Lauren Dane: Girls' Night Out

“I’m sure Cassie would have volunteered to warm you up if you’d asked.” Matt elbowed Shane. “Move over.”

Shane elbowed him back. “I’m as over as I’m gonna get. Suck it up. As for my wife? I haven’t seen her all day, actually. I had an early call, which interrupted a pretty damned good start to the morning.” He sighed. “I couldn’t even escape for a nice lunch at home it was so busy. Sometimes I think the cold weather makes people act even worse than they do in full summer.”

“Unlike you fools, I got some this morning so I’m nice and relaxed.” Matt sat back, Kyle was sure, with a big smile on his face.

There was a muffled ouch, most likely from Shane thumping Matt in annoyance.

All was right with the world. Kyle grinned as he drove toward the Tonk.

Beth knocked on Lily’s door and nearly got mowed down by Nathan, William and Joe as they made their way out of the house.

Joe stopped with a smile on his face. One just for her and she gave him one back. “Hey lookit that. It’s Joe Harris, the man I love.”

“It is indeed. Sorry I missed you this morning.”

She’d slept over at his place but he’d had to be awake way earlier and off to work. He’d gotten up so quietly it hadn’t even woken her. Even Buck, his— their— dog had been quiet and let her sleep.

“You could have woken me up, you know. I’d even have made you breakfast.” And jumped his bones.

He gave her a hug, stealing a kiss as her brothers groaned. “Hush up, you two.” Joe gave Nathan and William a look before turning back to Beth. “You looked so sweet there, I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Also, you were quiet so he probably was in shock.”

She looked around Joe to William, Joe’s best friend and her older brother. “Ha.” Then back to Joe. “You, on the other hand, are totally going to reap the benefits of that compliment later on tonight when we get home.”

“Behave yourself now.” Joe raised his brow.

“Us? You guys are going to be in a bar, for goodness’ sake! We’ll be in the back room at the Pumphouse.”

“You and your sisters are capable of getting into trouble anytime, anywhere.”

She may have snickered. “Says you. Who probably had a chair named after him in the principal’s office.”

He grinned. “I’ll never tell. I’ve tamed my wild ways. All for you.”

“You’re totally going to hell for lying.” Nathan poked Joe who winced and socked him back.

“Okay, boys, enough with the pokey, punchy. I need him in one piece and I’m sure Lily would also appreciate Nathan not being bruised up. Which he will be if he lets any of those big-haired, mammoth-hootered hoochies anywhere near your table. I’m just saying.” She fluttered her lashes.

Joe laughed and kissed her one more time. “I’ll do my best to avoid any of those.”

“You’d better, or I’m going to let Buck eat SpaghettiOs and then sleep on your side of the bed.”

“You’re diabolical. He loves that stuff too.” He got closer. “You sure you don’t want to ditch this stuff and spend some time at home?”

“You’re a temptation. But I have penis hats. Penis hats, Joe. Where would I use them if it wasn’t for a bachelorette party? I bet you’d be stingy and not let me wear one out to dinner. Heaven knows Nathan is too prissy to let me wear one to the wedding.”

“God, I’m glad she’s your problem now.” William ushered Nathan and Joe down the walk. “He loves you. You love him. Kiss kiss. Now go on and stay out of trouble.”

She waved, laughing, and headed into Lily’s.

“Hey, ugly, you ready to go eat too much and try to avoid birth stories?”

Lily stood with her brother Chris in the living room. He blushed. “Birth stories?”

“Dude, you don’t even want to know. I don’t even want to know, but something happens to women when they get around each other and they’re mothers. It’s like giving birth twists them and they’ve got PTSD and they have to share the most horrible stuff. Leaking. Bursting. Tearing. ”

“Gross!”

Laughing, Lily tossed a pillow at Beth’s head. “Stop that. You’re going to scar him.”

“Why should I be alone? Amirite, Christopher? Sharing is loving. You coming with us tonight?”

The look of horror on his face made her laugh anew. “No! I’m spending the night at a friend’s house.”

There was a honk outside. He went to look and came back, grabbing his bag. “It’s Jesse’s mom.”

“I’ll be right back.” Lily went out with her brother.

She pulled her phone out and dialed one of her sisters. “You get the cake?”

Anne gave orders in the background and then turned her attention to Beth. “Yes. It’s already at the Pumphouse. I’m just waiting for Tate. Looks like Polly has eleven thousand presents for Lily. We invited her, by the way, and Edward assured her he could handle the kids if she wanted to come out. But we’re no competition for all these babies. I swear if she could roll around in them like a cat in catnip she would.”

Beth laughed because it was true. Polly loved children. Oh sure, people talked about how they loved kids or whatever, but it was a rare breed who loved them as much as Polly Chase did. Poopy diapers, whatever. And she had magic with them. They rarely acted up with her. They seemed to adore her—with a little fear mixed in—like everyone else did.

They’d never get love like that from Beth, Tate and Anne’s mother, so it was doubly wonderful that they had Polly in their lives.

“We’ll see you over there in a few. I’m at Lily’s now, and we’ll head over. I know Cassie and Liv are there already. I stopped over on my way here, and the room is set up. I went over the details with them and they’re on it.”

“I bet you did. I bet you made them go over the plan on a two-minute increment scale.”

Busted. “There is nothing wrong with being organized.”

“Don’t be so touchy, Miss Priss. We’ll see you guys in a bit. I’m going to say, up front, that since Tate isn’t drinking it’s only fair we drink twice as hard.”

“So noted.” She hung up as Lily came back inside.

“He’s doing great, but I feel like if I let up even a little bit he’ll backslide.”

“I don’t think going out to say hello to an adult you’re entrusting him to is you being mean. It lets him know you care and that you’re not going to fall for any old I’m sleeping at Fred’s house line when he’s staying out all night getting girls pregnant or whatever.”

“God. Let’s change that subject.” Lily looked Beth up and down. “That’s cute. And conveniently my size.”

“Come on, moocher. It’s time for your bridal shower.”

They took Beth’s car over to the Pumphouse and found a spot a block away. It was a Friday night, and Main Street businesses, especially the restaurants, were already filling up.

“I know I’m supposed to have doubts, or cold feet, but I don’t.” Lily said this quietly as they headed up the sidewalk.

Beth turned, smiling. “You have a big heart and you’re smart. It wasn’t time all those years ago between you. Not for you or for Nathan. But now? It’s perfect. You’re strong enough to deal with the stuff that comes with marrying him. Namely all of us. And he’s man enough to know what he’s got in you, and he knows to grab you and hold you close forever.”

“You’re a really good best friend, you know that?”

She opened the door and the sound of Petal on a Friday greeted them both. “I do try. Mainly because I love you. But also because I love Nathan and I love seeing him happy.”