sending me as I push my chair in and step away from the table. “Don’t worry, I’ll be out of the apartment before you get home tonight.”
2
From the private Facebook group ‘Finchley Locals Community Hangout’
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Post by Carson Goode: With all the young ones off in Vegas this weekend Lo and I thought it would be fun to have a casino night right here in Finchley
Lorelai Ann reply to Carson Goode’s post: I think you’re overselling it a little honey. It’ll be card games at the saloon…unless someone has a craps table or a roulette wheel hiding in their attic?
Missy Clarke reply to Lorelai Ann’s comment: I have a poker machine, will that help?
Gunner Clarke reply to Missy Clarke’s comment: Mom that things a key chain that dispenses gum *eye roll emoji*
George Goode reply to Carson Goode’s post: Whatever you all end up doing can you just try not to wreck my bar?
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Web
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“Looks perfect,” Slater remarks, admiration clear in his tone as he runs his hand along the polished wood of the custom built cabinet I’ve made for one of our clients. “I’ll let Meg know it’s done and tell her I can install it on Monday, once we’re back from Vegas.”
Ah, yes. Vegas.
Slater, who is not only my cousin but my best friend and business partner, is getting married next weekend, and so for some reason it was decided that this weekend should be spent in Las Vegas for a crazy bachelor weekend extravaganza. Considering ‘crazy’ isn’t exactly my thing, I’m not looking as forward to the trip as some others in our group.
“Of course. Vegas,” I say, letting out a soft groan that does nothing to hide my lack of enthusiasm. “Whose idea was this again?”
Slater offers a wry smile. “I think Lawson was the one who first suggested it. Then Zack kind of ran with it…”
And, of course, Slater would do anything for Zack. He’s been waiting to marry him since they were sixteen, after all. They were high school sweethearts, but things kind of fell apart when Zack left for college, and it was only last summer—twelve years after they broke up—that they finally worked their stuff out. I’ve never seen Slater as happy as he’s been the past ten months since Zack came back into his life. I guess I can’t begrudge him his big bachelor weekend if that’s what he wants.
“Don’t worry.” Slater reaches out to clasp my shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. “You’re off best man duty this weekend. Lawson and George are handling the whole schedule, all you’ll need to do is follow along.”
So, in other words, I have a weekend of loud bars, parties, and strip clubs to look forward to. Wonderful.
Slater steps back from the cabinet and claps his hands together, then starts walking backward toward the front door of the factory where I run my half of our joinery and carpentry business. “Okay, so we’re all done here? You want a lift to Rock’s or are you going to meet us there?”
I wave him away. “Go ahead, I’ll close up here and follow. I’m not planning on having too much to drink tonight.”
“Shocker,” Slater says dryly, before lifting a hand in a casual wave and turning for the door.
Rock is our uncle, who lives out on an orchard about twenty-five minutes from the center of Finchley, the tiny town in California’s Gold Country where I’ve lived my whole life. The orchard’s a really beautiful property, which is why Zack and Slater eagerly accepted Rock’s offer to hold their wedding there. And seeing as how we only have just over a week until the big day, we’re taking the opportunity tonight to check everything over so we can make sure Zack and Slater have things just how they want them by next week.
Of course, this is also an excuse for my giant family to all get together and party on a weeknight. Not that we ever need much of an excuse…
Our family is pretty freakin’ huge. Between my dad and his three brothers—or two brothers, I guess, since Rock’s still a bachelor in his mid-forties—there are thirteen of us kids, and then six grandkids. And with the exception of my brother, Kip, who now lives in Alabama with his uber-rich boyfriend, and my cousin Tucker, who’s still in college at Davis, we’re all living here in Finchley. It can definitely get a little suffocating sometimes, with everyone always getting in each other’s business, but, honestly,