“Nothin’ embarrassin’ for you to be apologizin’ about,” I said.
“I’m sure there was something. When I wake up like this, it’s always something.”
“I promise, you did nothin’ wrong. I haven’t seen you have fun like that in a long time. I’m glad you got to have some finally.”
“Any reason your voice dropped a whole octave there?” she asked.
There was, but I wasn’t sure if I should’ve been talking about it with a woman recuperating from one heartache already. Even if I tip-toed around it, I’d be walking a fine line. Risking ruining my friendship with her over some fantasy I had one time at a fucking bonfire. But ever since I’d held her close in my arms that night, I couldn’t get her out of my mind. My attraction to her had always been strong, but she was “little Katie,” and that was that. I wasn’t no pervert, and I wasn’t fixing to start then.
But last night, in the hot tub, things got intense. The flirting got real, and her body started pressing into everyone, and she stayed in my arms longer than most. She curled into me with her soft curves and her string bikini, and I could feel her pressing deeper into my chest. My arms fell around her, cloaking her and trying to soak up as much of her as I could before she pushed away.
“Andrew?”
I shook my head, pulling myself from my trance.
“What was that?” I asked.
“I said, ‘thank you for breakfast.’ It was very kind of you to come in here and cook for us.”
“Well, I don’t cook like Dylan can, but your friends ate it so it must’ve not been bad.”
“I’ll get to eating it once my headache goes away.”
“Take another Tylenol. You only took two,” I said. “You can take a third one. Won’t kill ya.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“Not a problem. I’d love to stay and chat, but I figured I’d leave y’all to recuperate. I’m off today, but if you need anythin’, Dylan’s got the front desk again downstairs.”
“Got any plans for your day?”
“I’m plannin’ the family reunion.”
“The O’Conner Family Bash is coming up soon?” she asked.
“Next week, actually. Gonna be a good one.”
“They always are,” she said.
“You know you can come if you want.”
She raised her head from her hands and chanced a look at me. I could see her squinting her eyes in pain, and it killed my heart. But it was odd to me that she was experiencing a hangover this bad. Even with the wine she had with the girls, she only had two beers.
How long had it been since she really let loose like that?
“I think I’m going to take my breakfast to bed,” Katie said.
“Whatever you want. I’m gonna start this dishwasher, then I’ll get outta y’all’s way,” I said.
“Goodnight, Andrew.”
“It’s ten in the mornin’, Katie.”
“Well, I’m falling back to sleep sometime today. So goodnight.”
I chuckled as she smiled at me, gracing me with that sparkle in her eye just before she shut her bedroom door. I heard the other two girls giggling up a storm in the bathroom. Probably listening in on our conversation or some shit. I started the dishwasher and left the room, ready to start the last leg of planning for the reunion.
Then I ran straight into Dylan.
“Checkin’ on the girls?” he asked.
“Yep. They’re all back asleep. Cooked ‘em some breakfast.”
“Hope you didn’t kill ‘em,” he said.
“My cookin’s not that bad, asshole.”
“Language, Andrew. And since I have you here, I want to talk about the family reunion comin’ up next week. Anythin’ you need me to do?”
“Nope. I’m gonna go double-check with Caleb on food. He’s supposed to go shopping after his half shift today. Then I’m gonna talk to Wyatt and make sure no one has RSVP’d last minute for this damn time. And yes, I know. Language. Got it.”
“It would be best if you stopped cussin’ all together,” he said.
“Not a chance. Sorry it hurts your dainty little ears, bro. But I ain’t changin’. And before you say anythin’, no. I don’t do it in front of paying customers.”
“Good. Because guests don’t want to hear that kinda trash talk on their vacations,” he said. “What are we grillin’ for the reunion?”
“Figured chicken breasts, an array of vegetables, corn on the cob, some shrimp, and hamburgers.”
“What’s for dessert?”
“Banana puddin’ and Momma’s Oreo Layer Cookie Cake,” I said.
“Perfect. You sure you don’t need anythin’ from me?” Dylan asked.
“I invited Katie, but she didn’t really give me a straight up answer. Make sure to invite her again when she’s feelin’ better. I think she might like comin’. And double-check the time for me. Right now, I’ve got it in my head that it starts at two. Let me know if that’s right.”
“Didn’t you send out the invitations?” he asked.
“I made a damn Facebook event ‘bout it, Dylan. Fuck. You ask me what you can do, then you shit on me for it?”
“Yikes. Someone else needs some more sleep as well. Take a nap before you trot around doin’ all this stuff.”
“Plan on it. Last night was a wild ride, and I’m exhausted.”
“You’re not the only one. Took me three cups of coffee to remember my name this mornin’.”
“Had you taken Whitney to bed with you last night, she could’ve reminded you of it all night long,” I said with a grin.
“Not my type. You know that. Let me know if you need anythin’ else.”
“Just a double-check on the time and to make sure someone else invites Katie,” I said.
“I can do both,” he said. “And remember, you’re off today. If I see you ‘round that front desk or fiddlin’ in the stables with the animals, I’m tearin’ you up.”
“Got it. Family reunion shit and no work shit.”
“Language,” he said.
“You know I’m gonna keep cussin’ just to piss you off.”
CHAPTER 6
WYATT
Sunday was an optional work day for me, and I decided to take it.
With this new property we’d acquired for the resort, there was shit tons of marketing and advertising that had to be done.
Slogan selection and planning out commercials, trying to find a way to tap into the East Coast and how we could get them excited about booking a room at our new Charleston addition took a lot of brain power.
I was going cross-eyed looking at everything, and I knew I had to get up from my desk. I’d drive myself fuckin’ insane trying to come up with things on the spot if I didn’t clear my head. That was my job; marketing and advertising for the resort. That and helping Andrew out with the animals when he got swamped with other stuff Dylan was always throwing at him.
And the best thing to clear my head during a day like that was a good horseback ride.
“Wyatt?”
I turned around as I walked toward the back door and saw the prettiest sight alive. Katie was standing there with her curly hair bouncing around her cheeks. It used to be so long and big with poof but having those curls all around her face suited her now that she was in her twenties. She came up to me smiling and threw her arms around me, and I soaked up her warmth for as long as I could.
“You look good for someone’ nursin’ a hangover,” I said.
“I see you talked to Andrew,” she said.
“Briefly. You get a nap in?” I asked.
“I did. But when I woke up, Lizzie and Whitney weren’t around. You know where they headed off to?”
“My guess is either back to the bar or the pool, though they might’ve been scheduled to leave today. Most of the guests were before things happened.”
“Oh, man. I didn’t think about that. They did tell me they wouldn’t’ dare to wake me up after my wicked hangover. You think Dylan would look it up for me and see if they’ve checked out?”
“I’m sure he’d do anythin’ for you if you flashed him that pretty smile of yours,” I said. “You gettin’ yourself into anythin’ today?”
“Just a horseback ride. I was going to see if the girls wanted to come with me, but since there’s a chance they aren’t even here, you want to go with?”