“Worse.” I sighed. “Remember that hotel suite she recently won in Atlantic City? Now she wants Gray, Basia, and me to come along with her this weekend. She’s officially calling it her bachelorette party, since you guys are throwing Elvis’s bachelor party here this weekend.”
Slash’s face lit up. “Nice.”
“Nice that I got invited to a party, or nice that me and the other girls will be conveniently gone this weekend?”
“Both.” He grinned and then lifted his hands when he saw my expression. “Hey, just keeping it honest, as Xavier is so fond of saying.”
I studied him. “You don’t seem surprised about the girls’ weekend.”
“Because I already knew about it,” he admitted easily. “Elvis called me an hour ago and told me what Gwen was up to.”
I sighed. “He told you before me?”
He lifted his hands. “Gwen wanted to tell you herself. Otherwise, I’m sure you would have been the first to know.”
“I guess so.” I studied him. “So, what exactly is on the agenda for your exciting bachelor party this weekend?”
“Want to guess?” he asked, amused.
I mulled it over, accepting the challenge. “Cards, probably poker. Whiskey. No actual strippers because Elvis would panic. Xavier will be busy enabling everyone, and Hands will bring the cigars. But you…I’m still figuring out what you’ll be doing.”
Slash laughed. “Hosting and offering alcohol and unhealthy processed food choices followed by antacids. I’m becoming more American by the minute.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Does that menu include chocolate cake?”
“Oh, that’s definitely on the menu,” he said, lips twitching. “And while my first attempt at chocolate cake was to support your post-wedding stress management routine, I admit it also served as a practice run for the guys’ party. Regardless, I’ll make sure to save you a piece. This time, I promise.”
“You’d better.” I leaned back against the counter. “And just so you know, while I accepted Gwen’s invitation to Atlantic City, I am a little nervous. Basia is seven and a half months pregnant and super unpredictable with her moods. She made me fix her a pickle–and–peanut butter sandwich the other day with a side of plain chocolate chips straight from the bag. And Gwen keeps asking me for wedding planning advice, even though I barely did any of my own. Gray is only the sane one, and she seems scarily excited about playing the slot machines, challenging the odds, and, of all things, chocolate martinis. There’s also supposed to be a spa day, too.”
“You’ll have an amazing time.”
“Maybe. I just need to get my head in the right space.”
I gazed out the window. The wind swept and swirled the leaves across our lawn. Change wasn’t always comfortable for me, but it was necessary. I was still the same Lexi I’d been before the wedding—anxious, analytical, and prone to trouble. But I’d also grown. I was now more willing to take chances, banter with my husband, and go on a long girls’ weekend with my best friends. I could leave my comfort zone because I knew it brought change, growth, and maturity.
“On the flip side, you seem pretty excited about this guys’ weekend,” I observed.
“I am. I enjoy spending time with friends, especially our friends.” Slash spread his arms. “But you should know Xavier is the true mastermind behind Elvis’s party. He’s micromanaging all the details. I’m purely in a supportive role here.”
“Somehow I doubt that.”
Xavier and Elvis were identical twins. Xavier was married to Basia, Gwen was Elvis’s fiancée, Gray and Hands were dating, and, of course, Slash and I were married, so it was all kind of incestuous.
“I can’t remember if I told you or not, but we’re also looping in Finn, Beau, and Rock,” Slash said. “Didn’t feel right to leave them out.”
Finn was Basia’s and my boss, and Beau and Rock were my brothers, so this really had become a family affair.
“Well, I guess it’s only fair that Elvis should have a decent bachelor party,” I said. “And you deserve a guys’ weekend, too, Slash. You’ve been a pretty good husband so far…minus the chocolate cake incident.”
“Ah, I’m deeply touched by that sentiment,” he said as he walked over to me and planted a kiss on the top of my head. “And you, cara, remain the light of my life. Just be good in Atlantic City and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
I huffed. “That’s incredibly vague. Especially since your ‘I wouldn’t do that’ list is basically empty.”
He laughed. “That’s simply not true. However, to ensure you make a concerted effort to make Gwen’s weekend memorable, I am bold enough to make a wager with you. I say that you women, with all the resources of Atlantic City to include the casinos, will still not be able to top us guys in terms of thrills and enjoyment. Furthermore, I’m also confident that my gambling winnings will exceed yours.”
“Oooh, careful there, Italian cowboy,” I said, tipping my head back to look at him. “You may not want to take me on in terms of both fun and money. You’re assuming the black cloud knows which side it’s on nowadays.”
“Oh, it knows,” Slash said confidently. “It will follow you to Atlantic City. It’s followed you for years. Old habits are hard to break.”
