“DON’T YOU LOOK LIKEdeath.” Alec greets me with his normal pleasantries.
“Doesn’t compare in the least to how I feel.” It seems impossible, but somehow, instead of getting better, my hangover seems to be getting worse, almost as if my body is revolting against me to remind me that this is why I never drink to excess.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and guess you had a little too much to drink last night.” He smirks, clearly enjoying my obvious misery.
“That’s putting it mildly,” I grumble, crossing the deck of his ship. A ship that is weirdly empty, now that I think about it. “Where is everyone?”
“I don’t think you want to know.” He gives me an apologetic look.
“Oh, I think I do,” I disagree.
“You were late today.”
“Tell me something I don’t already know.”
“You didn’t stop by the office?”
“Trying to avoid it at the moment, if you must know.”
“Well, had you been on time, you would have noticed a certain someone who was here a full hour early. And had you stopped by the office, you would have noticed the spread of donuts thatsomeonebrought for everyone.”
“She didn’t?”
“Oh, she did. She brought so many, I’m fairly certain she spent a week’s wages on them. And get this, she told everyone that you bought them as a thank you for all their hard work.”
“Why the hell would she do that?”
“Beats the shit out of me.”
“Aren’t you two besties or something?” I can’t keep the disdain from my voice.
“Besties?” He barks out a laugh. “What are we, teenage girls?”
“Shut the hell up. You know what I mean.”
“We’re friends, yes. But I didn’t ask why she did it. Who knows why women do what they do?” He shrugs. “I will say this, though, they were some good donuts. Did you know they opened a donut shop on the corner of Main and Vine?”
“She bought donuts from Brew and Glaze?” I blow out a frustrated breath.
“That’s it. Brew and Glaze. Best donuts I’ve ever had.”
“They also cost like forty bucks a dozen. How many did you say she bought again?”
“A lot.”
“What the hell is she playing at?” I wonder aloud. It’s not that she bought donuts for everyone, it’s that she did so and then said they were from me.
“No idea. Perhaps you should go up there and find out. But do me a favor and make sure my crew is clear of the building before you detonate.”
“I’m not a bomb, Alec.”
“Tell that to anyone who stands too close to you when you’re pissed.” He snorts out a laugh.
“I’m not pissed.”
“Sure you’re not. You just look like steam is about to come out of your ears for no reason.”
“I’m going to walk away now before you really do piss me off, brother.”
