Chapter 24

“No more,” James says with a groan, dropping his head onto the table. “Please.”

“One more,” Grayson says, holding up another shot of tequila. “You doubled down on the bet, you have to live with the consequences.”

James lets out an agonized noise as he rolls his head back, screwing his face when he looks at the shot in Grayson’s hand. “God, I’m not young like I used to be.”

“We’re literally still in our twenties,” Grayson replies, arching a brow. “Stop trying to make us sound old.”

James squints. “You sure look it, grandpa.”

He holds the shot up to James, narrowing his eyes at him. “Drink.”

“Come on, gorgeous,” Aiden says with a laugh as he tries to get Leila to stop checking her phone, which she has been doing since she got here. “Talia’s fine. Both of our girls are.”

Leila lets out a sigh. “I miss her.”

“Me too,” he replies, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek. “But it’s Gabi and Chris’s last night with us, before they leave for their honeymoon. Let’s enjoy the night off.” He kisses her again, and she melts into him, her lips curving in a smile.

“When are you guys leaving anyway?” Leila asks .

“Early tomorrow morning,” Gabi says, smiling as her eyes meet mine. “It’s our last night in New York before we’re off to Paris.”

“And Spain,” I add.

“And London,” Gabi finishes. “Together this time.”

I think of all the times I told her we’d get away together. And how much it hurt her when I did it without her. But now, we’re going together, and I’m going to do it right this time. Visit all the places I wish we could have seen together.

“Sounds like an expensive trip,” Grayson says with a snicker.

Gabi turns her gaze on me, her lips turning in a smirk. “Good thing my husband’s rich.”

I let out a laugh. “Did you marry me for my money?”

“Of course,” she jokes. “I like pretty things.”

I shake my head, leaning closer to her. “I don’t even care,” I admit with a smile. “I’ll have you any way possible, as long as you’re mine.”

“I always have been,” she replies, her eyes shining. “Since I was twelve.”

“And I was always yours.” I curl my hand over the back of her neck, and tug her toward me, bringing our lips together.

“Alright,” James says an eye roll. “Save it for the honeymoon.” Gabi chuckles at his expression. “Here,” he says, sliding some drinks toward us. “Let’s play a game, since you’re all boring married couples now.”

“You just don’t want to be the only one who’s drunk,” Grayson adds with a laugh. “Besides, Rosie and I aren’t even married yet. ”

“Come on,” he says. “This is our final game together.”

“Highly doubt that’s true,” I add.

“What game?” Lucas asks, his brows furrowed.

James smiles, knowing his best friend has his back and he grabs more drinks, placing them in front of us. “Two truths and one lie,” he says. “Whoever gets the answer wrong, drinks.”

“Fine by us,” Aiden says with a chuckle as he wraps his arm around Leila’s shoulder, since they don’t drink.

“Cheaters,” James murmurs, before he sits back down, beside his husband. “I’ll go first.” He clears his throat, tapping his chin, and then sits up straight. “I once threw a can at an old woman’s head, I once wore my underwear for a week straight, and I like balls.”

Grayson lets out a scoff. “Are any of them a lie?”

“It has to be the first one,” Madeline says, blinking. “Right?”

Lucas laughs, shaking his head. “You’d be surprised, princesa .”

Carter squints at his boyfriend, pursing his lips. “I don’t even know this one.”

Aiden slaps his hand against the table. “The second one,” he says. “I’m calling it.”

“Final answers?” James asks, drumming on the table as we nod. “It was the second one,” he says, which makes a couple of people groan as they pink up their drink and take a sip. “I would never wear my underwear for more than a day, are you kidding?” he says, like he’s actually offended. “I’m not Grayson. ”

Grayson narrows his eyes at him. “I’ve never once done that.”

James scoffs. “Sure you haven’t,” he says, throwing him a wink, which makes Grayson shake his head in confusion.

“Wait a minute,” I say. “You threw a can at an old lady?”

He scoffs, nodding. “Hell yes. This old bitch cut in line at the supermarket, and was rude as fuck. I had to put her in her place.”

We all watch him, our mouth dropped open. “James,” Lucas reprimands him, like he would a child.

“She was fine,” he says with an eye roll. “The ambulance showed up right away.”

The air is quiet as we all stare at him, until Aiden clears his throat. “Okay, moving on…” He straightens his back, tapping on the table. “I’ll go next. I can recite the entire script of High School Musical from memory. I got into a fight with a bear, and I won a hot dog eating contest for eating fifty hot dogs in under five minutes.”

“The last one,” Grayson says. “For sure. There’s no way you can finish that many hot dogs.”

Gabi sputters out a cough. “Did you guys forget the second one? He wouldn’t be able to survive.”

