“All yours,” I say brightly, moving to shove my panties in the laundry bag and lay my other clothes on the dresser so I can change into them later.
“I’m going to shower. I’ll be out soon.”
“Okay!” I say with way too much enthusiasm as I grab my phone from the dresser and hightail it out of the room. I rush through the kitchen and out the patio door. I’m thankful that just the twins, Maverick and Merrick, are outside. The ladies are off the hook for now, but they’re going to hear from me. They’ve broken me, and I need them to fix this.
CHAPTERNINE
Sterling
We’re all sitting around the pool watching as Deacon lets Ramsey convince him that they should do a mock wedding rehearsal to get ready for next week since most of the guest list is already here. When I say let her convince him, that’s exactly what’s going to happen. He might be putting up a minimal fight, but we all know he would bend over backward for my cousin. He’s going to cave.
“Babe,” Deacon starts, “I don’t think we need to do this. I’ll be waiting at the altar. You’re going to walk to me. We’re going to say I do before I kiss the hell out of my wife, and voilà, you’re Ramsey Setty. Piece of cake,” he explains.
“Please?” Ramsey draws out the word. Her back is to me, but I can only imagine she’s batting her eyelashes at him or promising him something dirty that I don’t want to think about with her eyes, because my boy caves like a beer-can pyramid falling to the ground.
“If we have to.” He tries to make it sound like it’s an inconvenience, and I give him an A for effort, but we all knew this was how this was going to unfold.
“Yay!” Ramsey stands and offers Deacon her hand, pulling him to his feet.
“Wait,” Palmer calls out. “I have an even better idea. What if you have two people stand in for you, and then that way you can watch and know what you’re supposed to do.”
“Even better.” Deacon grins.
“Been there, done that, got the wife to prove it,” Orrin jokes.
“Me too, and my wife needs to stay off her feet.” Brooks lowers his sunglasses to the tip of his nose to meet his wife’s eyes. Palmer just grins and waves him off.
“Mine too, and what Orrin said. Been there, done that,” Declan declares.
“Too much pressure,” Ryder speaks up. “No way am I making Jordyn act out your wedding. I’m trying to keep her, not scare her away.”
Jordyn’s cheeks are pink, and she turns into Ryder’s shoulder. I watch as he presses a kiss to the top of her head before sliding his arm around her and pulling her to his chest. From the looks of things, she comes willingly.
“Good point.” Palmer points at him.
“Sterling and Alyssa, you’re our final hope.” Ramsey turns to me and bats her eyelashes. That shit works on Deacon, and it used to work on my brothers and me, but it’s been a damn long time since she’s tried it, not since Deacon became the most important person in her life.
I look over at Alyssa. “How are your acting skills, Tink?”
“I’m not going to be performing on Broadway anytime soon.”
“Come on,” Kennedy urges her. “It will be good practice for your big day.”
“Wait. Hold up.” Rushton turns to look at Alyssa. “Are you dating someone?” His eyes flash to me for a heartbeat, but I’m sure everyone picked up on it.
“Am I not allowed to date?” Alyssa counters.
No. Not unless it’s me.
What the fuck? No. I can’t think of thoughts like that. Not about Alyssa.No. No. No.
“No,” Rushton says, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Why the hell not?” Alyssa fires back.
“Because.”
“Oh, that’s original, Rush.” Jade laughs. “Give the girl a break. She’s single and ready to mingle.”