Page 56 of Wine & Whiskey
“Her mom called. Some wedding issue came up. She started swearing, so I sent her outside to talk.”
Max stops shoving bacon in his mouth and shakes a piece at her. “How is it you two are friends exactly?”
Before she can respond, Carrie throws open the patio door and bursts into the kitchen. “I swear to God I’m going to elope if that woman doesn’t stop coming up with these fu…” She catches Shae’s eye and clenches her mouth before continuing, “Sorry! I mean, crazy ideas.”
Shae tries to stifle a laugh, knowing Sheila’s enthusiasm doesn’t match her daughter’s. Her mother desires an elegant, romantic ceremony, while Carrie just wants the party. “What did she do now?”
“She found a website where you can have your shoes dyed to match your bridesmaids’ dresses. Oh, my God! It’s not 1997!” She stares at her buzzing phone and groans. “I’ve got to go.” As she walks past, she pats Nick on the stomach. “Nice eight pack. Try going shirtless outside of bed sometimes too.” Her arms wrap around Shae in a quick hug. “I love you. I’ll see you back at the house.” Ruffling Max’s hair, she winks at him. “Sorry I jacked with you earlier. Stay cool.”
Shae can’t help but smile as the guys watch, wide-eyed, as her friend jogs through the foyer and out the front door. It will take a while for them to get used to the whirlwind that is Carrie.
“Damn, she wears me out.” Max blows out a long, low whistle before he sits down and nods to her. “Did Nick tell you about May's, the restaurant we went to when we were gone last week? You would’ve loved it. They had Bananas Foster waffles and these huge, red velvet pancakes.” His eyes widen as his fingers curl around the outside of his plate. “And these amazing crème brûlée crepes. I don’t even know how they made those. But they were unbelievable.”
Her mouth waters at his description of the ultimate breakfast dessert buffet. “It sounds like heaven.”
“It was. Until we met the owner.”
“Why? What happened?”
“I’m expecting this sweet, old lady baking goodies in the back.” He gives a small shudder. “May turns out to be this sixty-year-old tattooed biker guy with a goatee and ponytail wearing a greasy, tie-dyed t-shirt. I’ve never been so disgusted in my life.”
She bursts out laughing, while Nick rolls his eyes at Max’s disappointment. Her earlier embarrassment fades a bit with the easy-going banter between them. Too much of a gentleman to say anything, Max never mentions what happened upstairs. But being caught naked in Nick’s bed stings a bit. Her cheeks grow hotter. Or, maybe her own guilt flusters her. She’s no longer the person her mother wanted her to be, yet she can’t go back. And doesn’t really want to.
As they eat, Max glances at his buzzing phone and nods to Nick. “Carter’s here.”
Nick squeezes her hand before standing up. “We’ll be back in a few minutes.”
The pitiful look on Max’s face about leaving his plate makes her laugh again. “Don’t worry. I’ll save some bacon for you.”
“What about the pancakes?”
“Sorry, I can’t make any guarantees with those.”
With a mischievous smirk, he scoops up the platter, syrup bottle, and a fork before walking backward out of the kitchen.
“You fight dirty.”
He points at the food and then at her. “That’s how it works. Find your enemy’s weakness, and use it against them.”
While she giggles, his smile disappears and his eyes widen, as if he suddenly realizes something. All his playfulness evaporates. “I’d better go.”
Not wanting to be wasteful, she picks at her food. Max’s worry is contagious, a reminder of the threats, even amidst their lightheartedness.
“Excuse me? Do you know where Nick is?”
Her head flies up at the unfamiliar voice. A man, maybe twenty-one or twenty-two, stands in the doorway. He brushes thick, black hair from his forehead, but the strands fall back into the same place, almost covering one eye. “He told me to let him know when the truck was ready.”
“He’s in his office with Carter and Max.”
He glances over his shoulder at the closed door. “Oh, okay.” Turning back to her, he wipes his hand on his black and red skater t-shirt before extending it to her. “I’m Spencer, by the way.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Shae.”
His face hardens for a split second as his hand painfully squeezes hers. “I know who you are.” The ominous look is gone as fast as it came, replaced with an enormous smile. “I mean, I’m a huge fan. I love your music.”
A feather of fear tickles the hair on the back of her neck before floating away. The stress of last night must be making her imagine things. She smiles and shifts into professional mode. “Thank you. I’m very flattered.”
His head bobs with enthusiasm, shaking his bangs over his eye again. “My girlfriend loves to work out to your music. We listen to it every day.”
