“Isn’t it? I’m either what you want or I’m not. The time for hypotheticals is over. There’s no room for could-bes and maybe-one-days anymore. This is the proverbial fork in the road,” I smiled to ease some of the overwhelming tension. This wasn’t a decision I wanted him to make in the heat of the moment. I wanted him to be sure because I didn’t intend to ever have this conversation again.
He ran a hand roughly through his hair and exhaled. “Then I choose the road that leads to you.” His eyes locked on mine and I threw myself at him. He wrapped his arms around me and rested his head atop mine. “I love you, Lily. So much that it scares the hell out of me sometimes. You’ve always been what I wanted. I just wish I was the only one who felt that way.”
I pulled back and brought a hand up to cup his cheek. “He’s bringing his girlfriend with him. I think it’s safe to say that he wants something different now. I know I do.”
He smirked. “Oh yeah? And what is it that you want?”
“You. Just you.” I leaned into him as he lowered his lips to mine and captured them in a kiss that expressed everything we felt for one another. It was the best kiss we’d ever shared.
“Let’s get out of here,” he whispered against my lips.
“Good idea,” I responded breathily as I pulled back from him. I walked around to the passenger side of the car, but Adam’s voice stopped me before I actually got in.
“And, Lily.”
I looked at him expectantly.
“If you think he doesn't still want you, then you don’t know him nearly as well as you think you do.” And with that, Adam lowered himself into the car and turned the ignition.
I hesitated a second, taking a deep breath of the cool night air before climbing in beside him, hoping to hell that he was wrong.
***
I drove to A.C. with Amanda, Steph, Danielle, and Kate. The boys were all driving together, except for Max, who was coming separately with his girlfriend. We pulled up to Bally's and checked in. We had reserved one Premium Suite for the girls and one next door for the boys. It would be tight cramming us all in, but we didn’t plan to spend much time in the room anyway.
Once we made our way up the elevator to the thirtieth floor, we located our room and proceeded to drop our stuff inside and inspect it. It was large, with one king-sized bed, a huge armchair that someone could easily sleep in, and we’d asked for a cot to be delivered. The five of us could definitely make it work.
Amanda plopped herself on the bed to relax.
“Not so fast,” I scolded. “We have reservations at the spa in thirty-five minutes. So don’t get too comfortable over there.”
“What are we having done?” Amanda asked.
“The works,” I replied with a wink as I walked into the bathroom to drop off my toiletries.
“Well it better include a happy ending or I’m gonna be pissed,” Amanda called after me.
“You’re getting your happy ending in seven days when you become Mrs. Shane Reed,” Danielle interjected.
Amanda flipped over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. “That’s so sappy.” As a smile slid across her face, she couldn’t help but add, “but totally true.”
***
Two hours later, we were massaged, pampered, and ready to blow the roof off of Atlantic City. We all put on the sluttiest clothes we owned, did our hair and makeup, and headed over to the guys’ room so we could head to dinner. I had made us all reservations at Arturo's, which was in the hotel. Then, we would all go our separate ways and see who made it back alive.
I knocked on their door and heard someone yell, “Our wenches have arrived.”
Great, they’re already wasted.
The door swung open and Ben stood there in a magenta button-down shirt with the top three buttons undone. He held a bottle of Tanqueray in his right hand as he waved us in. “Come on in, ladies. Feel free to remove your clothes and make yourselves comfortable.”
Amanda stopped in front of him, and fixed him with a deathly glare. “Just so you know, if you get my fiancé arrested, raped, or murdered tonight, I will make your children fatherless. I can’t believe Talia let you come down here alone.”
“I know, right?” he laughed.
Talia had opted to stay home with the kids instead of coming to the bachelorette party. Shane’s mom had offered to babysit them, but Talia declined. We all had a strong suspicion that a night away from Ben was too strong of a temptation for her to pass up.
We walked the rest of the way in and were greeted by catcalls, whistles, and bottles clanking.
“You guys are pigs,” I stated.
“Tell us something we don’t know,” Kyle retorted as he made his way over to Kate, kissed her cheek, and whispered something in her ear that made her blush deeply. Lucky bitch.