“So wouldn’t it be fair to say that you are, in fact, part of the Creed family now?”
A knot forms in my stomach, remembering that day on the street when that woman referred to Presley and me as the Creeds.
There is no doubt in my mind that Pres is my family. She is, and always will be, my person. But as for the rest of them…
“Is there a reason you still struggle to reconnect with the rest of the family?”
I open my mouth to reply, but I’m interrupted by shouting in the living room.
“Time to come hang out with the boys, Hollis!” Is that Hendrix?
“Shh! He’s in therapy, you big dumb oaf!” I hear my wife scold him.
“What the fuck?”
“Maybe we should continue this next week?” Troy chuckles. “Sounds like you’ve got some unexpected company?”
“Apparently.”
We say our goodbyes, and I close my laptop, place it on the dresser, and head out into the hallway.
“There he is!” Hendrix’s deep voice fills the small living room. I look around and find Myles in the kitchen raiding our fridge. “The groom to be!”
I eye my wife, and she just shrugs, mouthing, “I have no idea. They just showed up.”
“Hey guys, what’s going on?” I try as a greeting, because I don’t know what else to say, other than,What the fuck are you doing here?
“We’ve come to steal you away for the evening!”
“What?”
“It’s your surprise bachelor party,” Myles informs me with a mouth full of lunch meat.
I raise an eyebrow. “I don’t want a bachelor party. I have no desire to go to a strip club or drunkenly celebrate my last days of freedom or whatever other idiotic things guys do at those things. I’m good.”
“See, we knew you’d say that.” Hendrix grins. “Which is why we’re just taking you to the bar.”
“But the bar is closed for a private—” Pres starts to say before her mouth gapes open. “Wait. You booked the bar under a false name? Why?”
“’Cause I couldn’t book it under my own.” His eyes gleam with mischief. “First, it was a surprise. Second, I’m famous now, Pres.”
She rolls her eyes, muttering, “You’re something, all right.”
He laughs. “Anyway, it’s just going to be Myles, Dad, and me. Zander. Oh, and Asher might come by if he can swing it. I hope that’s all right?” I raise a brow. He’s asking if it’s okay thata super-famous rock star might casually stop by my bachelor party. “He’s become somewhat of a recluse because of all the media attention. I think he’s lonely.”
Well, that’s just fucking depressing.
“Yeah, no—that’s fine.”
“And what exactly am I supposed to do while you all are stealing my husband?”
A knock sounds at the door. We all turn. “Pres! Open up!” I hear someone shout on the other side. “We have food and wine! And penis-shaped balloons!”
“Oh.” She beams, skipping over to kiss me on the cheek. “Have fun!” Then she turns to her brothers and says in a stern voice, “No tequila.”
“I don’t remember the last time I was in the bar when it was closed. Kind of weird seeing it so empty,” Myles says after taking a sip of his lager. We moved a few of the tables around to make a larger one in the center, and we all helped ourselves to drinks. No one is officially behind the bar tonight.
“I don’t remember the last time you were even at the bar, period,” his dad quips.
