Page 26 of Alice & Meg, Girls Trip

I flipped her off and tossed my hair back.

Alice laughed, clapping me on the back. “You’re a good sport, Meg. Not everyone could take an unexpected dunk in the lake and still keep their sense of humor.”

“Yeah, well,” I said, giving her a wry smile, “what’s a little water when you’re with friends? Even if those friends do laugh at you when you get attacked by rogue fish.”

“I’ll always have your back, even if it’s just to help you back into the canoe,” Alice promised, still smiling.

“Good to know,” I replied, finally feeling the warmth of the sun start to chase away the chill from my impromptu swim. “But next time, let’s stick to activities that don’t involve water, okay?”

Alice laughed again. “Deal.”

Alice

“Do you miss me?” I asked, my voice softening as I cradled the phone between my ear and shoulder.

There was a grunt on the other end of the line, and I could almost picture Wrecker’s face, half-amused, half-exasperated. “Alice,” he sighed.

“Well, do you?” I pressed, a smile tugging at my lips despite the distance between us.

He sighed again, a heavy sound that made my heart flutter. “Yes,” he admitted, and I could hear the truth in his voice.

My insides warmed at his simple answer. I knew Wrecker loved me, but I couldn’t help but wonder sometimes if he wassecretly a little happy to have some time to himself. “How are the cows?” I asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

“Still cows,” he replied dryly, but I could hear the hint of a smile in his tone.

I laughed, the sound echoing through the camper where I was sitting. “Eden heads back to school tomorrow morning, right?”

“Yeah, thank God,” Wrecker said with a note of relief. “She’s been hovering over me non-stop. She’s going out with the girls tonight, too, also, thank God.”

“She’s just worried about you,” I said, though I could understand his need for a little breathing room. Eden could be a bit intense when she set her mind to something. I had told her to keep Wrecker busy, and it seemed that she was doing just that.

“Yeah, well, she could lay off a bit,” he grumbled, but then he changed the subject. “Things been good with you? I’d be worried if you weren’t texting me good night every night. Maybe you don’t miss me,” he added, teasing now.

I could almost feel his smile through the phone, which made me smile too. “Things are laid-back but crazy here, if that makes sense. We were on an island in the middle of the lake today. We took canoes, and you’d think that would be peaceful, right?”

Wrecker snorted. “Nothing’s peaceful with you, babe.”

“Well,” I drawled, enjoying the banter, “I will have you know, I was not the one who managed to yeet themselves into the lake.”

“Karmen?” he guessed, sounding genuinely curious.

“Nope. Come to find out, Meg is not a fan of boats or water. A fish jumped into our boat and scared the ever-living crap out of her. Next thing I knew, she was in the lake, and the fish was still in the boat.”

Wrecker’s low chuckle rumbled through the phone, a sound I missed more than I realized. “Meg? Seriously?”

“Seriously,” I confirmed, grinning. “After I managed to get her out of the lake and back into the boat, we had a nice picnic on the island and just hung out there all day. Meg made baked potatoes over the fire with every single topping you could think of for dinner. I swear I’m going to come home twenty pounds heavier.”

“Sounds like you’re having a good time,” he said, his voice softening. “Hopefully, the next few days won’t be so eventful.”

“Let’s hope,” I laughed. “But I have to say, I miss you, Wrecker. It’s not the same without you.”

There was a brief pause, and then he spoke, his voice quieter, more serious. “I miss you too, Alice. The house feels... empty without you. Even with Eden around.”

The warmth in my chest spread, filling me with a sense of contentment. “I’ll be home soon,” I promised, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Good,” he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice again. “Just don’t let any more fish try to take you and Meg out, okay?”

I laughed softly. “I’ll do my best. But I can’t promise anything with this crew. Who knows what kind of trouble we’ll get into tomorrow?”

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