Page 48 of Easton

“No.” She shakes her head on the pillow. “Surprisingly, I’m okay.”

“Good. The aspirin and water probably helped.”

“I think so.”

Man, I love how we’re lying here in bed together and everything is just so relaxed and mellow. I was worried there’d be some awkwardness today, but that isn’t the case.

Since all is good, I ask her if she’d like for me to make us breakfast. “That is,” I qualify, “if your stomach feels up to it.”

“Yeah.” She touches her belly. “Breakfast would be great. I’m actually really hungry.”

“Then let me go get things started.”

I slide off the bed, and Claire, sitting up, tells me, “I think I’m going to go take a shower first. I feel kind of icky from drinking. But I promise I’ll be quick.”

“No problem.” I reply, stretching and twisting to loosen up. “Eggs and bacon sound good?”

“Mmmm, sounds perfect.” Then she adds, “Oh, and can we have toast? Lots of toast.”

“Sure.” I nod. “I’ll make plenty.”

I head down to the kitchen, leaving Claire to take her shower. I don’t rush with getting everything together to allow her time to make it down.

And the timing turns out to be perfect. Claire walks into the kitchen just as I’m plating the eggs.

I look over at her long enough to see she has on black leggings and a violet-and-black Bears tee.

“Cute shirt,” I say with a laugh.

I actually love when she wears my team’s colors.

But I keep that one to myself.

“Thanks,” she says as she takes a seat at the kitchen table, where I’ve already placed flatware and two tall glasses filled with orange juice. “I thought I’d show a little team spirit today.”

“Hey, I’m cool with that.” I pause, then say, “Oh, I forgot to ask you earlier, but I remembered you always loved your eggs over easy. Hope that’s still the case.”

“It is,” she replies.

“Great.” I add a couple of slices of crispy bacon to her plate, then set it on the table in front of her. “Here ya go. Enjoy.”

“I think I will,” she tells me. “This looks delicious.”

And then I remember. “Crap, I forgot the toast.”

After loading up the six-slice toaster, I grab a tub of butter and two different types of jelly from the fridge.

A few minutes later, Claire has her toast.

As do I.

With my own plate filled, I join her at the table.

As we eat breakfast, we talk about the party and how, despite Claire overindulging a bit, it was still a good time. We also give ourselves props for successfully keeping Madison and Lennox apart.

“Though, damn, did you see the looks they were giving each other?” Claire asks.

After taking a sip of juice, I set my glass back down on the table and nod. “I did. Keeping those two away from each other forever is going to be a challenge.”

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