Eternal (Seaside 4.5)

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Guys can’t die that way. Stop being a pansy and deal with it.”

Nat punched me again in the shoulder.

“I don’t know, man,” Demetri groaned. “She offered me bacon, and I seriously almost wept. Wept — because she’d bitten into part of it, and I swear I could taste part of her—”

“And I’m gonna stop you right there,” I interrupted. “Nat’s having contractions.”

“Holy shit!” Demetri shouted, making it so I had to pull the phone from my ear. “How far apart?”

I stared at the phone and shook my head then barked into the receiver. “What are you? A doctor now?”

“I know females” was his simple answer. Only Demetri.

“I’m ignoring that answer,” I grumbled, receiving another punch from Nat and a chuckle from Demetri. “I’m not sure I can go golfing…”

“Noted.” Demetri let out a heavy sigh then whispered, “We’ll just go with the girls to the spa.”

“We will?” I chuckled. “And do what?”

“Drink beer,” Demetri snapped. “Shit, I don’t drink. We need man magazines or something so we don’t get judged, but Nat’s insane if she thinks we’re letting her go out with the girls while she’s having contractions.”

“Thank you. I said the same thing.”

“Isn’t it cool?”

“Huh? What?”

“That our minds are like one.”

“I’m hanging up now. Call Jaymeson for me?”

Demetri laughed. “Right. Nothing would make me happier than to call Jaymeson and again inform him that we can’t do a real bachelor party. Seriously, last time he was pissed we hiked up a mountain. Now he’s going to shit his pants.”

“Him we’ll give beer to,” I mumbled.

“Or shots…” I could practically hear Demetri’s grimace through the phone. “Right. I’ll see you at the spa— Shit, words no man should ever utter. Hell, in about fifteen?”

“Yup.”

I hung up and shoved the phone in my back pocket just as Nat punched me again in the shoulder. If she kept that up, it was going to look like she beat me.

“So?” She leaned against the counter and fanned her face. “See totally fine?” Right. If her grimace was any indication...

“Nat…” I licked my lips and tucked her blond hair behind her ears. “…you know I love you, right? And that I think you’re one of bravest women I’ve ever met?”

She melted against me, nodding her head against my chest.

“That also goes for the fact that you are the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. The guys are going to meet us at the spa, and we’re going to...” Yeah, I had no idea. Sit?

“Pamper?”

“Yeah,” I breathed. “I mean, we could get massages or something.”

She sighed heavily.

Meaning, I win.

“Come on.” I wrapped my arm around her. “Let’s get you and our little girl buckled all safely in the car. If she’s anything like her mother, patience isn’t something she practices, meaning, she’s going to be here sooner rather than later, and I think a nice pedicure is just what you need when you’re punching me later this week for getting you pregnant.”

“Such sweet, sweet words.” Nat giggled.

“What can I say? Husband of the year award and all that.” I kissed her head again and opened the door. “Now, let me take care of you.”

CHAPTER SIX

Demetri

JAYMESON WALKED INTO THE spa, took one look around, and damn-near shouted. “You have got to be shitting me.”

Two elderly ladies scowled in his direction.

Then he flashed them a smile straight from Hollywood, and I was pretty sure one of them developed a sudden twitch in her eye while the other looked like she’d stopped breathing.

“Dude.” I smacked him on the chest. “Married. Pregnant wife. Don’t be weird.”

“Please.” Jaymeson shrugged. “It’s not like I can actually turn off the British charm. It’s like its own entity. Oh, and by the way, I’m killing you in your sleep tonight. Just thought you should be prepared for when you don’t wake up.”

I nodded slowly. “Any particular reason you feeling violent?”

Jaymeson’s eyes narrowed. His dark brown hair was shaved closer to his head than normal for his movie role. It made him look a bit more... menacing.

“One thing… all I ask is for one thing.” He held up his hand. “And you wanna know what that is, Dem? Hmm?”

“Sex?” I grinned.

“Get that every day — thrice a day — but thanks for your concern, prude.” He glared. “Guess again.”

“Hmm.” I tapped my chin. “A personality?”

“We’re going to be here forever,” Alec grumbled from his seat in the spa. “I know you wanted a bachelor party for my wedding and then for Demetri’s, but need I remind you that when you ran off and got married, we couldn’t have one for you either.”

“Exactly!” Jaymeson threw his hands in the air. “This was my one chance to live how the other half lives!”

“Dead?” I tilted my head. “Because Pris would kill you.”

“He’s right,” a girl, I imagined was Pris, Jaymeson’s wife, shouted from her spot in the salon.