Two Bar Mitzvahs (No Weddings #3)(24)

I sighed. Exclusive meant picking and choosing guests. But the event was to benefit charity, and anyone who wanted to pay two hundred and fifty dollars a head to help those in need would be welcomed.

“Hannah, you got the cake covered? Nothing fancy like the last charity event, more fun and casual.” I glanced at her.

She gave me a warm smile. “Got it covered.”

Tight deadlines sucked ass. Fitting into calendars of the social elite was difficult enough without short notice. When Kristen had initially said five weeks out for the dual event, the time to plan seemed like forever. However, Ben asked me last week to take over some of the details for the bar event, which had sent me scrambling. Then, to add fuel to the fire, Mom and Dad sprung their summer party on us.

Suddenly the “forever” deadline of the bar mitzvahs loomed on our doorstep. We had a million things to do and not enough people to carry them out without meticulous planning.

“Loading Zone’s DJ, Darren, can handle the playlist for the anniversary event. In fact, I may bring Darren to the bar mitzvahs.”

Kristen shook her head. “Are you kidding? A DJ in one room and not the other? The kid left without will be jealous. Then we’ll have a livid mom on our hands.”

“Right. Either no live DJ, or we have two.” I nodded.

Then I shot off a quick email to Darren:



Hey, man. Need you to run soundtrack or hire DJs for two parties. One theme is AC/DC. The other, Justin Bieber. No, you read right. I’ll owe you one. And make sure things are tight for next weekend at LZ.



I clicked back to my master to-do list. “Next. Almost nothing’s been done for Mom and Dad’s gig.”

Kristen shouted from the kitchen as she retrieved another round of beers from the fridge. “What do they want?” Seconds later she returned, sliding the bottles across the dining table. Then she went over to the couch, plopped down, sprawled out, and closed her eyes.

Mom hadn’t called Kristen to ask us to run her party—she’d called me. (Anything business related, mom always called me.) “The usual. Dress code: pool party. Which means waiters wearing tuxes in the sweltering heat while they serve bonbons to a star-studded cast lounging in the sun. She instructed me to have fireworks ‘shooting shimmering colors over the water.’ Sure, no problem, Mom. Piece of cake. Oh, and she wants it on Saturday, even though the Fourth is on a Friday.”

Kendall asked, “You can do fireworks in two weeks?”

“That part I’ve already secured. Fireworks, furniture, and the bar are all set. The rest of it needs to be scheduled: food, serving staff, and entertainment.”

Kristen laughed. “I’ll talk to her. There’s no way we’ll put waiters in tuxes for a pool party. She forgets we’ve got our own style, and she needs to trust our judgment. Besides, we aren’t torturing the help.”

“So what’s the alternative?” I glanced up, a smirk curling my lips. “Shirtless cabana boys?”

Kiki and Kendall burst out laughing. Kristen snorted. “Yeah, good luck with that.”

Hannah leaned forward. “No, wait a minute. That’s a great idea.”

Everyone quieted, staring at her.

She continued, “Think about it. Shirtless men with tousled hair and ripped abs, wearing board shorts and flip flops.”

Kristen coughed, sputtering out her beer. “Flip flops? Have you met my mother? There’s no way she’ll let her society friends see the serving staff’s hairy toes.”

Kiki choked out a laugh.

Hannah slowly shook her head. “I guarantee you: no woman will be looking at their feet. They won’t make it past the sexy V of their obliques slipping into their waistbands.”

Under the table, Hannah suddenly trailed a finger along my waistband, then slid it below the edge of my jeans. I swallowed hard at the unexpected action, and for several seconds, forgot what she’d been talking about.

My sisters stared at Hannah, not for her left-field suggestion, but because they were actually considering it.

Kudos to Hannah for her ballsy creativity. Made perfect sense. The one to shake things up when we got stuck in our high-society mold would be the one who hadn’t been tarnished by it.

One by one, the girls all smiled.

“And who would be finding these oblique-sporting men?” Kiki’s eyes lit up.

Hannah grinned. “We would, of course. Feel like a slumber party tomorrow night at my place?”

Kristen arched a brow. “And Cade is cool with you sorting through man-candy?”

Yeah. Don’t forget about your oblique-sporting man.

Hannah glanced at me and winked. Then she swept her gaze toward the three of them. “Sure. I had to watch him pick out models as bunnies for Dwight’s Easter debauchery. I was quite the good sport about it, if I remember correctly.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “You’ve planned this all along, haven’t you?”

She nudged my shoulder. “No. But it sure helps my case, doesn’t it?”

Kristen nodded once, then sat up on the couch and slapped her bare knees. “I’m in. And I’ll make sure Mom is prepared. I just need to convince her that the female guests will be happy to be surrounded by their fantasies come to life.”

“Plus, Cade can help us.” Hannah planted a chaste kiss on my cheek.