'Dude!'

'Right?'

'Dude!'

Esposito and Ryan had to laugh at Adam's sheer sense of wonder when their limo - yes, they'd had a limo waiting on the other end of their first-class plane ride out to California too - rolled to a stop in front of the Costa Azura Resort. It was a beautifully restored eighteen-thirties Spanish villa that had legendarily belonged to a Mexican drug-lord, Marco Murillo who had been nicknamed Narco-Marco by journalists. When his business had begun to grow and expand Narco-Marco started running his summer-home as a hotel for the wealthy whites of the area to keep a legitimate front for his cocaine cartel. Once the US Marshals had busted up the place and tried to shut it down for good, they discovered the local business began to dip - the farmers had become reliant on the hotel for selling their crops, not to mention the fact the place to see where an honest-to-goodness drug lord had made his last stand was one hell of a tourist attraction. The non-criminal branches of the drug lord's family had been brought in to run the hotel and it was now one of the most successful non-chain resorts in California.

'Trust Richard Castle to bring us to a place with a history like this for a bachelor party,' Adam laughed as the valets came forward to handle their luggage from the limo's trunk. 'Think we'll get one of the room where one of Narco-Marco's lieutenants took out one of the local militia?'

'God I love this kid,' Castle laughed, coming up behind the groom and putting his hands on his shoulders for a little shake. 'It's like having a brand-new Ryan two-point-oh.'

'Excuse me?' Ryan tried to pipe up but his words were lost as they headed for the lobby.

'Hey Shane,' Dave asked, 'how come Daniel planned the bachelor weekend if you're the best man?'

'I had almost a month's worth of prep to do for the fallout from the Match Maid in Manhattan case, since I was tagged in when they found the body of Special Agent McMurphy's sister up on the compound,' Shane explained and they all nodded.

'That was a rough one,' Ryan sighed in sympathy.

'Exactly. I haven't even had time to take Alexis out for more than dinner and a movie, never mind the prep for a sendoff like Adam deserves,' Shane replied honestly. 'Plus. I knew Daniel would love to get the chance to plan it.'

'With my help, naturally,' Castle grinned. 'I love to spoil my boys. Hello Flora.'

They'd reached the main desk in the lobby, and Castle flashed the pretty Hispanic concierge a smile that could melt butter. 'I'm Richard Castle with the groom's party.'

'Of course Mister Castle. Just a moment please while I retrieve your itineraries and menus.'

'Itineraries? Menus?' Adam looked around, saw all the men grinning at him. 'I'm a little confused.'

'Don't worry, bro,' Ryan reassured him, and checked his phone to see if he'd gotten a text from Honey-Milk about the surprise she and the other girls were getting ready for Lindsay's weekend. 'Just sit back and enjoy it.'

'Here we are.' The concierge returned, coming around the desk to give them all small folders with the Costa Azura logo printed on the cover. 'Your room keys, room-service menus, complimentary services and other sundry lists are all inside. Your banquet room will be ready as requested for eight thirty, and the shuttle for your entertainment will be arriving at approximately ten pm.'

'What about our luggage,' Dave asked.

'It is already in your room, sir. You need to use your key-cards to access your floors. Enjoy your stay.'

'Richard, you didn't have to do this,' Adam protested as the writer led the group of grown men towards the elevators like a gaggle of school-children. 'I'd have been happy with strippers and a steak at home.'

'That's what I tried to tell him,' Esposito chuckled; they piled into the elevator and were whisked up to the sixth floor of the villa.

'What did he do for you?'

'Weekend in Vegas.'

'They did Atlantic City for me,' Daniel added, 'since Andrea was pregnant and I didn't want to be too far from home.'

'I got Atlantic City too,' Shane added, then felt his eyes pop as the elevator doors opened. 'Wow.'

The suite was gorgeous, a mini-apartment with an ocean-view few ever got to experience in their life time; Adam could see why the villa had been named Costa Azura. The appointments were plush and inviting, rich without being opulent. They'd kept the eighteen-thirties decor - soft settees and sofas, hand-carved desks and tables, faded brass lamps which left the occupants of the room feeling comforted by the luxury rather than being overwhelmed by it. On a table in the foyer was a basket of local fruits and cheeses along with a bottle of sparkling cider, and an envelope addressed to the groom.

'What's that?' Adam asked, pointing suspiciously.

'What's what?'

'That envelope. That looks like something that might contain tickets.'

'Really,' Daniel drawled on a laugh. 'Why don't you find out.'

Adam reached for the envelope and grinned when he look inside to find six tickets to SeaWorld's Diver Dan experience. 'I thought you were joking about this.'

'Nope.' Castle shook his head. 'We're wet-suiting up tomorrow morning at eight, and since we're not drinking we're not going to be worried about hangovers. But tomorrow is a long ways off. You're bunking with Shane, you're over that way-' he pointed towards one of the three bedrooms '-so go grab an hour's sleep to get adjusted to the time-zone change and a shower. Dinner is at eight-thirty.'

Mind spinning, Adam could only do as he was told and could only continue to be mega-impressed over the lush surroundings when he saw the antique sleighbed with what could only be genuine mahogany head- and foot-boards. He stripped off his jacket and shoes, and sprawled face-first onto the bed, closing his eyes as he tried to make sense of the day. The way he'd started out his morning, the lovely shower sex with Lindsay, seemed centuries old now, and that Irish git Ryan had taken his phone battery away from him. He couldn't even use it to look at the naked photos he had of Lindsay on there, for when he wanted to take matters into his own hands after seeing all those strippers the next night and missing his sexy almos-wife so much it was nearly painful.

He rolled to his back, saw Shane there with a grin. 'Less than a week to go, bro,' he said, following suit like Adam had and flopping down on the bed. 'You nervous?' he added on a yawn.

'About being married, no.' Adam shook his head. 'I know a lot of guys worry about the idea of never getting to be with no new women in their life.'

'Those are the men who usually end up divorced three times before they're fifty. Rick is an exception, and a good one too.'

'Being with Lindsay, I haven't had time to worry about missing out on other women,' Adam continued. 'She is exactly what I want, and every day I learn a new little something about her.'

'Spoken like a man who loves his wife.' Shane gave him a little bop in the shoulder, saw Adam trying to fight the weight of fatigue in his eyes. 'Dude, take a nap, it's gonna be a long night.'

'Mmm, kay.'

The last sensation Adam registered was Shane patting his head and murmuring, 'Sleep tight, bro,' beforer waking up nearly an hour and a half later. He sat up like a cartoon mummy, looking around feverishly. When he glanced at the clock, saw it was only seven-thirty, he groaned and eased back a little when he heard the sound of the shower running.

'Shane, you in there?' Adam asked, pounding on the door.

'No, it's Ned Flanders.'

'You gonna be long, I wanna get cleaned up.'

The phone rang, preventing Adam from hearing the answer; he answered it to find Dave on the other end.

'Hey bro, tell Shane we've got the ticket confirmation for tonight so we're a go.'

'Go for what?'

'More surprises for your send-off, dude,' Dave laughed. 'Silly rabbit, bachelor party surprises are part of this male-bonding ritual.'

'Do I ever get to be in the know?'

'If you were, that is half of our fun gone. So shit shower and shave, and we'll see you in forty.'