Page 60 of Keeping Promises

“Ihave to say that when you said bachelor party, my mind went straight to strippers and blow.” My brother chuckles behind his tumbler of Macallan 12. “Thanks for doing something different. The Comedy Show was great.”

I knew from the beginning doing a traditional bachelor party wasn’t what Ben wanted, so when I saw Ben’s favorite comedian coming to town the same weekend we planned for this to happen, I took that as a sign jumped on the opportunity to snag us tickets. My brother may be straightlaced and work-driven, but he loves standup.

“Speaking of comedy, check out this video Brynn just sent me of your women.” Cal holds up his phone, revealing a video playing of Hadley and Lexi.

Ben barks out a laugh as he watches. I take the phone from him for a closer look. I restart the video message to see Hadley and Lexi dancing to Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It.”

I can’t help the smile that forms on my lips as I watch Hadley holding her stomach and pelvic thrusting.

“I’m proud to say I’m marrying that woman,” Ben laughs as we watch Lexi do her rendition of the sprinkler.

Cal takes his phone back and responds to the video with a smile plastered on his face. Once sent, he sets his phone down and turns his attention back to us. “As for what you said earlier, Ben. I draw the line at blow, but strippers wouldn’t have been bad. Not all of us get laid regularly.”

“You could be,” I retort. The alcohol in my system allows my filter to come down and bring up what no one ever seems to want to address.

“Asher,” Ben warns. I wave him off and lean forward on my elbows.

“Why aren’t you and Brynn… you know.” I make a crude gesture with my hands, pretending my fingers are a penis going into a vagina.

Ben sighs heavily. He may be acting like this, but I know I’m not the only one wondering.

“On that note, who needs another round?” Cal pushes his palms into his knees, rising to stand.

Avoidance—interesting.There’s more to the story that neither is willing to share.

I hold my hand up to stop him. “Nah, it’s my turn. You got the last round.” He nods and sits back down. I make my way through the crowd. It had grown from when we first arrived back at the Farleaux, the hotel we are staying at tonight. The girls kicked us—well, me—out of the apartment tonight to have Lexi’s bachelorette slumber party. We weren’t the only ones going nontraditional with our night, although this was all Lex’s idea, from what I hear.

We’re keeping it low-key, just hanging out at the hotel bar, which I hadn’t realized was a hot spot on Saturday night.

I pull out my phone after placing an order of drinks with the bartender and text Hadley. The bartender seems super overwhelmed, being just one person taming this crowd, so I don’t mind waiting.

Me:Is that how you’re preparing for labor?

Me:*gif of pregnant Amy Poehler pelvic thrusting

While I wait for her to respond, I scroll through the messages we’ve shared all evening. Hey, call me pussy whipped or whatever, but I missed being with her. The least I could do was talk to her throughout the night. I know, for a fact, Ben has done the same with Lexi and Cal with Brynn. We’re a bunch of sorry excuses for men who can’t stay one night away from our ladies.

My phone vibrates with a new message.

Hadley:OMG! You were not supposed to see that. I’m going to kill Brynn.

Me:It was great. Ben got a good laugh at seeing Lexi’s classic dance moves.

Me:How are my girls doing?

Hadley: My answer is fine, just like the last three times you asked.

Hadley:*selfie of her showing off her bump with a bowl of ice cream resting on it

Lately, I’ve been a little more overprotective of her and the baby. She began having Braxton Hicks recently, but the doctor assures us that it’s normal to have the closer we get to her due date. We’re just a few short weeks from meeting our no-named baby girl. Hadley and I have looked at what feels like thousands of names, but none have “stuck out as yes, that’s the one” to her, so we are still looking.

It’s getting more real. I thought I would be more anxious, but the closer we get, the more excited I’m getting to hold her in my arms.

Me:You look beautiful.

Hadley:Oh stop, I look like a beached whale right now. But I love the 24/7 shelf that my belly becomes.

I begin to respond when someone bumps into me, knocking my phone out of my hand, directly to the floor.Fuck!

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