Beth laughed because it was true. Polly loved children. Oh sure, people talked about how they loved kids or whatever, but it was a rare breed who loved them as much as Polly Chase did. Poopy diapers, whatever. And she had magic with them. They rarely acted up with her. They seemed to adore her—with a little fear mixed in—like everyone else did.

They’d never get love like that from Beth, Tate and Anne’s mother, so it was doubly wonderful that they had Polly in their lives.

“We’ll see you over there in a few. I’m at Lily’s now, and we’ll head over. I know Cassie and Liv are there already. I stopped over on my way here, and the room is set up. I went over the details with them and they’re on it.”

“I bet you did. I bet you made them go over the plan on a two-minute increment scale.”

Busted. “There is nothing wrong with being organized.”

“Don’t be so touchy, Miss Priss. We’ll see you guys in a bit. I’m going to say, up front, that since Tate isn’t drinking it’s only fair we drink twice as hard.”

“So noted.” She hung up as Lily came back inside.

“He’s doing great, but I feel like if I let up even a little bit he’ll backslide.”

“I don’t think going out to say hello to an adult you’re entrusting him to is you being mean. It lets him know you care and that you’re not going to fall for any old I’m sleeping at Fred’s house line when he’s staying out all night getting girls pregnant or whatever.”

“God. Let’s change that subject.” Lily looked Beth up and down. “That’s cute. And conveniently my size.”

“Come on, moocher. It’s time for your bridal shower.”

They took Beth’s car over to the Pumphouse and found a spot a block away. It was a Friday night, and Main Street businesses, especially the restaurants, were already filling up.

“I know I’m supposed to have doubts, or cold feet, but I don’t.” Lily said this quietly as they headed up the sidewalk.

Beth turned, smiling. “You have a big heart and you’re smart. It wasn’t time all those years ago between you. Not for you or for Nathan. But now? It’s perfect. You’re strong enough to deal with the stuff that comes with marrying him. Namely all of us. And he’s man enough to know what he’s got in you, and he knows to grab you and hold you close forever.”

“You’re a really good best friend, you know that?”

She opened the door and the sound of Petal on a Friday greeted them both. “I do try. Mainly because I love you. But also because I love Nathan and I love seeing him happy.”

People called out hellos as they walked through, toward the party room in the back where everyone had already gathered. When they came through the door, there was much hooting and clapping and laughing.

“Whooo! Come on in and sit down.” Anne pointed to the chair at the head of the big table that Beth had decorated earlier that afternoon.

Lily saw it and stopped, mouth agape. “A plus to you, Beth Murphy, for this astonishing array of penis and penis-related merchandise.”

“We’re just getting started. Sit!”

Laughing, Lily sat and then took the penis-festooned pink fedora hat. “You’re the guest of honor so you get the best hat.” She handed out the rest. “Don’t be jealous, there’s plenty of penis hats to go around.”

She put hers on right as the first round of beer and food came in.

Maggie laughed at the penis straws. “Where did you find all this stuff?”

“I’m sure the FBI is going to be keeping me and my internet searches on file for a while. But there is an unbelievable wealth of penis party favors. This is just about half of what was out there. Some of it I thought might get us arrested. So I refrained because even though we know the sheriff, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t want Cassie to play with us anymore if we got her in trouble.”

“I do think all the bridesmaids should wear these blinky penis pins on our dresses for the wedding though.” Anne affixed one to her shirt.

Lily nodded. “Sure. It can be our something new.”

Fresh giggles broke out, and the server just shook his head, grinning as he left.

“Why are penises evocative of bridal showers anyway? I mean, hello, none of us has one.”

“Maybe it’s for ladies who are chaste. So they might get spooked when they see one the first time. Get ’em used to what is to come. Not that we’re talking Lily. I mean hello.”

More laughter.

“We always do it in the pitch dark so I won’t get scared.” Lily couldn’t get through the whole sentence without laughing.

“Damn it, I’m trying to drink some beer but if you keep making me laugh I’m going to choke and then someone will have to give me the Heimlich and forever we’ll remember this as that one time Anne Murphy nearly choked to death at Lily’s bridal shower. Now hold on with the hardy har har long enough for me to get some beer and a nacho or two down, and then the levity may resume.”

“I like how she was so dainty just then,” Cassie said as she took a drink of her beer.

“Everyone always associates Anne with dainty. It’s a curse I bet.” Maggie blinked innocently at Anne, who snickered. “I do have so many memories of these nachos.”

“Is this a kinky sex thing, Maggie? I heard that about you, but I didn’t want to say anything.” Tate leaned forward. “Not that it should stop you from telling us if it is.”

Maggie shook her head. “No, you pervs! A long time ago I was in here and carrying nachos and Shane bumped into me and spilled them all over me and he was a total dick about it. But it wasn’t six months after that that Kyle and I ended up together.”

“Us pervs? Girl, you dated one brother before you ended up with the other one. Floozy!” Cassie, who also happened to be Shane’s wife, snorted.

“I’m not the only one!” Maggie pointed at Liv. “She did it too.”

“You’re such a tattletale.” Liv just waggled her brows.

Tate, now married to Matt, who Liv dated years before, clapped her hands over her ears. “Lalalalalala.”

“Hush you. All fecund and round with the man’s baby. Again.”

Things had been a little rocky at first between Tate and Liv. Tate had been intimidated by Liv who was ridiculously gorgeous. But after a brief back-and-forth, Liv had just kept pushing herself into Tate’s life until she gave in. The two had been good friends ever since, and as Liv absolutely adored Marc and Matt pretty much worshipped Tate, there wasn’t anything to worry over.

