Page 11 of Strictly the Worst

There’s about ten minutes of small talk before we get down to business. Myles tells us how his kids are – he has two now. Charlie is the oldest, and he’s the funniest kid you’ll ever meet. Myles and his wife, Ava have recently had a second child, Laura. She doesn’t do a lot except scream and shit, but I have high hopes for her.

Liam joins in, along with Eli and Holden because all of them have kids or, in Holden’s case, a nephew in law that they’re absolutely obsessed with. I smile and nod when they talk about swimming lessons and some TV show with animals that save lives, but really I’m thinking about Tessa Carmichael.

She never talks like this about her daughter. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her mention any after-school activities or kids' tv. Hell, I don’t even know how old her kid is.

I wonder why she rarely mentions her. And now I’m remembering how she stood up to me yesterday, her eyes flashing with anger, her body tense as fuck.

My ex-husband…

I wonder what went wrong with them? And I ignore the little voice in the back of my head telling me she’s now available.

Not interested, thanks.

“So, what do you think?” Holden asks.

“Swimming lessons are great.” I shoot him a smile.

“I was talking about the wedding.”

“Okay…” Was he?

That’s why we’re here after all. Holden and his fiancée, Blair, are getting married. The ceremony will take place at our dad’s estate in Virginia. It’s the perfect location. Full of rolling hills and lakes. We spent every summer there growing up.

I try to get there when I can, but the truth is I’m constantly traveling. It’s gotten worse since I started working for Hampshire PR. They have a lot of overseas clients who need nurturing.

And that’s my job. I nurture.

“Well, about the bachelor party, actually.” Holden shrugs. He’s probably the brother I’m closest to out of the older four. Until last year he lived here in Manhattan. He’s a pediatric oncologist, and yeah, he’s pretty much superman.

And now he’s stupidly in love.

“I’d like you to organize it,” he says.

I blink. “Me?”

He nods. “Yeah. Eli’s the best man, but you know what he’s like. He can’t organize his own day, let alone an event.”

“I said I’d do it,” Eli sighs.

“No,” Holden corrects him. “You said you’d get Mackenzie to do it.” Mackenzie is Eli’s wife. She’s a fabulous organizer. But I wouldn’t want her arranging my bachelor party. I wouldn’t want any of my brothers’ partners doing that.

Don’t get me wrong, I love them all. But we don’t need a bachelor party at a spa.

“Sure, I’ll do it.” I shrug, trying to look nonchalant, but actually I’m pretty excited. Not just because I love parties. But because for once my brothers are trusting me to do something. And yeah, I kind of wanted to be Holden’s best man, but it was always going to be Eli. We kind of pair off in our family. Myles and Liam, Eli and Holden, Brooks and me.

Which makes me look at my brother – younger than me by just over a year. “Wanna help?” I ask him, because I always include him. Being the youngest sucks.

“Was hoping you’d ask.” He grins. “I already have some ideas.”

“No strippers,” Holden says firmly.

Brooks and I exchange a glance. “Wasn’t planning on having any,” I murmur.

“It needs to be PG,” Myles intones, even though it has nothing to do with him. But that’s Myles. Always the leader. “Otherwise Ava will kill me.”

I stifle a laugh. “What exactly does PG entail?” I ask him.

“I don’t know.” He shakes his head, his brows knitting. “Just not… what you’re thinking.”

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