Page 43 of Stephan

“I did. I’ve only just started drinking sinceScott said he was on his way. Brad was giving him a lift.”

Sighing, I glanced behind me to see Dericklaughing at me. “A curse, brother,” he whispered.

“Shut it and set the towels up for me,please.”

Derick grinned but did as I asked and Iclosed my eyes and prayed for patience.

Tilting Jade’s head back, I gazed at her.“You haven’t got your cast wet?”

Her brows furrowed and she nibbled on herbottom lip. “Nope all dry, see.” She shoved her cast arm in myface.

“Little bit, have you eaten anythingyet?”

“Err, an apple. No,” she took a deep breathand slowly let it out. “I had a piece of bacon and hash brown too.It was nume, nume, yummy.”

Derick was cracking up and the girls weregiggling. Carefully kneeling on the sand, I moved her so I couldsit. Reaching the bag I got out a bottle of water and undid the lidbefore holding it out to her. “Drink some of this?”

Jade took the water and sipped it.

I looked around at the girls. “What time didyou start drinking?”

“We came here after breakfast. We didn’tstart drinking until ten thirtyish.”

“Oh only ten thirtyish.” I shook my head butcouldn’t help my grin. “You guys are a bad influence on mygirl.”

“Hey,” Stacy protested. “She was the one whothought to play the drinking game.”

“What drinking game, little bit?”

Her eyes brown eyes sparkled with mischief.“Have you ever.”

“Who was winning?” I asked.

“Jade was.” The girls all chorused.

“What? How? I thought you said she’d hadseven?”

“She has,” Patricia added.

“Shit, how many have you girls had?”

Five girls looked into the cooler bumpingheads. “Ouch, hey,” they squealed.

“I’ve had eight,” Racheal said with a hugegrin. “I’m coming in second.” She winked at me.

“I’ve had nine,” Cassie said with a burp.

“How the hell, Cassie, you said you juststarted?”

“Isa just have, but I had to skull to catchup.”

“For fuck sake.”

Derick chuckled.

“How many drinks did you bring?”

“Argh, two coolers full. Twelve vodkacruisers each. And two bottles of wine,” Patricia giggled out.

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