“Thanks. Sometimes I can’t believe it myself.” My insecurity-fueled nightmare popped into my head for a moment before I pushed it back out. “Were you nervous before your wedding?” I asked Gabrielle, who was sitting across from me.
“Not really, but we did wind up getting married at our engagement party. So, it wasn’t like I had all that much time to worry. Why? Are you nervous?”
“Tense is more like it,” I answered. “It’s just that it’s such an important day, not only for Adam and me, but for his family too. There are so many details and I want it be perfect.”
“What about your family?” Beth asked.
“My family is just my parents, and nothing I do is ever perfect in their eyes, so I’m not even going there.”
“Lily, honey, that day is for you and Adam. Period.” Jess said, giving me a serious look. “Don’t worry about anyone else.”
“Adam and I haven’t discussed many details. There’s so much we need to talk about, but sometimes, it’s like he assumes that he’s the designated decider for both of us.”
“Well, you need to just sit him down and tell him how you feel about things,” Gab said.
“I’m not even sure how I do feel,” I replied honestly.
“Well, let’s figure it out,” Beth chimed in. “Change your name? Yes or no?”
“I think so, but I want to keep Adler as my middle name.”
“Where are you going to live?” Gab asked.
“With him. We did actually talk about that one. Sort of.”
“Two decisions down,” Beth said. “How about kids?” That one stopped me in my tracks.
“Kids?” I asked, startled.
“Little people who kind of look like you?” she teased.
“Wow, kids. Me … a mom. I don’t know if I would be good at that. I’m not used to kids. I was an only child. I can’t even cook.”
“You don’t cook them, honey, you raise them,” Jess joked.
“I was an only child, and I can’t cook, but Braden and I are thinking about trying to start a family, maybe a year from now,” Gabrielle chimed in.
“But your mom is really warm and nurturing. My mom’s nickname is the Ice Queen. She’s not much of an example.”
“Isn’t Adam’s mom nice?” Beth asked. “Spend more time with her.”
“She is,” I replied. “She’s incredibly nice, and his oldest sister has a four year-old …” Suddenly, an idea occurred to me. “I’ll be right back,” I said, hopping down from my stool, and heading off in search of Adam. I followed the scent of cigar smoke until I located Cam’s man cave, and I peeked in the doorway, but Adam wasn’t there.
“Looking for hubby?” Mark asked cheerfully, lounging in a chair in front of the biggest television I have ever seen, with a cigar in one hand, and a scotch glass in the other.
“He’s using the facilities, straight down the hall,” Cam added, just before he shot a pool ball into the side pocket. So, this was a man cave. I thanked them and continued my search. I got to the bathroom door just as Adam was coming out. He almost jumped back in surprise.
“Well, hello.” He smiled.
“Do you want to get me pregnant?” I asked urgently, pushing him back into the bathroom, and closing the door behind us.
“Shouldn’t we at least wait until we get home?” he asked, furrowing his brows.
“Not now! Just in general.”
“Why are we talking about this in a bathroom?”
“I think we should borrow Josh. Just for a night.”
“Borrow a four year-old?”
“Yeah, to see how we do. To see if we can feed him and wash him and stuff.”
“How much have you had to drink already?” he asked suspiciously.
“Nothing! We just got here. Although, I will note, that you already smell like scotch and cigars.”
“Maybe I should gargle while I’m in here. Why are we in the bathroom again?”
“Because I wanted to talk to you right now. Beth asked if we were going to have kids, and Gabrielle and Braden are talking about it. We haven’t talked about it. I don’t know if I would be any good at it and it worries me,” I blurted out and his expression softened.
“Come here you nutty broad,” he said and pulled me into his arms. “You worry too much. There’s no rush, but for the record, yeah, I’d like to get you pregnant someday, but not in Cam’s bathroom.”
“But …”
“Lily, both of us would figure it out. That’s what most people do.”
“So, what about watching Josh for a night, like to practice, you know?”
“I’m sure Hannah and Nate would be thrilled to have a night alone together, but I wouldn’t put it quite like that when we offer.”
“I love you.” I smiled and relaxed against his chest.
“I love you too. Can we leave the bathroom now?”
“Yeah. I’m feeling amorous again, though. I think that the anxiety is making me horny.”
“You’re an interesting woman, Lilith.” He laughed. “I promise that when I get you home I’ll bang you so long they’ll send out a search party for you, but can you just hang on for a couple of hours more?”
“Okay,” I answered and hugged him tightly before letting go and swinging open the door, just as Mark came walking down the hall. He gave Adam an amused look.
“Bathroom’s free,” Adam said with a smirk as we left.
Chapter Five
Adam spent at least an hour upstairs with the guys before our two groups intermingled. I was happy to see that he was relatively sober. I caught Beth stealing glances at Mark a couple of times and paying close attention whenever he said something. At one point when she and I were in the kitchen alone I asked her about it.
“So, I noticed you checking Mark out a few times. Any interest there?”
“I’ve always thought he was really hot, but I think I may be off-limits because I’m Braden’s little sister.” She smiled, but didn’t offer anything else, so I decided to let it go.
After a couple of hours of talk and laughter, Adam and I finally said our goodbyes and headed for the car. I wrapped my coat tighter against the chilly night air and Adam put his arm around me. I leaned in and sniffed him. I would never get tired of that.
