Chapter 7
Brooke
“Are you pissed? Tell me the truth?”
“Of course not,” I tell Jenna as she sits beside me, wringing her hands.
Sometimes, when she gets this insecure, I want to shake her. But I appreciate her concern is that she may have hurt me.
I get it, obviously. Pregnancy is a huge life step. One I’m not ready for, but I’ve seen it for a long time in my best friend. She and Adam will make amazing parents. These idiots will be that little boy or girl’s biggest advocates. The first BreakNeck baby will be loved and cherished.
I won’t lie and say it did not hurt me when I noticed the change. How Adam’s coddling her more than usual. And how she touches her stomach, a little smile on her lips.
“I shouldn’t have outed you,” I say with a cringe. That hadn’t been my intention, but damn Nick for always popping up when you least expect him. “You haven’t told Sandy yet, have you?”
She shakes her head, upset about that.
My mom would never expect me to run to her first. My parents and I don’t have any kind of relationship anymore. My life, my choices. Jenna’s relationship with Sandy isn’t like that. I’ve often joked I have to fight her for best friend status.
They grew much closer when Jenna’s dad died in a fire. She pulled Jenna closer, focused her entire life on her while raising her with amazing values. I wish Sandy were my mom sometimes.
“We’re going to get the whole family together when we get back. We were supposed to meet Keira’s new boyfriend this weekend, so we’ve already re-arranged. I’ll invite mom.”
“And the new boyfriend?”
“Hell no,” Jenna laughs. “Adam hates him, and he hasn’t even met him. Can you imagine how awkward that would be? Meeting Aidan Gass and being around when the family finds out we’re having a baby… Shit,” she puts a hand over her mouth. “I’m having a baby.”
“Better get used to the idea. It’ll be here before you know it.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll be fantastic. Hell, even he will,” I nod at Adam.
He’s trying to get the flight attendant to spill the beans on our destination again. She’s having none of it.
“Honey,” I take her hand. “You’ve got this. And you’ve got all of us, this big ass crazy family, to help you at every step. Especially me.”
“Thanks, Brooke. You know I love you and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
I wave her off. “Next time, I buy the pregnancy tests,” I warn her.
“Next time?” she half shrieks. “Let me figure out this time before we even think about another one.”
I laugh at her. The flight attendant interrupts, announcing we are about to start our descent. She asks us all to take our seats and put on our belts. Jenna gives my hand a squeeze before she gets up. Adam is already beelining towards her.
Archer drops into the vacated seat and pulls on his seatbelt.
“You pissed?”
“No. Why would I be?”
“Aren’t best friends supposed to like, lock themselves in the bathroom and watch the pregnancy test?”
“Is this a rom com?”
He chuckles and takes my hand. “Should have known it wouldn’t bother you that much.”
“Hmm, yes.”
He turns to look at me. He can see right through me. It’s still something I’m getting used to. Letting go of my hand he cups my face, saying nothing more as he leans in for a sweet kiss.
Archer being Archer, he can’t stop there. His tongue sweeps in for a few strokes before he pulls back. My lady parts thump and I shift in the seat.
Cocky bastard grins like he knows what he is doing to me.
Around us, everyone is sitting down, all quietening. I look out of the window and see we’re in a mountainous area. Lots of forests.
“Not Vegas,” Arch says. “Still think it’s a wedding?”
“They have weddings all over the place these days,” I remark.
“Maybe,” he mutters.
Ocean comes out of the bedroom, looking refreshed. She is smiling as the plane banks. Not as giddy as Elsa. That’s her permanent state of being, she’s bouncing in her seat.
I catch Ciro’s eye as he turns to look at me. I swallow and look away. I assume he thinks I haven’t told Archer about our fling, but I have.
He knows everything, well, not the sordid details, but he is aware I hooked up with him a few times. Archer never let on he was annoyed about it.
