Jimmy lifted his glass to his lips. He looked around his plane and saw a lot of testosterone.

"Get this thing off me. I know we're on Jimmy's plane." Baxter sat blindfolded.

Jimmy nodded to Kasper who began untying the scarf covering Baxter's eyes. "It was your brother's idea."

"Undo his hands too so he can drink." Laughed Hudson, a former North Hills teammate of Baxter.

When Jimmy called Hudson to invite him, he said, "I thought he fell off the face of the earth."

"Only if you live with your head in the sand." Jimmy fired back.

"I'll take an all expense paid trip to Vegas."

"Great. Dean is next on my list."

"Aw, Deano has kids and shackles. He's not sure he can come."

"I'll throw in a babysitter and spa appointment for his wife."

Jimmy could be persuasive. Deano, the former pitcher turned coach, had finished his first glass of scotch before they were next for take off.

Baxter stood up. "I'm not a fugitive. I'm going willingly. Danielle has instructions not to bother me unless it's an emergency."

Kasper laughed. "She's with the girls and not working either."

Baxter said, "I'll bet Sinclair takes a business call before me."

"Cause Dad's covering for you."

"Well, you can help him when I'm on my honeymoon."

"A week at the Aspen cabin doesn't sound like a very good honeymoon to me." Kasper rolled his eyes.

Jimmy thought Baxter was onto something. He wouldn't mind a week of cake and champagne. His brain froze, refusing to hash out the significance of his randy thought.

Joey, who was really Ivy's friend, chuckled. Jimmy moved to his side. "I suspect you know too much."

He shrugged. "This is the life. Would it be in poor taste if I toast to my mother-in-law? She's watching my son so I could join you. Freya was going with the girls no matter what."

Baxter laughed. "Lucky break or you would have a weekend of diapers."

Deano turned to Joey, and the two started talking about kids.

Kasper slapped Baxter's arm. "No way, Ivy will ever toast to her mother-in-law."

Baxter looked green. "I'm a little worried about Ivy's parents mixing with the Kanes."

Jimmy went to work planning. "We need strategic buffers. Joey, you and your wife need to keep Ivy's parents from looking like they've never been to the city before."

Baxter nodded. "Eleanor can help."

Kasper narrowed his eyes. "The secretary?"

"She's Ivy's friend."

Joey walked over. "Relax. Carl and Ellen blend into the woodwork unless they bicker."

Once they settled in, the flight attendant put on The Hangover. Kasper laughed. "This is going to be fun!"

Jimmy didn't dare admit he hadn't seen it. He doubted Baxter had either. It was fun to laugh for the hell of it with a group of guys. Who would be at his stag weekend? Damn, why did he keep going there. Josh. Definitely, Baxter and Josh.

Eventually, he would need some introspection about why his mind kept wandering, not during the Vegas weekend. There was a boulder in the way which he feared he may never move.

When the plane touched down in Nevada, it was almost ten pm. Baxter looked sheepish as he asked where they were. None of them bought it.

He smiled. "Can I sleep with Ivy?"

A chorus of no bounced around the interior of the plane. Only Joey sympathized with Baxter. "They're staying at a different hotel."

"Which one?" Joey asked.

"I don't know."

Kasper put his hands up. "Don't look at me. No one tells me anything."

Jimmy texted Tate to warn her Baxter might want to find Ivy. She replied they took her phone.

Take Joe's wife's too.

She replied, No way they have a baby.

He hated when she was right. Fine we'll keep him trapped at the Wynn.

His phone rang. "What?"

"The Wynn. We're at the Wynn."

"I thought you were staying at the Waldorf." Jimmy signed.

"No. It's too stuffy." Her voice reminded him of her pleading. Aw, hell.

"I thought we had a deal."

She sighed. "Me too. This will never work."

The plane reached the terminal. "I have to go."

All eyes were staring at him. "We need a new hotel."

"Why?" Baxter smiled, looking extremely relaxed.

"The ladies are there."

Joey laughed. "All right!"

