Beautiful Bride (The Reed Brothers 5.6)

She passes PJ to Paul and nods. “Do you think Sky and Emily might want to go too?”

She rounds everyone up and we go shopping. I get a flirty short white dress that will be perfect for my wedding.

My phone rings. I pull it from my pocket.

“What did you do, princess?” Pete barks in my ear, but I can hear the laughter in his voice.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I say, as Mom pays the bill for my dress.

“Gonzo just rolled up with Edward’s sister on his lap, and Edward is shooting knives at him with his eyes, and Henry just took your dad to go surf fishing.”

“Oh, they’re here! I’m so glad they made it!”

“I can’t believe you invited them.”

I heave a sigh. “They’re family, Pete.”

“They don’t bother you, princess? They’re not around enough already?”

“Never,” I say, and I mean it.

I can hear the smile in his voice when he says, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” I tell him.

***

Friday giggles from the back of the van, and someone else burps. I think it might have been my mom, which makes Friday laugh so hard she snorts, and then that starts her up all over again.

“Oh my God, Matt is going to kill me,” Sky says from her spot in the driver’s seat. “I left with a bunch of old married ladies, and I’m coming back with a bunch of drunks.”

Mom burps again, and even I have to laugh.

Sky was designated driver tonight, since she’s pregnant. She drank water all night. All night is a serious overstatement. It took exactly one hour for everyone to get shit-faced. We pull up in the driveway of the beach house and Sky calls someone. “Can you come and help me get the drunks out of the car?” she says.

“I am not drunk!” I yell, and then I wince because my head hurts. I have had way too much to drink.

“That’s why I had to bribe you to get you in the car.”

Mom touches the top of my head from her seat behind me. But it’s more like she clunks me on the top of the head. “You are so drunk, darling,” she says. “So am I. I hope your father is still awake because I plan to rock his world.”

“Eww!” I say. “TMI!”

She laughs. “You’re about to be an old married lady, Reagan. Get over it.”

I am about to be an old married lady. Pete’s old married lady.

Speaking of whom, the van door slides open and all the Reed men look inside, grins on their faces. “Oh, holy hell,” Logan says. “What did you do to my wife?” He pulls Emily’s arm because she’s closest to the door, and hoists her over his shoulder.

“You could have just carried me like a gentleman!” she squeals. He smacks her on the ass and she laughs.

“Good night, all!” he calls out.

Next is Friday, and she’s still giggling. She says loudly, “I think I need you to help me empty my boobs, Paul.” She grabs her boobs and all the other men look away. “Did you give PJ a bottle?”

“I gave PJ a bottle,” he says. He looks down at her boobs, which seem to have her worried for some reason. “And I’ll take care of your boobs.” He laughs.

“I knew you would.” She giggles again and he puts his arm around her and leads her into the house.

Dad pulls Mom out next, and she stands there glaring at him. “Be a gentleman and toss me over your shoulder, would you?”

He bends at the waist and hitches her over, and she laughs and smacks his ass. “Behave!” he says, and he pinches her bottom. His face is bright red.

“’Night, Reagan!” Mom calls.

“’Night, Mom!” I yell back.

Pete winces.

“Oops!” I laugh. “Was I too loud?”

“Never.” Pete grunts as he sweeps me into his arms.

“Don’t move so fast!” I say. Then I slap his arms so I can get him to put me down, and I promptly throw up in the bushes.

“Oh, no,” Sky says. “Didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“It’s okay,” Pete says, and he hoists me up so I can wrap my legs around his waist. He squeezes my bottom as he walks us by everyone, and I tuck my face into his shoulder.

Matt puts his arm around Sky and I hear him say, “You sober?”

“As a judge,” she says.

“Good,” he replies. “Because it looks like I’m the only one who is going to get laid tonight.”

Sky kisses him and he grins.

Pete walks us down the hallway and into our room. He stops in front of our bathroom sink and sets me down. He puts toothpaste on a toothbrush and holds it out to me. “Can you do it by yourself?” he asks.

I nod my head.

“Good.” I hear him rumble in the drawers and he comes back with one of his T-shirts. He helps me change clothes.

“So, you want to get lucky?” I ask. I stumble when I try to step toward him.

“Tempting,” he says. He laughs and pulls me to the bed by my fingertips. I flop back onto my pillow. “Did you have fun?”

I nod, but that makes my head hurt. Pete goes and gets a damp washcloth and places it on his forehead.

“I think that’s supposed to go on my forehead,” I say.

“Oh, yeah.” He laughs and throws it over my face. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this drunk.”

“I know, right?” I sigh.