If we were hanging out with a girl he’d been banging on the regular, I’d be unhappy. I truly appreciate what an amazing guy I've fallen in love with.
Fortunately, we don’t spend a lot of time around Ciro. It was a moment I enjoyed, but there were no feelings involved. Ciro scratched an itch, we did that for each other.
I’m not interested in anyone other than Archer. It might have taken a while for me to get my head around being in a relationship but, he is my great love. The man I want to spend the rest of my life with. Any man who came before pales in comparison.
“So, to brighten your spirits,” Archer says. “Jenna wants to know when you’re free for a birthday party.”
“God,” I shake my head. “I already told her I don’t want a party.”
He laughs. “You think that will stop Jenna?”
I huff, making him laugh more. Turning thirty is not something I want to celebrate.
“You gonna upset the pregnant lady?” he asks.
“Oh God, she will use that as an excuse, won’t she?” I tip my head against the headrest and sigh.
“Yep.”
I don’t answer as the plane decelerates, the wings making that awful whirring sound. I’m not a huge fan of flying, but I’m not afraid of it either. Still, I grip the arm rests as we slam into the runway, which may be a slight exaggeration. It’s a perfect landing. Elsa cheers behind us.
After taxiing, the plane pulls up at a small airport. There aren’t many planes around.
“Where in the fuck are we?” Jack says, leaning over Ciro to see out of the window.
“That looks like the Rocky Mountains to me,” Adrestia says as she unbuckles and gets to her feet. “My guess is we’re in Colorado.”
“Colorado?” Nick asks. “Why the hell would Jordan bring us to Colorado?”
We all get up and I stretch my legs. To prepare for the flight and the unknown destination, I’d forgone my usual attire. I’m wearing workout leggings and a sweater with my sneakers.
Archer grabs my jacket and helps me into it. Jordan said to bring some warm clothes. It’s mild in New York, but the elevation in Colorado is likely to make it much cooler here.
As we get off the plane, the mountains take my breath away. I’ve never seen anything like this in real life.
“Holy crap,” Elsa says from behind me as she ducks out of the door. She is wearing one of those knitted head bands that cover her ears, leaving the top of her head uncovered, and a puffer jacket. “This place is beautiful.”
I have to agree. As we all head down onto the tarmac, a luxury bus with blacked-out windows approaches. I turn to Archer. He’s in as much awe as the rest of us.
We gather as the bus pulls to a stop. Surely Jordan or Alessa will be here now. I can just imagine Jordan jumping out of the bus. But he isn’t the one who steps off when the doors open.
“Mom?”
A few people glance at Jenna. I already know the woman in the ankle-length coat is Jenna’s mom, Sandy.
I’m not surprised. Jordan is forever telling everyone Sandy is his adopted mom. She spends more time with him than she does with Jenna. lately.
“What’s going on, San?” Adam approaches. Sandy waves at him, then pushes past him and heads to her daughter. Sandy is six inches shorter than Jenna. It’s funny to see her trying to envelop her in a hug.
“Mom, why are you here? What is this?” Jenna asks.
Sandy grins. “All in good time,” she taps her nose like the secret will remain hers. “Everyone have a pleasant flight?” she shouts. People mumble in response. “All aboard!” she points to the bus.
I head over and give her a hug, followed by Arch, Nick and Elsa. The Red Alert guys are none the wiser about who she is. But she greets them all as she ushers us onto the bus. The airport staff are loading our bags into the compartment beneath the bus.
“At least tell us where we are.” Jenna is hanging back with Sandy.
“Colorado honey, isn’t it beautiful?”
“We figured that much ourselves,” Jenna says impatiently. “Where in Colorado?”
“Okay, okay. They have given me permission to tell you that much,” Sandy says, ushering Jenna onto the bus. “We’re in Estes Park. It’s a small town by the Rocky Mountain National Park.”
Archer gets his phone out to google it. “Reception is shit,” he notes. Others agree as they try to use their phones.