Baxter smiled wider. "I have no problem with that. They can do their thing and we can do ours. We'll just meet up occasionally for..."

"Sex." Kasper laughed.

Baxter smiled. "I was going to choose the word loving."

"Sounds good to me." Joey joined in.

The two former teammates shrugged. Baxter looked at Jimmy. "I know you had your staff plan this weekend. I promise it will be fun."

He would look like an ass if he argued. Fun was cake and champagne. Maybe he would send some to Tate's room to see if it ended his near two-year drought.

Kasper rubbed his hands together. "Let's hit the tables. Remember what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

Vegas and Vail. He needed to stay in the casino. Jimmy handed everyone a room key and a hundred bucks for the casino.

Baxter sat next to him at the blackjack table. "Hey, I won't ruin your plans. I want to have fun with the guys. I've neglected my friends first with work and then because I'm content being with Ivy."

"I get it. All my school friends have drifted away. Good thing I'm not getting married. It would be a weekend for four tops."

"I'm honored to be the best man at your non-wedding. I didn't think I'd ever get married until Ivy came into my life. Thank the cross."

Jimmy laughed as his gut tightened. "Does its effect go two ways? Did Ivy have to fall for you?"

"I don't know, but she did. Who besides you and me? You said four."

Jimmy felt embarrassed. "Kasper and Joshua Roche."

"Right. He was at your house on New Year's Eve."

Jimmy nodded. "His stag weekend is next, but it won't be this exciting. I'm not planning it."

Baxter laughed. Jimmy looked at his cards. Thirteen. He waved for another from the dealer. An eight. He smirked. He felt lucky. "Twenty-one."

Baxter sighed. "Next time."

Kasper was causing commotion over at the roulette table. Jimmy scoffed. "I forgot we brought a celebrity."

Baxter laughed. "And we worried about being noticed."

"We could sit here naked."

Baxter shook his head. "I wouldn't go that far. My mother would have both our balls."

"There are times she scares me." Jimmy laughed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Baxter's assistant walk in the room. "Your woman's here."

Baxter smiled and looked around. "Ivy?"

"No, sorry."

Dani walked up to them laughing. "A group of women just ran past us yelling 'Kasper is here'."

Baxter shook his head, but Jimmy laughed. As he looked around, the others stepped into the casino. Ivy walked over to them.

She draped her arms around Baxter. "Hey, big guy, are you a high roller?"

"Woman, I'll cash out now, if you come to my room with me."

Jimmy grabbed Ivy to pull her away. "Nope, not happening."

She laughed. "Hi Jimmy." She kissed his cheek. "You promised me a trip to Vegas."

He laughed. "I believe my plan was to bring the two of you and disappear. I might have monitored the wedding chapels to make sure Amelia didn't kill me."

"Jimmy, that's an amazing idea. Our friends are here. We can skip the castle and the pushy wedding planner."

He put his hands up. "Wow! I want to live. I can hear Amelia." He disguised his voice to sound female. "Kane's don't elope."

Baxter laughed. "I'm looking forward to you in your gown. We've already shelled out a fortune. We might as well go through with it."

"I'm surprised Philip isn't secretly bank rolling your big day."

Baxter grimaced. "Ivy and I are trying not to drive a wedge between my parents. I don't like putting my dad in an awkward position."

Ivy kissed Baxter's lips. "Fine, no chapel. Can I watch you?"

Baxter smiled. "Sit. Play with us."

She looked skeptical. "I'll watch."

The dealer had been remarkably patient while Ivy caused a disturbance. Baxter pulled her onto his lap. "What's with the veil?"

She smiled. "It's fun."

Jimmy waved for another card and cursed. Twenty-three. Baxter took one and beat the dealer.

Ivy smiled. "You won."

Jimmy's lap felt empty. He scanned the room. Tate was laughing with Dean and Hudson. He lifted his glass to her, and she stopped laughing. Cake and champagne. He was going to do it.

