, and honestly, to me Alyssa was a bazillion times prettier, but there was something really bright and welcoming about Kiersten.
“Hey.” I sighed and held out my hand to Wes and then to Kiersten. “I’m Demetri Daniels.”
“Oh.” Kiersten grinned, her face turning red. “I know exactly who you are. I’m obsessed with your music. I swear I had the biggest crush on you when I started listening to music again.”
“Really?” I smirked and took a step forward, only to feel a hand that I could have sworn was wrapped in steel push against my chest.
“Yeah, not happening.” Wes shook his head just as Gabe and his wife came up and made introductions.
Alyssa took another look at Gabe and did a little swoon thing then whispered in my ear. “You. I love you. But he has really pretty hair.”
“Wanna touch it?” Gabe winked.
Saylor, his wife, slapped him across the chest so hard even I winced.
“Dude.” Alec looked between us. “Separated at birth. Imagine that?”
“I’m the brother!” Jaymeson said, stepping in our little circle.
“Ah, so now you claim me.” I punched him in the shoulder. “Only when someone pisses on your property huh, brother?”
“Why are we in a spa?” Gabe asked, changing the subject.
“Contractions,” the entire group said in unison, pointing to Nat.
She grumbled and crossed her arms over her belly. “It’s not my fault!’
“This one…” I pointed to Alec. “…was worried about letting her out of his sight, so we forewent our awesome day golfing—”
Jaymeson groaned.
“—to hang out at…” I nodded and closed my eyes. “…the chick spa.”
“Righteous.” Gabe laughed and nudged Wes. “We should get pedicures.”
“That’s what I said!” Nat all but yelled.
“So, it’s settled.” Saylor stepped forward and looped her arm in Kiersten’s. “The boys get pedicures, and the rest of us girls will bond.”
Like that, they left us. Freaking abandoned us to the wolves and pointed to the evil ladies with tools.
Within minutes, we were all rolling up our jeans and sitting in the chairs of shame. The pedicure chairs.
They were pink.
Mine had flowers.
Gabe pointed it out. Bastard.
His had a freaking tulip, so who was the jackass now!
While waiting for the water to heat up, I played with the massage chair. Really, it was my fault for not paying attention, for underestimating Alyssa in every way. Because the minute I looked up, it was to see her with her iPhone, snapping pictures.
“I’ll kill you for this,” Jaymeson said softly.
“That’s my wife!” I yelled.
“Instagram!” Wes groaned and covered his face.
“Too late!” Alyssa danced in front of us and lifted her phone in the air while the girls cheered from across the spa and lifted their champagne in the air.
“I can’t believe it’s come to this.” Gabe moaned. “Bested by women.”
I snorted. “You were bested the minute you got married.”
“Cheers.” Jaymeson laughed from his seat and then laughed harder as he put his feet in the hot water.
“Holy shit, Jaymeson’s finally snapped!” I pointed at Jaymeson who was now literally in hysterics, tears streaming down his face.
“Nah.” Gabe chuckled and covered his mouth with his hand. “I think… he’s just… um… ticklish?”
Jaymeson kept laughing.
And soon we all joined in. Even the ladies doing our feet were snickering. More Instagramming happened, only it was done by us.
Yeah, you better believe we were trending on Twitter within ten minutes. All five of us.
Who knew?
CHAPTER SEVEN
Alyssa
“AW LOOK, THEY FELL asleep!” I nudged Saylor and pointed to the chairs where Demetri and Gabe were still sitting. Demetri’s mouth was hanging open as he leaned to his right, and Gabe leaned to his left, meaning they were like cuddle buddies. Seriously, it was a hot picture. Teen girls’ minds everywhere most likely were exploding right now.
Saylor snapped another picture just before Jaymeson walked in front of both guys and let out the largest whistle known to mankind.
Gabe jolted awake, hitting Demetri in the face.
“Son of a—” Demetri covered his nose while Gabe covered his cheek.
“Wakey, wakey,” Jaymeson snapped another picture.
Gabe flipped him off.
“We should get them a sandbox.” Saylor nodded.
“Or a swing set,” I agreed. “So they could learn how to share toys and play.”
“Sometimes the only way to make friends is to fight first.” She nodded.
“Stop talking about us!” Demetri yelled. “I can hear that tone, Lyss, and I don’t appreciate it! I’m the man. You respect me.”
“Hey, what color did you choose?” Gabe asked next to him. “I went with black.”
“Real manly!” I called back.
Gabe winked.
Demetri smacked him. “Stop winking at her!”
“I was winking at my wife, you jackass! They’re standing next to each other.”
“Oh.” Demetri dropped his hand. “Sorry for hitting you.”
“Sorry for making you think I was hitting on your fiancée.”
“Friends.” Demetri held up his fist.
Gabe bumped it.
“Wow, like watching a Lifetime movie,” Alec said, coming up behind us. “I’m so proud. Our little Demetri’s growing up and making friends that he isn’t actually related to.”
“Take a picture, and I kill you,” Demetri sang from his chair.
Jaymeson waddled by, his toes still wet. “I should have done a color.”
As if realizing what he’d said, his head jerked up.
I watched in amusement as he pointed at each and every one of us and said, “This ends up on TMZ, and I’ll trace it to you. I’ll trace it. I’ll hire a private investigator, and I’ll... I’ll strap you to a stake and burn you alive.”
“Don’t mind him.” Pris rolled her eyes. “He’s been reading lots of vampire novels lately.”
“Pris!” Jaymeson warned, his teeth clenched.
“You’re reading them for
a part.” She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ashamed. Embrace the sexy vampire!”
“I would be an awesome vampire.” Gabe held up his hands. “Just saying.”
Wes looked around and shook his head. “You guys are weird, you know that, right?”
“I think I’ll name Wes… My Brother From Another Mother,” Alec announced. “He’s the only normal one.”
“Because I play football.” Wes nodded his head while Alec gave him a high five. They did a weird grunting thing and started talking Seahawks.
“You guys ready?” I asked the girls. “Hey, where’s Nat?”
“Dying.” Nat’s voice was weak.
I peered around the corner. She was sitting on one of the couches and holding her stomach.
“Honey, should we go to the hospital?” I asked gently.
“No.” She tried to stand. Her legs shook a bit. “I just needed a quick rest.”
Pain crossed her features as she paused, held her stomach for a few seconds, then continued walking.
By the time we joined the rest of the group at the front of the spa, I could have sworn she was having a contraction every minute or so. I mean, she kept pausing and holding her stomach. That wasn’t good, was it?
“Nat?” Alec stepped away from the group, his blue eyes searching mine for answers. “IS she okay?”
“I think—”
“Guys?” Jaymeson asked.
“Not now,” Alec snapped.
Nat shrugged. “Just tired, and its painful. That’s all and—”
“Guys!’ Jaymeson yelled.
“What?” Alec roared.
Jaymeson pointed down.
We all looked at the small puddle of water on the floor.
I thought Alec was going to pass out.
Instead, everyone went into action. Alec took Nat in his car, the rest piled in their own cars, and we all headed at breakneck speed toward the hospital.
My best friend was having a baby. The day before my wedding. Holy crap.
I wasn’t going to freak out. The baby was more important. Besides, Nat was my best friend. Even if we didn’t make rehearsal, it would be fine.
Everything was going to be totally fine.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Alec
I WAS GOING TO have a nervous breakdown. Seriously. I was never having sex again. Ever. I don’t care what that woman says to me to try to get me to break down. Hell, prance around naked. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for the pain she was enduring while I did nothing but hold her hand, feed her ice, and watch.