Page 15 of Embers Glow After the Fire

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Matthew dresses in the rib-knit pale blue tank top and paisley shorts he’d scooped up in his rush to exit the bedroom. He moseys down the hall but he leans in to peek around the doorframe.

A flustered Brendon crashes into him.

“Oh—.” His skin goes pink from forehead to chest. His eyes are wild and his hung jaw trips-up words. “S-Sorry.”

“It's okay.” Matthew flips on an empathic smile, stepping back. “Sleep well?”

Brendon titters, awkwardly trying to hide behind knotted arms over his bare torso. He floats across the hall.

“Mm-hmm.” His lanky frame folds down to gather discarded clothes off the floor and snaps back upright. He covers tiny bikini briefs with the crumpled bundle.

Matthew’s eyes lift to the bumbling squatter’s averted face and he crooks a grin. “See you downstairs.”

Brendon’s door closes and creaks with the weight of his body leaning against the other side.

Matthew tosses his damp towel on the chair in his room, scoops up a linen button down t-shirt, and trots downstairs.

“Good morning Den.” He greets the chef.

Dennis pulls his face out of the fridge. “Morning Matty.” Beneath a salted pepper mustache, a smile arcs from cheek to cheek.

“You know you're on vacation?” Matthew nods at the pile of pots and pans splayed over the counter, ready to prepare another feast.

“What sort of host would I be, if I didn't feed you all?” Dennis’ belly wriggles as he laughs.

“Didn’t we pass a donut shop on the way? Let's just go get breakfast—you can take the morning off.” He slips into the button down hanging over his forearm.

“That's a great idea. They make the most incredible pastries.” His brown eyes squint and twinkle. He searches the counter and grabs the Yukon keys from a small wooden bowl, tossing them to Matthew. “You’re driving.”

“Let’s roll then.”

The burly pair trot out the tall glass doors and off the porch toward the truck.

“Morning!” Nathan pops up from behind the motorhome, cradling Rosy in his arms.

“We’re going to get breakfast. Any special requests?” Dennis props one leg onto the passenger’s seat.

“Surprise us!” Jamie’s voice calls out from a window of the RV.

“Okay.” Dennis chucks, pulling his door shut.

Matthew revs the Yukon and creeps it down the narrow dirt road threading the dense forest.

“How are you doing my friend?” Dennis peers across the cab.

“I’m good.” Matthew chuckles. “So I had a visitor in my bed this morning,” he admits. “I woke up to your waiter, cuddled up to me.”

“Oh?” Dennis inflects.

“I think we had a few too many last night?”

“You and Brendon?” Dennis slaps his knee. “Lucky you. He’s an absolute doll.” There's genuine excitement in his tone.

“No, no!” Matthew waves a hand to halt the wild thoughts he just set loose in Dennis’ head. “I fell asleep and he crawled into the bed sometime after that—He was very drunk and just got turned around.” His cheeks burn. “Poor thing was mortified when we bumped into each other in the hallway, after my shower.”

“Mm-hmm” Dennis grins.

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