Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
HOLLIS
“How are things going with the house?” Troy and I are meeting a bit later this week because of a scheduling issue on my end. Talking to him as the sun starts to set feels different somehow, and I let out a yawn, as if my body is aware of it.
“Good,” I reply. “We had the inspection on Monday, and we will officially close in a few days. But we’re waiting to move in until after the holidays. With the wedding next week, it’s just too chaotic. Plus, we have some projects that will be easier to tackle if we’re not living there quite yet.”
“Sounds like you’re making progress on finding permanence.”
“Yeah.” I smile. “I am.”
He taps a few notes into his tablet. Then he looks up and says, “Speaking of the wedding? Everything going smoothly? I know from experience that it can be a stressful time, both for the couple and the family.”
“Is it weird if we’re not? Stressed, that is?”
“Do you think it’s weird?”
I love it when a therapist throws your question back at you.
“No, I guess not. It just sort of feels like a big party, you know? We’re already married.
I already got the girl. Nothing to stress over.
” I smile wistfully. “And her family has been a huge help. I’m pretty sure her mom has single-handedly planned the entire event and loved every minute. ”
He pauses, that contemplative look on his face. Then he says, “Why do you refer to the Creeds as Presley’s family?”
“I…” I stumble over my words. “That’s just what they are. They’re her siblings. Her parents.”
“But didn’t you tell me that when you lived with them, it felt like the closest thing you had to a family?”
“Well, yeah.” I wasn’t kidding when I told Pres he asked more questions than Sabine. She would just sit back and patiently wait until I reached the point she was waiting for me to get to.
Troy doesn’t wait. He just plows forward.
“And aren’t you married into that family now?”
“Yes.”
“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 that a 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.
We all chuckle.
“Ha ha, old man.” He tries to look unamused, but those ice-blue eyes betray him. “But I don’t remember the last time you were here. Or any of you, for that matter. I think we’ve all kind of been slacking on our duties to the family bar lately.”
“And maybe taking our sister for granted in the process,” Hen pipes up.
Everyone shifts, looking uncomfortable. But no one bothers trying to deny it.
“It’s true,” I speak up. “Lance, when you handed the bar over to her, it’s like everyone disappeared. She suddenly had all the responsibility and none of the support.”
I might be crossing a line, especially when all of them were nice enough to take me out tonight, but I don’t care.
I will always stick up for my wife.
“I appreciate you saying that, Hollis,” Lance says, leaning back in his seat. He scratches a hand down his wiry beard. “I didn’t mean to make her feel like she didn’t have our support. I…” He shakes his head. “I thought I was giving her space to make it her own.”
“I don’t have a good excuse. I’ve just been too wrapped up in my own shit,” Myles admits. “But I’ll try to make more of an effort and stop by more often.”
“Unfortunately for me, casually stopping by the bar is impossible now,” Zander says as he nurses a beer. “It’s a damn shame because I miss this place. But it doesn’t mean I can’t check in. Pres is my sister. Period. And I’ve been seriously slacking on my big brother duties.”
How does he do that? How is it so easy for him to claim the Creeds as his own? He even has the fucking family tattoo on his arm. Meanwhile, I can’t even hear someone call me by my wife’s last name without freaking out.
“She should be proud of everything she’s accomplished in the last year.” We all turn. Cash looks around and rolls his eyes. “What? I can say nice things.”
Everyone erupts in laughter. He just keeps glaring at everyone like we’re all fools. When the noise finally subsides, he turns to me and leans in. “I know things haven’t been easy for her the last few months.” He gives a meaningful look. “I’m glad to see they’re looking up.”
He then turns back to his whiskey and doesn’t say another word.
Holy shit, he knows. Maybe not about the fake marriage to cover up Jace’s break-in, but he must know enough, and he’s not saying anything.
I suddenly have a new appreciation for my grumpy brother-in-law.
The back door opens, and we all turn. In walks Asher, wearing a flannel, baseball cap, and tennis shoes.
“Damn, Ash,” Zander calls out. “You look almost normal with that disguise.”
“Almost.” He chuckles, walking behind the bar to pour himself a beer.
He’s surprisingly adept at it. Considering Pres told me his family is Scottish royalty or something, I didn’t figure it was a life skill he would have acquired.
“Not sure how long it will last, but it was nice to take a drive down the coast without someone on my tail for once.”
“Well, dressed like that, you kinda look like the dude I stood behind at the pharmacy, so I think you might get away with it for a while,” Myles chimes in.
I don’t think anyone, including Ash, believes Myles for a second, but I’m sure he appreciates the sentiment. Even in a simple flannel and faded jeans, there’s something about Asher that makes people turn their heads and notice him.