“You never know,” Grayson replies. “He has muscles and shit.”

Leila scoffs. “They’re not that big.”

Aiden smirks down at her. “Just say you want to kiss me and stop flirting with me in front of our friends.”

Leila rolls her eyes. “You wish. ”

“Pssst.” Gabi whispers, getting Leila’s attention. “You know the answer, don’t you?”

Leila’s lips twitch. “Might do.”

Gabi’s eyes widen. “What is it?” she asks. “Tell me and I’ll give you my first born.”

“I’m good,” Leila replies, amused. “I’ve already got two children.”

Gabi lets out a loud gasp that raises the attention of everyone at this bar, placing a hand on her chest, dramatically. “You’re saying you don’t want my child?”

Leila laughs with a shake of her head at Gabi’s antics.

“It’s definitely the bear,” I pipe up.

“I second that,” James says with a nod. “The bear.”

“Fuck it.” Grayson lets out a sigh. “I change my answer. I say the bear, too.”

Aiden laughs, shaking his head. “You’re all wrong.”

“How the fuck?” Grayson narrows his eyes. “You did not fight a bear.”

Aiden shrugs, a mischievous smirk on his lips. “I never said what kind of bear it was.”

His eyes widen. “No.”

“Yes,” he agrees with another laugh. “It was Nova’s teddy bear. She cried when she tripped over it, so I pretended to fight the bear to avenge my daughter’s toe.”

“No way in hell,” Gabi says with narrowed eyes. “That’s cheating.”

“No,” Aiden replies with a scoff. “It’s just being smart. Drink up,” he says, gesturing to our drinks .

James groans, shaking his head. “Not again. Please. I can’t take another sip of alcohol.”

Carter chuckles, reaching for James’s drink and drinks it for him.

James’s eyes zone in on his husband. “I love you,” he murmurs, slightly slurring his words.

“You’re drunk,” his husband replies amused.

James just shrugs. “Still love you.”

I take a sip of my drink, noticing how Gabi places her drink back down, looking as full as it was before. Huh. Weird. Maybe she just wants to be up early for the flight tomorrow, and not wake up with a headache. Whatever it is, I’m not about to call out my girl.

“My turn,” Gabi says, clearing her throat, everyone’s attention turning to her. She glances at the girls, her eyes getting teary as they nod. The fuck is going on? My brows furrow as I watch her take a deep breath. “I just got married, I have blue eyes,” she starts, making me even more confused. Why the hell would she make these so obvious? Gabi loves to win a game.

She turns toward me, and holds my eyes as she says, “And I’m not pregnant.”

My heart stops. Halts in my chest with every second her eyes are on me stretching to infinity.

“What?” I repeat, my ears ringing as the guys around me all celebrate.

She doesn’t acknowledge them, keeping her eyes on me as her lips curve into a beautiful smile. “Surprise. ”

My eyes widen and I lift off my chair, gripping her waist in my hand and spin her around. “Holy shit,” I yell, a huge grin breaking out on my face. “You’re kidding,” I say, hoping this isn’t some sort of prank.

She laughs, tilting her head back when we finally come to a stop. “No,” she confirms. “I’m serious.”

Our eyes meet as I shake my head, unable to process it. “You’re pregnant?”

She nods, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth as she wraps her arms around my neck, leaning closer to me. “Are you excited?” she asks. “I know it’s a little earlier than we had planned but—”

I kiss her. I lean down and kiss her because I’ll burst if I don’t. “Of course I’m excited. Oh my god.” I glance down at her flat stomach. Realistically I know it’s probably too early to see anything, but just the thought of our child being inside her makes me feel dizzy. A wedding and a baby all in one weekend. I’m going to die of happiness.

“We’re going to have a baby?” I ask her again, trying to get my mind to catch up.

“We’re going to have a baby,” she repeats with a laugh. “I told the girls before the wedding,” she admits. “I was so nervous about your reaction.”

I arch a brow. “Is that why you asked me all those questions yesterday?”

She nods. “I was scared you’d tell me you didn’t want kids,” she admits, her voice a little quieter. “I know our childhood was hard and we both had shitty dads but—”

“We won’t be like that,” I promise her, holding her face in my hands. “We’re going to be amazing parents, Gabi. We’re going to give our children everything we never had. We’re going to make them feel loved, and nurtured and cherished.” She melts into my hands, her eyes fluttering closed. “We’re going to be a family.”

She opens her eyes, a smile spreading across her face. “We’re going to be a family,” she repeats, testing out the words on her tongue.

I nod, staring at my best friend, the love of my life, and mother of my child. “I can’t wait to start our life together.”

“Forever,” she says.

“Until the day I stop breathing,” I promise her, secretly thanking every star that brought us together.

The End