Chapter 31

Emmett and Garrett sat talking out on the back deck. Rosalie and Kate had pulled all of the women out of the house for a day, towing Caleb along, to discuss the ceremony plans for William and Madison. They had been gone for a couple of hours, and the two of them were sure a plan would be set later in the day.

Edward opened the back door and joined the two of them, leaning his hands on the edge of the table, "Are we going to take him out for a bachelor party? I mean they're already married, but it's sort of tradition."

"No wild parties," Garrett joked.

"Could take him hunting up the coast," Emmett said with a shrug, "He's had this obsession about hunting a moose for some reason. He saw one on Animal Planet and thought it was the coolest thing ever."

Edward and Garrett both laughed and Emmett shook his head with a smile.

"We'll help get him one as a wedding gift," Edward said.

The three of them stood talking for a few minutes before Jasper, William and Michael all emerged from the woods, waving as they approached.

"Are the girls back yet?" Jasper asked. He inhaled deeply, knowing the answer himself when he failed to catch Alice's scent.

"Nope," Emmett told him.

"How much do you want to bet we'll be packing our bags very soon?"

"The kids are still in school," Garrett reminded them.

"We used to get a full week off in February," Edward said, thinking back to his days at Forks High School, "I'm sure Alice remembered those details."

"And it's already February," Jasper said, "President's Day Weekend was usually our vacation week."

Garrett looked down at his watch that revealed the date, "Right around the corner."

"You guys in for a bachelor party?" Emmett asked them.

Jasper grinned, "Of course."

Michael looked at them, "A bachelor party?"

Edward smiled, seeing that his thoughts were mildly anxious, "It's not like that. Just hunting... maybe up the coast."

"Men only," Emmett added.

"Yeah!" William said, "Sounds awesome."

Carlisle joined them on the back porch, loosening his tie.

"How was work?" Emmett asked.

"Fine," he responded, "Are they all back yet?"

"The girls?" Emmett looked at him then answered before Carlisle could respond to his question, "No."

"You in for a little bachelor party?" Garrett asked him.

Carlisle looked around at all of them, then smiled, "Sure."

"We want to try to get William to hunt down a moose," Emmett said.

"I almost forgot about that," William said, "Yeah, I'm ready to take one of those big suckers down."

Carlisle laughed and looked around, "When's everything going on?"

"Gotta wait til the ladies come back," Emmett said, "Then we'll make a plan."

He nodded and reached in his pocket to check his phone.

"Michael, you in?" Jasper asked him.

He nodded, "Yeah. I just have to check in with Alex."

Emmett, Edward and Jasper all gave each other a look and started to laugh.

"Oh, don't act like you wouldn't have to check in with Rosalie," Jasper said to his brother.

Emmett shrugged and smiled wide, "I'm not denying that. It's just funny to hear it come from someone else." He looked at Carlisle who shook his head.

"You know that's the case with everyone," Carlisle told him, "It's how these things work."

"Indeed, it is," Garrett agreed, "I've been shocked enough times to know better. At least the rest of you can only get yelled at." He looked to William and pointed, "Except you. You know my pain."

They all laughed in agreement.

Edward looked at Jasper and the two of them seemed to have a wordless conversation. They both snickered and Edward nodded before his brother disappeared into the house.

"What was that about?" Carlisle asked.

Jasper appeared a few minutes later with three bottles of the blood and wine mixtures.

Garrett smiled as he placed them in the middle of the table directly in front of him and Emmett. "Do you guys bottle these?" he asked.

Jasper nodded, "There have been a number of special occasions lately, so we've been going through them faster in the last few years than in years passed."

"They'd probably fare well if there was a vampire's market," Edward said with a smile.

"Very nice," Garrett told them. He picked up a bottle and read the Cullen authentic label that had been designed by Alice.

Jasper hurried back inside to the kitchen before returning promptly with glasses for each of them. He then took it upon himself to pour each of them a glass.

"Should we toast?" Michael asked.

"Hang on!" a voice called from nearby.

They all looked at Masen emerged from the side of the house, jogging up to meet them. Edward ran inside and returned with a jar.

"Thanks for the invite," he joked.

"We didn't plan this," Emmett told him with a quick laugh, "The girls are all out shopping and planning for Will and Maddy, so it's just us guys."

Masen looked down as Edward handed him the jar. His eyes scanned everyone else's wine glasses. "What's this?"

Edward smiled, "It's a mason jar. Thought it would be better suited for you."

Carlisle and Masen both snickered, then Jasper filled up the glass to the top.

"I think that's more than enough Jasper," Carlisle told him, looking at his son's overabundance of wine.

"It's just right, Jas," Masen told him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked at his father and smiled.

"We have three bottles to kill," Emmett reminded him.

Carlisle looked at the bottles on the table, "This is going to get us in trouble, I'm sure," he said with a laugh.

Emmett smirked, knowing by the tone of his voice that he wasn't opposed to the idea. He raised his glass to start the toast, "Alright," Emmett started, "This is a double toast."

Garrett smiled and raised his glass next, then everyone else followed.

"To the marriage of Madison and William," Emmett said. He looked around as everyone either smiled or nodded, "And to our own guys night!"

"Here, here," Garrett said with a laugh.

Edward smiled and looked at Carlisle, who shrugged and smiled back.

"Drink up," Jasper told them, taking in the first glass of his in one swig.

William looked at Michael, and the two of them decided to indulge.

Masen joined up with Carlisle and tapped his glass against his father's, "To good health." Carlisle nodded to his son and the two of them shared a drink to start the night.