Page 65 of Your Fan Forever
Twenty-Two
Noah
I agreed with Callie.
Kate and Dani had taken to impromptu wedding planning like it was a new reality show competition worth a billion dollars. I was fine with most of it, except for the sleeping apart the night before the wedding. I mean, I could understand if we were virgins or saving ourselves for the wedding night, but I had my tongue, among other things all up in her lastnight.
She was in a naughty mood, so the innocent and pure act the night before the wedding didn’t makesense.
“Dude.” Preston hit me on the shoulder. “Stop moping. It’s one night. Play yourcard.”
Preston, my dad, Callie’s dad and Corey, Dani’s husband sat around the dining room playing cards and drinkingcognac.
“Leave him alone.” My dad reached out and pinched my cheek. “He’s inlove.”
I pushed his handaway.
Malcolm the chef cooked us a steak dinner, with lobster mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. We dusted off a couple of bottles of red wine and now the climax of my bachelor party, losing atpoker.
“I fold.” I threw my cardsdown.
The last time I saw Callie was thisafternoon.
We woke up this morning and I helped her wash her hair. I redressed her wound and she redressed mine. We talked and laughed and made love, I did all I could to distract her and keep that smile on her face. We all took a walk out to the deck, and I held Callie close as she peered over the edge to see if she could see the rock that took herout.
Nip wasn’t as enthusiastic about the wedding venue. He was afraid someone was going to tie him to the edgeagain.
We made it back to the house by lunch and an hour later, the ladies were all packed up and heading to the hotel intown.
“Read them and weep, gentleman.” Callie’s dad laid down a fullhouse.
“No one is that lucky.” Preston threw his cards on thetable.
“Gentleman, just tell me when you’re ready for me to stop taking your money.” He took a sip of his cognac and continued to count hischips.
“My deal.” Preston said as the swiped the cards in hisdirection.
“Deal me out.” I stood up and wandered into the kitchen. The staff milled around working on preparing the place fortomorrow.
I would avoid the million plus wedding price tag, but for as hard as these people worked to pull it together at the last minute, I owed them a big asstip.
I couldn’t even call Callie. I got her a phone, but I didn’t want to give it to her yet. My only instructions to Kate and Dani, make sure Callie stayed off the internet. If she had access then she would check her blog and if she checked her blog, she’d see the posts and thecomments.
“Hey,” Preston walked in the kitchen. He stole a carrot off the tray one of the staff was working on. “You want in on the nexthand.”
“Naw.” I hit him in the chest. “I think I’m going to turnin.”
“It’s ten o’clock.” He looked at hiswatch.
“I know. I’mtired.”
“I’m sure Callie isfine.”
“I know.” I rubbed myface.
Preston hit me in the chest. “Come on.” He waved for me tofollow.
We crossed the kitchen into the mudroom that lead to the garage. On the wall hung two sets of keys. Preston snagged one and headedoutside.