With his beer poured, a dark stout, he takes a seat. He looks around the table before that intense gaze settles on me. “Congrats, mate. Or should I say congrats again?”
“Either works.” I chuckle.
“So what’d I miss?”
“Actually,” Hen says. “I was just about to go around the table and ask everyone to bestow their words of wisdom on our young groom.”
“Words of wisdom?” Cash grunts. “Zander and Dad are the only two who are actually married.”
He shrugs. “Doesn’t mean they’re the only two who have been in love. Come on, it’ll be fun. Dad? Why don’t you start? Age before beauty and all that.”
Lance rolls his eyes, but looks amused. “Advice, huh? Well, there’s the classic never go to bed angry. But I’m guessing you want something a bit more personal.”
“Not too personal, please? None of us wants to leave here permanently scarred,” Myles pleads.
“All right.” He chuckles. “I’ll try to be mindful of that.”
“Appreciate it.”
“Best piece of advice I can offer is to always put your marriage first,” he begins.
“It sounds simple, right? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?
But priorities change. Someday, you might want kids, or one of your careers is gonna take off.
Life is crazy and stressful, but if you keep making time for each other—nurturing the love that brought you together—it will carry you through the tough times. ”
“Thanks, Lance,” I say, my throat suddenly thick.
“How are we supposed to follow that?” Zander croaks, his voice hoarse with emotion.
“I don’t know, but you’re next, dude,” Hen tells him.
“What the fuck?” He groans. “Okay, um…I’m gonna go the non-sappy route—no offense, Lance—and offer some practical advice.”
“All right.” I give him a nod to go ahead.
“If your wife tells you her doctor said it was safe to go bare while she’s switching from one birth control pill to the other, unless you want a surprise in nine months, do yourself a goddamn favor and use a condom.”
I tip my head back and bark out a laugh.
“You’re just never gonna let that one go, are you?” Hen chuckles.
“Elena has since confessed she may have misheard her,” Zander says with a smirk, but then just shrugs. “Whatever. Marisa is fucking cute, and I’m damn lucky. Hen?”
“Travel,” he simply says. “Before Zara went on tour with the band, she’d barely left California. Getting to see the world through her eyes was like falling in love with her all over again. So yeah, travel. Explore. Make memories on every continent if you can. You’ll be happy you did.”
We all stare at him, sort of stunned.
“What?” He stares back, confused. “I’m romantic as shit. Don’t look at me like that.”
I shake my head, grinning, and take a sip of my beer.
“Cash, what about you?” Zander asks. “Got any advice for the groom to be?”
Cash looks up from his beer, his expression grim. “Yeah,” he replies. “Always get a paternity test.”
An uncomfortable silence lingers between us until Myles pipes up and says, “Well, I’ve never been in love, so we can just skip right over me. Ash? What about you?”
Asher has been pretty damn quiet the whole time. I don’t know if he’s uncomfortable or if this is just how he is. Broody, loner rock star seems to fit his vibe. “Never had the privilege,” he replies. “Doubt I ever will.”
“You know, I thought for a minute you and Pres might date—when you came to family dinner back in May.”
“What the fuck, Hen?” Z slaps the back of his head before he sends an apologetic look my way.
“Ouch, what? Obviously, they didn’t. Pres didn’t even bat an eyelash at him. I think she’s the only woman alive immune to charm.”
Asher flashes a grin. “I wouldn’t go after your sisters, Hen. There’s a code.” Everyone turns to look at me. Asher’s brow furrows in confusion. Apparently, he doesn’t know all the sordid history between the Creeds and me. “What did I say?”
“Yeah, Hollis. What did he say?” Hen smirks.
I roll my eyes. “It’s a stupid code. Also, we weren’t even acquaintances, much less best friends, when Pres and I got married, so technically I didn’t break any code.”
“Am I missing something?” I hear Asher whisper.
“Hollis and Hen used to be best friends in high school,” Myles whispers back.
“You want to claim a technicality.” Hendrix raises a brow.
“No, I want to claim bullshit.”
Hen looks dramatically over the group. “I still think he deserves punishment. What say you, boys?”
“Like a spanking?” Myles looks oddly intrigued.
“How are you and I related?” Cash mutters.
“What kind of punishment?” Asher questions.
“I’m thinking shots. Specifically, tequila shots.”
My brows shoot up. “Pres said no tequila. I do stupid shit when I drink tequila.”
“Exactly.” He grins. “Time for a little brother bonding.”
I groan. Forgive me, Pres.