“What were you guys talking about up there for so long?” I asked curiously.
“Not really, but we did wind up getting married at our engagement party. So, it wasn’t like I had all that much time to worry. Why? Are you nervous?”
“Tense is more like it,” I answered. “It’s just that it’s such an important day, not only for Adam and me, but for his family too. There are so many details and I want it be perfect.”
“What about your family?” Beth asked.
“My family is just my parents, and nothing I do is ever perfect in their eyes, so I’m not even going there.”
“Lily, honey, that day is for you and Adam. Period.” Jess said, giving me a serious look. “Don’t worry about anyone else.”
“Adam and I haven’t discussed many details. There’s so much we need to talk about, but sometimes, it’s like he assumes that he’s the designated decider for both of us.”
“Well, you need to just sit him down and tell him how you feel about things,” Gab said.
“I’m not even sure how I do feel,” I replied honestly.
“Well, let’s figure it out,” Beth chimed in. “Change your name? Yes or no?”
“I think so, but I want to keep Adler as my middle name.”
“Where are you going to live?” Gab asked.
“With him. We did actually talk about that one. Sort of.”
“Two decisions down,” Beth said. “How about kids?” That one stopped me in my tracks.
“Kids?” I asked, startled.
“Little people who kind of look like you?” she teased.
“Wow, kids. Me … a mom. I don’t know if I would be good at that. I’m not used to kids. I was an only child. I can’t even cook.”
“You don’t cook them, honey, you raise them,” Jess joked.
“I was an only child, and I can’t cook, but Braden and I are thinking about trying to start a family, maybe a year from now,” Gabrielle chimed in.
“But your mom is really warm and nurturing. My mom’s nickname is the Ice Queen. She’s not much of an example.”
“Isn’t Adam’s mom nice?” Beth asked. “Spend more time with her.”
“She is,” I replied. “She’s incredibly nice, and his oldest sister has a four year-old …” Suddenly, an idea occurred to me. “I’ll be right back,” I said, hopping down from my stool, and heading off in search of Adam. I followed the scent of cigar smoke until I located Cam’s man cave, and I peeked in the doorway, but Adam wasn’t there.
“Looking for hubby?” Mark asked cheerfully, lounging in a chair in front of the biggest television I have ever seen, with a cigar in one hand, and a scotch glass in the other.
“He’s using the facilities, straight down the hall,” Cam added, just before he shot a pool ball into the side pocket. So, this was a man cave. I thanked them and continued my search. I got to the bathroom door just as Adam was coming out. He almost jumped back in surprise.
“Well, hello.” He smiled.
“Do you want to get me pregnant?” I asked urgently, pushing him back into the bathroom, and closing the door behind us.
“Shouldn’t we at least wait until we get home?” he asked, furrowing his brows.
“Not now! Just in general.”
“Why are we talking about this in a bathroom?”
“I think we should borrow Josh. Just for a night.”
“Borrow a four year-old?”
“Yeah, to see how we do. To see if we can feed him and wash him and stuff.”
“How much have you had to drink already?” he asked suspiciously.
“Nothing! We just got here. Although, I will note, that you already smell like scotch and cigars.”
“Maybe I should gargle while I’m in here. Why are we in the bathroom again?”
“Because I wanted to talk to you right now. Beth asked if we were going to have kids, and Gabrielle and Braden are talking about it. We haven’t talked about it. I don’t know if I would be any good at it and it worries me,” I blurted out and his expression softened.
“Come here you nutty broad,” he said and pulled me into his arms. “You worry too much. There’s no rush, but for the record, yeah, I’d like to get you pregnant someday, but not in Cam’s bathroom.”
“But …”
“Lily, both of us would figure it out. That’s what most people do.”
“So, what about watching Josh for a night, like to practice, you know?”
“I’m sure Hannah and Nate would be thrilled to have a night alone together, but I wouldn’t put it quite like that when we offer.”
“I love you.” I smiled and relaxed against his chest.
“I love you too. Can we leave the bathroom now?”
“Yeah. I’m feeling amorous again, though. I think that the anxiety is making me horny.”
“You’re an interesting woman, Lilith.” He laughed. “I promise that when I get you home I’ll bang you so long they’ll send out a search party for you, but can you just hang on for a couple of hours more?”
“Okay,” I answered and hugged him tightly before letting go and swinging open the door, just as Mark came walking down the hall. He gave Adam an amused look.
“Bathroom’s free,” Adam said with a smirk as we left.
Chapter Five
Adam spent at least an hour upstairs with the guys before our two groups intermingled. I was happy to see that he was relatively sober. I caught Beth stealing glances at Mark a couple of times and paying close attention whenever he said something. At one point when she and I were in the kitchen alone I asked her about it.
“So, I noticed you checking Mark out a few times. Any interest there?”
“I’ve always thought he was really hot, but I think I may be off-limits because I’m Braden’s little sister.” She smiled, but didn’t offer anything else, so I decided to let it go.
After a couple of hours of talk and laughter, Adam and I finally said our goodbyes and headed for the car. I wrapped my coat tighter against the chilly night air and Adam put his arm around me. I leaned in and sniffed him. I would never get tired of that.
“What were you guys talking about up there for so long?” I asked curiously.
