Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 80304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Until now.
When I called Crosby this morning to see if she wanted to go to dinner or maybe see a movie tonight, she informed me she had already made plans. Apparently, Palmer’s parents asked to keep Remi and Penelope for the night, to which both couples reluctantly agreed. When I say reluctant, it was my brothers who hesitated. They’re big softies when it comes to their wives and kids. Then Blakely asked if she could spend the night with my parents, which prompted them to ask for Beckham and Orion as well.
When the ladies found themselves kid-free for an evening, they declared ladies’ night. Something my brothers with kids grumbled about. They don’t mind ladies’ night, but a kid-free night to them is time alone to practice making more babies, and while I’m sure their wives are on board with that, they also wanted time with their friends.
So, here we are, sitting in the back booth of the Tavern, staring on while our ladies laugh and joke and have a great time, if the sounds from their table and the smiles on their faces are any indication.
“I’m glad they all get along,” Declan says, nodding toward the table.
“That would suck if they didn’t,” Orrin agrees.
“These nights make my wife happy.” Deacon shrugs.
“You know that they’re over there talking about us, right?” Sterling asks.
“Yeah, about how great we are.” Brooks laughs.
“What do you think they’re talking about?” I ask.
“I’m not sure I want to know,” Orrin admits. “If they’re laughing at our manhood—” He nods to where the ladies just start cackling with laughter again. “—I’d rather stay oblivious.”
“Facts.” Brooks nods.
“Where are the rest of your brothers?” Heath, Piper’s husband asks, taking a drink of his pop.
“Ryder didn’t want to come out. Something about trying to get a hold of Jordyn. Archer and the twins are all at the club in Harris.”
“They go there a lot,” Heath comments.
“Not much else to do around here unless you want to drive on to Atlanta.”
“This is true,” Brooks agrees as his phone rings. “Speaking of our brothers….” He turns so we can see Maverick is video-calling him. “What’s up?” he answers.
“Y’all should come down to the club and go back to get the girls later,” Maverick tells him. “This place is packed tonight, and the band is pretty good. We saw them here a few weeks ago.”
Brooks makes eye contact with all of us, and we each shake our heads. We’re not leaving our girls to go clubbing without them. “Nah, we’re good,” Brooks tells him.
“Let me guess. You’re hiding in the back corner, watching them have the time of their lives while you wait for them to be ready to go.”
“It’s what we do. You’ll understand one day.” Orrin leans over so Maverick cannot only hear him but see him.
“Can you at least crash girls’ night? Why do they get to have all the fun?”
“You just worry about you. Call us if you need a ride,” Orrin tells him, still looking over Brooks's shoulder.
“Mer and I are staying sober. We’ll take care of Archer. We still aren’t legal, remember?”
“When has that stopped you?” Brooks asks.
“Only when our brothers, who are old, decide to get us wasted.” Maverick laughs.
He’s not wrong. We’ve let them drink with us way before we should have, but we’d rather let them do it in a controlled environment where we can take care of them and make sure they’re safe than to have them doing it at some underage party and try to drive home.
“If you change your mind, shoot me a text, and I’ll meet y’all at the door.”
“We won’t,” we all chorus, and he laughs.
“Later,” he says, and the call ends.
“You know he’s right. We should totally crash girls' night. We’re all kid-free, and I want to spend time with my wife, damn it.” Brooks drains his bottle of water and stands.
“I’m in.” I stand and grab my half-empty glass of tea. “Time to make moves, fellas.”
“You’re not even married,” Declan jokes.
“Doesn’t mean I don’t want to spend time with her.”
“You two together now?” Heath asks.
“Nope, but we’ll get there.” I turn and walk away. From the shuffle of feet behind me, they’re following me. I look up when Brooks claps a hand on my shoulder and advances on Palmer.
She squeals when he sneaks up behind her and tickles her side. “Move over, ladies, we’re coming in.” That’s the only warning they get before we’re pulling chairs from surrounding tables and, in Brooks’s case, lifting Palmer to sit on his lap.
“What’s going on?” Ramsey asks Deacon.
“We’re tired of sitting on the sidelines, at least for tonight.”
“Kid-free,” Orrin says by way of explanation.
“So, what? You’re crashing our fun?” Kennedy asks. She turns to look at Declan, and he leans in and kisses her, making her forget her question.
“Yes,” we all reply, and they giggle.