Baxter turned over his cards. "Blackjack! Sweetheart, you're bringing me luck."

"Princess, will you hold my hand? I need some luck."

"Jimmy, you need to find someone special. You claim you don't want marriage, but wouldn't it be nice to have a partner, a lover to be a homebody with?"

"Is that what a wife is?"

Baxter said, "If you get lucky."

"I'm not tonight." He stood and took his chips. Kasper was working the crowd at roulette. Doyle stood watching with Dani. Jimmy stood next to Doyle. "Ladies. I talked Ivy out of going to a chapel tonight."

Doyle scoffed. "Baxter would never."

"What has she been drinking?"

Dani laughed. "Pretty drinks."

Jimmy rolled his eyes. "Doyle, you should know better. If she vomits, she's your problem, not Baxter's."

Doyle laughed and held her stomach. "Vomit. Sinclair, lighten up. It's puke. And Dani's Baxter's assistant, he'll order her to deal with it."

"No way, I'm off this weekend."

Jimmy looked across the room. "Tate will."

He walked over to Tate. Once again, she stopped laughing. He leaned in to inhale her. "No more, pretty drinks for the bride."

"Don't look now, but she's drinking Baxter's scotch while she's giving him a lap dance."

"Oh, shit!"

Tate laughed as he walked away. There weren't supposed to be women this weekend, except the ones Kasper picked up. Maybe Hudson. Was he single? Hopefully not. Tate was still laughing with the athletic black man.

"Hey Bax. She's been drinking colorful drinks all night. The scotch might be too much.

Baxter grabbed his glass. "Okay, sweetheart." Through clenched teeth he said, "Get my sister."

Jimmy turned his head, and Tate's eyes met his. He waved her over. Heads turned as she gracefully crossed the casino floor. She lifted her chin. "Baxter wants you."

Baxter sighed. "Remember the night Ivy took care of you? It's your turn. She needs her bed. Take her to my room and stay with her until I show up."

Tate sighed. Jimmy turned to Baxter. "What night was that?"

"The jilted heiress days. Tate, I'll be up soon."

Jimmy watched as Ivy held Tate's hand and followed her. "Will she be okay?"

Baxter nodded and then shrugged. "I've never seen her drunk before. At least she's happy. Tate was crying, wanting him to love her."

"Dawson."

"I assume unless she was talking about the pimply kid."

Jimmy frowned. Who decided she would have kissed a pimply kid. Jimmy never had a serious acne problem. Everyone had a few breakouts. "Does she talk about her first kiss?"

"Never. She must know who it is. Do you think she's embarrassed?"

It would have been so easy to tell his best friend the truth, but it would open Pandora's box to the secrets Tate shoved away. "I doubt she's embarrassed. You should ask her."

Baxter nodded. "One more drink with the men before I relieve Tate."

They walked over to Hudson and Dean. "Where's Joe?"

"Took off with a woman."

Baxter laughed. "His wife. Let's get Kasper and have a drink before I crash."

"It'll be morning at home soon." Dean yawned. "I might pass on the drink." Hudson nodded.

Baxter sighed. "Screw it. Good night. Jimmy, I want to see you and Tate at noon. We need to work this thing out."

His jaw dropped. "Okay."

"We'll set an itinerary."

"Right." Jimmy yelled, "Kasper, we're cutting out."

The younger man gave a salute. To his surprise, Dani and Doyle joined them as they headed to the elevator. The women were on a lower floor. Jimmy hovered in the hallway waiting for Tate.

She jumped when she saw him. He whispered. "Is she okay?"

Tate nodded. "She's snoring. Goodnight, Jimmy."

"Tate, you look beautiful tonight."

A little burst of giggle ended as fast as it started. "It feels like morning."

He stepped towards the elevator. "I can walk you to your room."

She pressed the down button. "Thanks, but I can manage."

"He summoned us, noon."

"I heard." The elevator arrived. She stepped on and turned to face him. "Goodnight."

He stood watching the door shut in front of her.

Thanks for voting ⭐️