Lucius-Ever Green Series Book Three

The next day came after a busy twenty-four hour day, Lucius did not want to admit with himself that he was going out of his mind with planning a wedding. If it was not for the help of Thomas and Margo, Chloe and himself would have struggled. They were getting married the next day. Lucius never thought it would come down to this. He wanted to just eloped without everyone else. Chloe wanted other people to be present. He wanted to make her happy.

"Are you sure about going to this restaurant after getting married?" Chloe asked.

"I think we should go to the restaurant back in Billings where we used to work at would be great," Margo suggests.

"I don't think it would be a good idea, considering of bad memories at the location," Thomas mentions.

"That was where I saw Chloe walking by with her dog at time. I think it would be great, but it is up to Chloe to decide," Lucius mentions to the others.

"I am thinking of using the restaurant not far from the apartment in Jefferson. I do not want anything to do with Billings after that happened to me there. It would help me not to experience PTSD," Chloe told the others.

The group only nodded and accepted her decision.

Lucius understood her decision not to go back to Billings but only to visit Margo and Thomas. He wanted to make sure that Chloe was comfortable. Knowing she is still uncomfortable dealing with what had happened those months ago. It made him feel uncomfortable himself to have witnessed it first hand.

He interrupted his train of thought by his name being called.

"Sorry, what were you asking?" Lucius asked

"I said, what do you think?" Chloe repeated.

"I think using that restaurant in Jefferson is better suited giving Chloe is still recovering from what happened at the assembly in Pennsylvania." Lucius said, taking up on the suggestion made by Chloe.

Now that the restaurant has decided, Chloe made the call and asked about getting a reservation for tomorrow in the evening. Since they were to be married late in the afternoon. Chloe and Margo pulled away from the guys to discuss things further. Thomas saw that Lucius was withdrawal from the rest of the conversation.

"You are not having cold feet, are you?" Thomas whispered, looked to make sure Chloe was out of hear shot when he asked.

"No, it is just overwhelming and brought on too sudden for both of us. She wanted it right away to fulfill her parents' wishes. Chloe did not consult me at first, but her parents made it clear they will not have their daughter have a bastard child," Lucius quoted his future in laws to Thomas.

"Well, that is something. I am sure they mean well," Thomas joked.

"It is not funny. I felt like I did not get a say in anything. It makes me angry at them for that. It is what it is. We are getting married for them. Not for Chloe or myself but by force. I overheard the conversation back when Chloe first found out she was expecting. It just does not seem fair," Lucius grumbled.

Thomas laughed again.

Lucius glared at his friend for laughing at his predicament. He later said, "Are you forgetting how much a mess you were before marrying Margo?"

"Umm...No," Thomas replied.

"Then you should not be talking or making fun of me going through the same experience as you,"Lucius retorted.

"I get this is stressful for everyone involved, but we need to joke at times to relieve it too," Thomas said, shrugging his shoulders.

Lucius only shoves him playfully. He does say,"I did not the bachelor party like you did, though. It would help after all this wedding business."

"Maybe we could go out later to celebrate, and the girls can do their own thing. Is that a good idea?" Thomas suggested.

"That would be up to the girls since they are pregnant. They would probably not have too much energy to stay up for long. We both know that we need to be up early to start getting ready. So, getting wasted will not be the best idea for either of them. I don't think having a hangover would look great either," Lucius comments while laughing.

Chloe and Margo both came back over to see both of the boys carrying on. She looked at them with raised eyebrows. Margo laughed at her husband antics.

"May I ask what was funny that both of you guys started carry-ons in the living room?" Chloe asked.

"We were discussing what happened at Thomas bachelor," Lucius comments.

"Hey, do not go telling her about that. It was embarrassing for both of us. She does not need to know what happened. What's happens at bachlor parties stays there," Thomas mentions.

"Okay, you have a point, but do we get a say in the matter?" Chloe asks.

"Not really since you were not there to witness it," Thomas interjected.

Lucius only nodded and followed Thomas out of the apartment. He waves to Chloe and says,"We are going out a bit. Be back later."

"Okay, just don't do anything stupid, like getting arrested." Chloe tells them, saying outside the door.

Lucius only waves before getting into Thomas’s car. He watched Chloe stand the doorway from the passenger side. Thomas was already pulling away from the parking lot.

"Now that we are away from the girls, what should we do?" Thomas questions.

"How about we explore the local restaurant and grill that I came to with Joe the one time. Before I found out about his horrible history with Chloe. I also met Ian Marshall for the first time as well. It is not far from my apartment either." Lucius informed Thomas.

"Do you want to ask Ian if he wants to come?" Thomas asks.

"That is if he is not busy with dealing with his pack," Lucius told Thomas.

Thomas pulled into the bar and grilled and then pulled out his phone to call Ian. He got a busy tone but then processed to text Ian instead. Lucius reached for the door handle to get out. He notices how busy it was that night. Then he recognized the car that looked familiar.

"We got company," Lucius points over to the dusty green truck.

"Great. It just has to be Carson here tonight. Just act like you don't see him if he takes notice of us."Thomas mentions.

Both of them got inside and were seated immediately by the back of the bar, and grill. They both kept their head down to make sure Carson was not looking at them. Sitting down, both guys saw Carson whispering to his friend beside him, getting up to walk towards their table.

"Hello Lads, I did not see you for a while. How have you been?" Carson asked innocently.

"Things have been chaotic in the last couple of months. Lucius here is getting married tomorrow," Thomas mentions.

Lucius kicks Thomas hard under the table.

Thomas flinches in pain from the gab. Then he gives a look.

A voice clears behind them.

Ian Marshall was standing behind Carson. He also says,"Carson making small talk with my friend is not your strong suit. Why don't you just scram over there."

Carson huffed and walked away.

Leaving Ian to sit next to Thomas. He noticed Lucius was trying to laugh at Carson's reaction. Ian noticed this, and he comments, "Carson thinks he hot stuff and thinks he can boss others around in my territory. So, I hear congratulations is in order."

Thomas motions for the waitress to bring the drinks and snacks. Lucius was glad Thomas was paying as tradition in their friend group. Ian missed Thomas’s bachelor's party. They decided to make up for it. The guys celebrated for two hours. Carson kept throwing daggers at the guys the entire time. Thomas ended up staying at the apartment, and so did Margo. The both of them would need their help with getting ready for the big day tomorrow.

Lucius had a great time hanging out with his friends and was exhausted from all the wedding preparations, that are, now done. Only tomorrow, the real fun begins.