Page 243 of Vegas Heat

“Best man duties?” I repeat.

“Joanie and I booked a chapel at the Bellagio tomorrow night. It’s going to be small and intimate. Just a few close friends and family, those who can keep quiet since we’d like to do this under the radar and before we leave on Sunday. And if you’re available tonight, I’m throwing my own bachelor party.”

“Whoa,” I murmur. “Yeah, man. I mean—of course. I’ll be there. Wherever you need me, whatever you need me to do.”Shit. I was hoping to soak in a few Gabby hours, but it looks like that might be out.

“Great. I’ll text you everything you need to know. The party tonight will be at Coax starting at ten, sort of a bachelor party slash going away party since it’ll be a while before I’m able to get back there. I’ll send a car so you don’t have to worry about driving.”

Coax.

His club.

The club where sex happens on the third floor, strippers strip on the second, and business takes place on the first.

It’s all secretive and exclusive, so it’s not like the paparazzi is going to see me walking in and it’ll be splashed all over the tabloids tomorrow. Still, I feel uncomfortable going there as I assume the things that happen on the third level with my girlfriend’s father and his fiancée…and whoever else they invite into their circle.

I glance at the clock. The timing gives me a couple hours to spend with Gabby, but if he’s calling me to be at his bachelor party, I have a fairly good inclination that she’ll be needed at the bachelorette party as well.

Unless Joanie chooses Coax for her party, too. I doubt Gabby will be invited in that case.

When she shows up a few minutes later at my door, there’s a look of determination on her face.

“Let’s call him right now. Let’s just get this over with,” she says, her jaw clenched.

“Whoa,” I say for the second time in the last ten minutes. “What’s got you all fired up?”

“I just got into a huge fight with Mia followed by a great conversation with Justin, and I realized as I’m sitting there telling him to admit to his parents that he’s dating Brian that I’m a total hypocrite! I can’t try to convince him to do something I’m not doing myself. We said we were going to do it, so let’s just freaking do it.” She pulls her phone out of her pocket as if she’s about to pull up her father’s number, and I grab her wrist.

“Hold on. Have you spoken with your father tonight?” I ask.

Her brows knit together. “No. Why?”

“Well, tonight might not be the best time for our confession.”

“Why not?” The crease between her brows deepens.

I blow out a breath. “He and Joanie are getting married tomorrow. They want to do it before we leave for spring training.”

Her jaw slackens. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

I grab her into my arms, and I shake my head. “Tonight’s the bachelor party, and I assume Joanie will be calling you shortly to attend the bachelorette party.”

She touches her forehead. “Jeez, this is a nightmare. So when are we going to tell him? We pushed it and pushed it, and now it’s too late and there’s no time to talk before you all leave for the next month, and then you’ll get back and it’ll be games games games and you’ll be on the road and I’ll never see you except when I’m able to travel with the team and—”

I cut her off by pressing my lips to hers.

“—and this is not how I pictured this all going down,” she finishes.

“I know,” I say softly, going for a soothing tone. “I know. We will figure it out, but I don’t think the night before his wedding or his wedding day are a good idea. Maybe Sunday morning before we go?”

She lifts a shoulder. “Maybe.” She looks a little hopeless. “Or maybe we just never tell him and keep this a secret forever.”

“It won’t be forever.” My tone is resolute, and she just looks like she doesn’t believe me. I lean and rest my forehead against hers. “It can’t be forever. Someone’s going to have to walk you down the aisle toward me someday, and it better be him.”

She closes her eyes and draws in a deep breath, and then she pulls back. “You really mean that?”

“Of course I do, Gabby. What we’re building here is meant to last.”

Her phone starts ringing, and she sighs. “That’s Joanie’s ring tone.”

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