“It’s part of its charm,” Sandy laughs. “Everyone buckled in?” She nods to the driver, a short, stout woman wearing a thick green hoodie, and combat trousers.
She makes sure everyone is onboard, then the door is shut, and the bus sets off towards the exit. Sandy passes everyone a small black bag.
I take mine and open it. There are leaflets about Colorado, Estes Park in particular. And information on horseback riding, which has my eyes widening.
“Is he City Slicker-ing us?” Archer asks. When I look at him in confusion, he elaborates. “It was a nineties movie with Billy Crystal and that guy,” he clicks his fingers. “What’s his name?”
“Jack Palance,” Nick says from behind us. “Are we going cattle driving?”
“Yeah, him too, but I meant the other guy, the one from Home Alone.”
I’m incredulous. I don’t care about the cast of some old movie. I lurch up and turn to face Nick. “No way. I am not going anywhere near cows. This has to be a joke.”
Jenna laughs from across the aisle. “It might be fun.”
“You’re not riding a horse,” Adam says flatly.
She elbows him and gives him a look that says try to stop me. Well, he can stop me. I am not riding a horse either.
“Horseback riding is amazing,” Elsa pipes up.
She would, with her California girl free spirit. She’s probably ridden horses through the surf since she was like three years old.
“Look at the mountains. I’m so excited to hike them. Oh shoot, I forgot to bring hiking boots.”
“You’ll have everything you need where we’re going,” Sandy says with a cryptic smile.
Everyone else is still looking in their bags. So I go back to mine. I pull out a room key on a varnished wooden keyring. It has mine and Archer’s name etched into it. I show it to him, and he frowns, taking it and looking at our names. He doesn’t have one in his bag. Jenna and Elsa have their room keys, too.
I pull out a small bag of Denver Cheddar Kettle Head Popcorn, then a small gift box, I open it and find little bottles of chocolate labeled ‘Miette et Chocolat’. I’m assuming these are local treats.
It doesn’t give us any answers, other than we’re staying in a hotel and will be eating what amounts to movie snacks.
“Are we going to be watching City Slickers?” Nick asks, opening his popcorn.
“Nick, wait till we get there,” Elsa says.
“I’m hungry,” he answers.
Then there are tickets to the ‘Lower Valley Tour.’ I read through the information. I’m not a hiker. I don’t enjoy climbing and nature isn’t my friend.
“Waterfall sounds good,” Archer says, reading the information sheet that is attached to the tour ticket. “There isn’t much climbing,” he adds, knowing my fear of heights.
“Is it optional?”
“Live a little,” he sets his ticket aside. He’s opened his popcorn too.
“You see the festival info?” Jack calls from the back of the bus. “Bands, brats and beers? Count me in,” he grins.
“Mom? Why all the secrecy? If he wanted us to get away, he could have asked.”
“When was the last time you all got together and had some fun?”
Jenna and I look at each other. She’s right. I don’t think the two bands and their partners have all been in the same place at the same time before. Jordan and Alessa tie everyone together. If I think about it, it’s nice of them. Still, I’d much rather have stayed in New York.
“I’m excited to see everything,” Adrestia says. She is staring out of the window at the passing scenery.
I catch Nash’s eye before he takes her hand. I don’t know their full story, just the basics. When Nash met her, she was carrying out her sister’s bucket list, doing everything her sister could never do from her hospital bed. Something like this, an experience in the Colorado mountains, would definitely appeal to Adrestia.
It makes me feel bad about not wanting to do this. Her sister doesn’t get to do anything anymore.
Archer slings his arm around my neck and pulls me into his side. I go willingly, snuggling into his warmth. Maybe it won’t be so bad. Maybe I got it wrong, and this is about family. Just being together, relaxing, doing something different.
Archer has a small, incredulous smile on his face when he turns from the window and mutters, “Fucking Jordan.”