Lily patted Tate’s hand and stole one of her wings while she was at it. “I had a friend in Macon express dismay that someone might date two brothers, and I said, girl, have you ever lived in a small town?”

The table dissolved into laughter again.

Beth held up her glass. “The first toast tonight goes to Lily. Who will be marrying our dumbhead brother Nathan in just a few weeks and then it’ll be too late, she’ll be a Murphy. She keeps Nathan in line and smiling and so sex addled he mainly stays out of my business so thank you, Lily, and welcome to our messed-up family!”

Glasses raised as everyone toasted the woman of the evening.

“Here’s to Lily, who knows just how crazy we all are and who stays anyway!”

“And to Lily, who has awesome shoes in my size!”

Barbecued chicken came out right as a few other people arrived. Penny and Dee, two friends who’d moved to Atlanta but always came back for the fun stuff, and Jill with the other two Murphy wives.

“Just in time, I see.” Jill, the youngest Murphy sibling, grabbed a glass and the pitcher as she sat. “Sorry, it was a hellish day at work. I have a client who thinks he’s god. He’s really just a pain in my butt.”

“It’s all right, there’s plenty of food, drink and penis paraphernalia for all.” Anne handed down hats and blinky pins. “There are penis sweet tarts too. The purple ones taste like tears and loneliness so avoid those.”

Jill curled her lip and held up a purple sugar penis. “If a real penis was purple, it might also taste like tears and loneliness.”

Beth nodded. “Especially if it was that small. Still, let’s not find out.”

Jill raised her brows. “Good to know Joe’s wedding tackle isn’t tiny and purple.”

“I’ll give you five dollars to ask him about it.” Anne snickered.

Tate clapped. “I’ll give you ten to ask William about it. It’s fun to watch that vein on his temple throb when he’s forced to confront the fact that his baby sister and his best friend are doing dirty sexytimes.”

Jill made herself a plate. “The thing I love most about you, Tate, is how you look so sweet on the outside. All maternal with that pretty pale hair and you are just such a troublemaker. I admire that.”

“I can guarantee you those boys are not having anywhere near as much fun as we are.” Liv sat back in her chair. “Hey, do these dick lollipops have gum in them?”

“I’m not sure where I stand on dick lollipops with stuff in the middle.”

“You’re all going to ruin our sweet baby Jill.” Beth put an arm around her sister.

“Please. Have you met Jill?” Anne waved it away.

“I know, Anne needs to tell us what the hell is going on with Royal.”

Anne heaved a sigh and Beth felt bad for her.

“I think it’s truly over. We’re way better off as friends and I’m not just saying that. He wants marriage. White picket fences and babies. I don’t. I don’t want that life and I care about him. He should be happy and he can’t be with me. And I don’t want to feel guilty all the time about not giving him what he needs. I think we’re both in love with each other, but it’s not deep enough. Not to weather this. I’d never ask him to keep hanging on, waiting around to see if maybe I’ll change my mind. He deserves to be in love with someone who wants that as much as he does.”

“That’s too bad. I like Royal. I like you two together.” Tate handed the platter of tacos down to their end of the table.

“I like him too. I’ve liked him since we were kids. I think we can be better friends. I do know for sure that I can’t commit to him like he deserves.”

Beth understood it. Anne had a rough time getting past the idea that marriage was what their parents had. It didn’t matter that her married siblings didn’t have marriages that looked anything like what they’d grown up with. She didn’t want to mess up her life, or anyone else’s, the way their parents did to one another and to their kids. Some childhood scars ran deep and never healed.

It wasn’t like Beth wanted to say Anne’d change her mind. Who knew if Anne ever would, and it was insulting when women told other women they’d change their mind about major life stuff like marriage and kids. She respected each and every one of her siblings and their right to make whatever choices they needed to be happy.

“Now that I’ve calmed down all the hilarity with my spinster news, how about we open some presents?” Anne winked at Beth, who tipped her chin back at her sister. Anne knew Beth would always have her back, no matter what.

“So it’s time for some presents!” Beth stood. “Well, first it’s time for cake. Then presents. Anne, can you guys clear off a spot on the table? I’m just going to go find Pete to have him bring the cake in.”

Which was easy enough. She wove her way through the crowd and found him near the bar. “Hey, Pete, can we get the cake when you get the chance?”

“You sure can. Everything else all right?”

“Food is excellent. Beer is tasty. I appreciate the help tonight.”

“It’s always a pleasure to have a bunch of pretty women in here. Not like that’s a chore.” He winked. As he was nearing eighty, it wasn’t like his flirting was serious. “When will we be hosting your bachelorette party?”

She laughed. “I’m enjoying the living-in-sin part right now. We’ll get there though.”

Pete came around, and they walked back to the kitchen to get the cake from the walk-in.

“How’s Joe’s daddy?”

Joe’s father had been struggling with mental illness for some time, and over the last few months had finally found a medication combo that was working. Rather than respond or act in a way that continued to stigmatize the issue, Beth wanted to treat it like any other health issue. It was, of course, up to Joe’s father, and she was careful about what she shared. But when she did talk about it, she did in a very straightforward way. Joe seemed to prefer it and that’s what mattered most to her.

“He’s better. Working on it.”

“You tell him I said hello. My Missy said she ran into Joe’s momma the other day at the library, and I’ve been meaning to ask after him. But it’s hard. I don’t know what to say.”