Page 33 of Alice & Meg

“Why did you let me drink so much?”

Lo leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom, shirtless, while he brushed his teeth. “Pretty sure you did that all on your own, babe. I was down in the expo yesterday while you were living it up with your new friends.”

I groaned and splashed cold water on my face. “Alice and Nikki are the only things I don’t regret this weekend. Everything else I could have done without.” I glanced at him in the mirror. “Except for that standing ovation you got after your pinstriping seminar. I’m pretty sure I will never forget watching you be a pinstriping badass.”

Lo wrinkled his brow. “Uh, thanks?”

“You’re welcome, handsome. I also won’t be able to make banana bread again without wondering if I’m going to burn the place down.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I will never be able to get the stench of smoke out of our suitcase.”

I rolled my eyes and grabbed a towel. “You’re being dramatic. I’ll Febreze the hell out of it once we get home, and it will be as good as new.” You would be surprised what a bottle of Febreze and a determined woman could do.

My phone dinged, and I glanced at it to see a message from Alice. “Alice wants to know if we want to grab brunch before they leave.”

“I’m surprised she’s even awake,” King laughed. “Between her and Nikki, I didn’t think either of them would surface until noon.”

I laughed and sent back that we would meet them downstairs in half an hour. “I’m pretty sure the fact that missing checkout is a hefty fee of one hundred dollars propelled them out of bed, just like it did us.”

“Good point,” Lo laughed. “Speaking of, get your ass dressed, babe. We’ll take everything out of the truck before we meet them at the restaurant.”

I saluted him in the mirror. “You got it, but only if you get your half-naked body out of my sight. I know I’m hungover, but that doesn’t take away from me wanting you.”

“You’re insatiable, babe,” he chuckled.

I wiggled my eyebrows at him. “Only with you, handsome. Now, spit, and get out of my sight.”

Chapter Fifteen

Alice

“Two Tylenol and two bottles of water,” Meg laughed. “Works every time.”

Yeah, that was going to have to be a hangover remedy I would have to remember. I mean, I wasn’t that bad off this morning, but I totally had a small grade school band playing in my head. “Write that down,” I told Wrecker.

“You’re the one with the crazy bird pen,” he grunted.

Nikki’s eyes lit up, and she riffled through her purse. “Yes!” she cried as she held up the pen. “I have been dying to have a reason to pull this birdie out.” She grabbed the small notebook and scribbled eagerly.

Lennox sat down with her fourth plate, which was full of food.

“I’m assuming no morning sickness today?” I asked.

Lennox smiled wide and popped a strawberry in her mouth. “I’m living in the moment. I could very well be praying to the porcelain god in a matter of minutes, but for the time being, I am going to eat my weight in eggs benedict, fruit, and each and every one of those pastries.”

We had managed to snag a large table, and we were all gathered around, enjoying all the food the Kalahari had to offer. And man, oh man, did they have a lot to offer.

“I need to find out what they put in these eggs to make them so fluffy,” Meg muttered. She held up a forkful of eggs and examined them. “I’ve heard of putting ricotta and even pancake batter in the eggs, but I don’t think that’s what they do.”

“Don’t care what they do,” Pipe called. “All I know is they are fucking delicious.”

“You and Carnie need to get together. She loves to cook and bake,” Nikki pointed out.

I shook my head. “Oh my god, if that were to happen, they would have to roll each and every one of us out of the clubhouse. I wouldn’t be able to stop eating.”

From what I had heard and tasted of her banana bread, Meg was an amazing cook, and Carnie had been keeping us all well-fed for years.

Put those two powerhouses together, and I would weigh fifty million pounds.

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