It Don't Happen Twice

Birthday Shenanigans: Part I

Hannah’s POV
“Of all the low down, pain in the ass, disrespectful shit he has pulled over the years,” Emily snapped pacing my living room waving her hand around almost spilling the glass of wine in her hand. I sniffled wiping at my eyes taking a sip of my own before reaching for another brownie that she had made me. They may or may not have been the “good” brownies. What can I say, some things did run in the family. I got a warning glare to break the brownie in half. I sighed doing that putting half back then nibbling on the piece in my hand listening to my best friend rant. She whirled around narrowing her eyes at me making mine flare wide. “I can’t believe Brantley Keith is flaking on your plans for your birthday tomorrow for a damn date! It is time for you to….”

“Admit that I am love with him?” I challenged narrowing my eyes back at her making her stop pacing with the heat in my voice. “Pass Em. Hard fucking pass.” At the words coming out of my mouth I guilty glanced around for my mother like I would not be turning thirty-three tomorrow.  Emily cracked up making me sigh. I really needed to get a grip but some things were ingrained into me. I could almost hear the lecture as if Mom had heard me. Heck, the lecture I received the other day was still echoing in my ears. How my biological clock was ticking. Why was I refusing to go on the dates she was arranging with acceptable men?

Hmmm maybe because the last “acceptable “ man in my life was truthfully a world class douche. Oh and lets not forget the ever present reminder if I did not get rid of one of my best friends no man would ever come near me again. Newsflash Mother, there was only one man I wanted near me, and he couldn’t by a damn clue to save his life. I wiped at another tear slipping down my face while Emily dropped down on the couch beside me giving me a sorrowful look. “I’ll be fine.” She let out a snort not believing me at all. I popped the last piece of brownie in my mouth with a wink. “I will be Em. I always am.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have to be,” she growled taking another long sip of wine reaching for another brownie taking a big bite. I felt myself starting to mellow out and relaxed back into the couch resting my head on her shoulder. Emily let out a long sigh no doubt curbing what she really wanted to say. “I just want you to be happy Han. Is that too much to ask for? I mean I want you to find what I have. A great career and a man who loves me.”

“Corey has no choice but to love you,’’ I said with a laugh lifting my head making her roll her eyes before she giggled too. “You would just track him down if he ever got lost and you love PR so it is a win win.”

“I guess I can make one of my clients look bad since he is pissing me off,” she grumbled with an evil grin. I smacked her leg making her stop. “Well….he is acting like his twenty six year old self right now. Damn wanna be manwhore. At least you are easy to promote with your books.”

“I am just a simple girl,” I sighed closing my eyes glad my phone was cut off for the night because I didn’t want to deal with anyone at all right now other than Em. “And you can’t make B look bad. Mama Becky would have your hide for it. It fine that he cancelled tomorrow anyways. I have some work that needs to be done outlining the next book so the free time will help with that.”

“One of these days,” my best friend grumbled topping off my glass choosing to keep her opinions to herself thankfully. “You are going to quit hiding behind your words and live life.”

Brantley’s POV
I was striding towards my door with a pep in my step knowing I had finally conned Eve into dinner the other day and was on my way out to Atlanta to meet up with her. Lord, I had swallowed my tongue when she sent me a picture of the dress she planned on wearing the other night. I had every intention to take it off with my teeth as soon as I could.

Shaking my head, I shook off the wave of lust forcing myself to focus as I shut the door heading out towards my truck. Hannah had been MIA the last two days when I tried to call and the only answer my cousin would give me is that she was absorbed in a new book and to leave her the fuck alone. Well rude much. Not sure what I had done to piss Emily off lately but with my publicist/little cousin it was no telling. My hand landed on the handle of my truck door about the time my phone chimed in my pocket. I yanked my phone out checking my messages. I grinned seeing Eve’s name until I read the message.

Eve: Sorry outlaw. Change of plans. An offer to fly to LA for a birthday bash for one of my best friend’s was too good not to pass up. Lots of cosmos and hot guys! Talk to you later!

I let out a low growl at the fact I was getting tossed aside like what I pretty much felt like in the moment, a cheap piece of meat. Then as the text disappeared on my phone, the date caught my eye making my stomach drop to my feet as a moan slipped out. I felt like such a jack ass. Jumping in my truck I turned the key racking my brain on what I needed to do to make this epic fuck up of all fuck ups better. Slamming my hands down on the steering wheel I felt like complete shit. Hell it was worse than complete shit. I was the worst best friend in the history of best friends. I threw my truck into gear peeling out of my driveway with a loud squall of tires hurriedly dialing my cousin.  Thankfully she answered.

“Em,” I said cautiously knowing by the low growl upon her answering I was in some deep shit. “I fucked up. I need your help.”
“Fucked up is right,” she hissed darkly. “I ought to tell your mama.”

“Please don’t,” I snapped out flying down the road willing my truck to get to Jefferson faster than it ever had. “I screwed up okay. I don’t even have ask to know I have seriously hurt Han’s feelings Em. Just help me fix it. Please.”

“Well since you are begging,” Emily grumbled no doubt rolling her eyes at me. I prayed it wouldn’t hit Twitter later that I was a cross dresser or hung like a cricket. My little cousin was that evil. “Give me ten minutes.”

I stared at my phone as she hung up before a honking horn pulled me back to reality. I willed her to hurry up. I was about to turn down Hannah’s street when my phone chimed with a text making me lock my brakes up. I read Emily’s text message tamping down a sigh.

Emily: Come to my house so we can get the full game plan together. I have Kolby in search of moonshine. I can think of a quiet place. My dear husband is digging around in the shop for the karaoke machine. Why I made the decision to put Ben in charge of food I will never know. I need your credit card no questions asked. And oh….is PJ opposed to planning a kidnapping?

 I made a U-turn headed the opposite direction thankful it was still early enough in the day to pull something off. An evil idea of my own came to mind that I would discuss with Em as soon as I made it to her house. Thankfully she lived close to Hannah so it would be easy to implement.