Page 84 of Hell Hath No Fury
"Is that bacon?" I ask cheerfully.
Derrick nods. "It's also Mark and, likely, Alex."
"If he's cooking bacon and breakfast, he's forgiven for intruding."
Derrick frowns. "He's not forgiven."
I throw on clean t-shirt he hands me and it feels so soft I want to sink into it. I go back to the bathroom and grab the robe, covering myself so the idiots can't get a peek.
Derrick frowns harder. "That's why he's not forgiven. You're covered. I like naked."
I stand on tip toes and pull his head down to meet my lips. "I'll make it up to you when they leave. I'll stay naked the rest of the day."
He's still frowning. I snicker, grab his hand, and pull him with me into the kitchen.
Mark's wearing a frilly apron and a chef's hat. A laugh bubbles out of me and Mark points at me with his spatula. "Do not make fun of the chef." He points to his hat where it says Chef in pink with daisies surrounding it to match his apron.
"You look ridiculous," Derrick tells him.
"My sister, Greta, got me this. I wear it with pride," Mark informs me.
"I didn't know you had a sister."
He nods. "She's fourteen. Dad's second marriage which, thank fuck, is much better than the first." He pulls out his wallet and shows me a picture of a smiling brunette girl who's gorgeous.
"She's beautiful."
He sighs. "She worries me."
I lift a brow. "Why's that?"
"She got her period," he says me like it's some sort of death sentence.
"And? She's a woman now."
He points at me with the spatula again. "There it is. Right there."
"She's gotta grow up sometime, Mark," I remind him.
"She can. In another ten years."
I snicker. "I hate to tell you, she'll have graduated college by then."
"Stop. Right now, stop." He rests a hand over his heart. "I can't handle that."
Alex looks at me with a small smile. "He's been there for her since she was born, making sure she never felt alone, never wanted for anything, and they're besties."
I nod. Who knew Mark had it in him?
Mark holds out his arm. "Check out the friendship bracelet she made me. I made her one to match. Besties for-evah."
I look at Derrick and Alex, completely stunned. Derrick smiles softly as I get to see a side of his friends I'd never imagined would be there.
"You sound like an amazing big bro," I tell Mark.
He nods and hands me a small plate stacked with bacon. "Because you get it and you're on board, you get a reward of your favorite."
I pick up a piece and bite into it with a moan of appreciation.
