Seven Groomsmen from Hell (Love by Numbers 6)

I laughed, nearly spitting out the beer I had just taken a sip of, and I felt the fizziness and dusky smell of the hopps singe my nose as I snorted.

“Guys, seriously. Khloe and Kent finally convinced Anna to hang out with us, and we don’t want to ruin it by flashing her the second she gets here,” Cody explained. He was on a beach chair off to the side with a hefty medical book situated on his knees.

“Luke!” I looked in the other direction and Bram and Brett were getting one of my fold out tables set up. “Here?”

They had the table situated right under the big oak tree that sat in my backyard. “Yeah, that’s good. The shade will keep us from getting too hot.”

I turned back around and Khloe was climbing out of the pool. For a moment, her eyes met mine and my face warmed. It was crazy how months later she still gave me butterflies in my stomach. I was one lucky guy. She slicked back her hair, wrung out the edges of her bathing suit and then walked over and sat down at the picnic table. Brett and Bram instantly stopped what they were doing to kiss and pet her; it actually made me a little jealous. I returned to the grill and noticed that the food was nearing completion, so I started to pull them off.

“Food’s done!” I shouted out.

Everyone gathered just in time for Kent and Anna to arrive, and then we all sat down at the table.

“Hey, you know what I was thinking?” Anna asked as she sat down. “Whatever happened with your friend Jordan?”

She smiled. “She made up with her guys and went back to Dallas.” She elbowed Christian as he appeared behind her with a pitcher in his hand. “Not that I have much time to be at my once-again-empty-home now that I have these clowns.”

“Who you calling a clown?” Christian started to pour everyone glasses of the spiked lemonades he made from scratch, but when he got to Khloe, she held up a hand to refuse.

“Oh come on, it’s your favorite. I made it just for you,” Christian said.

“Thank you, but I actually have an announcement to make,” she said. She looked at me and her face was nearly glowing. She looked back at everyone else and then shrugged her shoulders. “I’m pregnant.”

Everyone froze in place. It was completely silent in the yard until Anna stood up and let out a loud, shrill shriek. “I’m gonna be an aunt!”

“And I’m gonna be a father!” David said, then he started fake sniffling.

“Who says you’re the dad?” Brett said. “I think it’s me.”

“Not the way you two do it,” Cody said with an eyebrow raised.

Brett settled back into his seat. “Touche.”

“It’s probably Luke,” Mason said.

“Don’t boost his ego. I think it’s mine,” Bram said. “Oh! I have an idea.”

Khloe grabbed a nearby knife and held it out towards Bram. “If you even use the word scorecard, I will cut out your vocal cords.”

Bram backed up with wide eyes. “I was just kidding.” Everyone laughed as Khloe put down the knife.

“Well, not a moment too late for you to get that new, high-profile job, right?” Christian asked.

“Definitely,” David winked, “because we already spoil her, we definitely won’t pay for literally everything the kid needs.”

Khloe giggled. “I don’t anticipate we’ll struggle, but I am excited about this new job. The Fox brothers own one of the most prestigious event planner companies on Earth, and I’m so excited about this interview with them. Who knows? Maybe they’ll even let me plan their Dad’s wedding.” Her eyes widened. “They are two of eight brothers. Eight! Can you imagine? And apparently they’re all very active in the entertainment industry. I mean, their dad is THE man who owns this empire, so I’m not even surprised. ”

“Eight?” Mason said, then he raised his eyebrows at Khloe. “We’ve got some catching up to do.”

“Yeah, if you’re having seven of them,” Khloe commented with wide eyes.

We shared another round of laughter and then we got into eating our food. Khloe leaned her head against my shoulder and I kissed her on the forehead. While everyone was consumed in conversation, I set my lips near her ear.

“I’m not sure who the father is, but as far as I’m concerned, that kid is my own.”

Khloe’s hand, which was resting on my leg, squeezed gently. “Thank you,” she responded.

“No,” I said looking across our weird, but happy family. “Thank you.”

THE END