“Hey,” I reply, sipping my coffee as I head for my own tent.
I have just gotten back from running to town and grabbing Charli one of those fancy coffee drinks she loves so much. When I woke, everyone else was still sleeping, and while I loved lying there, listening to the light snores of Charli sleeping, I knew I needed to create a little space. So, I got up and went out to stoke the fire. When it was burning good, I decided to run up to the barn to use the bathroom and then head for the coffee shop.
Now, I’m waiting for the conversation with Camden I know is coming.
I feel his eyes on me as I unzip the zipper and step inside. She’s curled up on her side, sleeping soundly in my bag. The image stirs something in my chest, but I push those thoughts out of my head. Now isn’t the time, not with her brother right outside my tent.
“Charli,” I say softly, knowing what’s coming.
Charli isn’t a morning person.
At all.
“No,” she mutters, pulling the bag up and over her head.
“I brought you some coffee,” I singsong, crouching beside her and lowering the cup closer to her face so she can catch the scent.
“It better not be that nasty shit you guys make with the fire,” she grumbles, peeking out from beneath the sleeping bag.
My pants grow tight, because she looks fucking adorable.
“I ran to the coffee shop,” I tell her.
The top of the bag is ripped the rest of the way from her face as she reaches for her drink. I hand it over carefully so she doesn’t spill it on herself, and I can’t help but smile as she closes her eyes and takes a hesitant little sip.
When she doesn’t say anything else, I stand up and turn toward the door. “I’ll be outside helping Cam cook breakfast.”
She doesn’t reply, and I quickly retreat from the tent.
I’ve known Charli for almost twenty years, and the fact she’s crabby in the morning doesn’t come as a shock to me. She’s prone to snapping, is short-fused more so than any other time of day. But it’s no surprise to me and doesn’t bother me like it might others.
Like Richard.
Dick wasn’t a fan of Charli’s sass and often complained about her surliness in the mornings. Why he wouldn’t just grab her a coffee and either a muffin or cinnamon roll is beyond me. I’ve watched over the years as a little caffeine and sugar does wonders for the female Miller sibling.
Outside, I take a sip of my black coffee and turn my attention to my oldest friend. He’s watching me and scratching his head. “Uhh, thanks for taking care of Charli last night.”
I nod. “You could have at least brought her sleeping bag and duffel over,” I state, knowing before my words hit their mark that he’s gonna feel bad about that.
“Yeah,” he replies, running his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t realize it until I woke up. Sorry.”
I don’t point out the fact he was distracted when he went to his tent. No reason to. He knows he fucked up, and I’m not the type of friend to keep digging the knife deeper, but he needs to know his sister should be taken care of before his dick. “I had her back.”
It —along with her fine ass—was pressed against me all night long, but I should probably keep that tidbit to myself…
Wanting to change the subject before he realizes we only had one sleeping bag in my tent, I ask, “You ready to make breakfast?”
He pulls out the ingredients for big pans of scrambled eggs and hash browns, prepping the first cast-iron pan with oil for the potatoes. While those are starting to cook over the open fire, everyone starts to join us outside. Cade and Oaklee take the side by side up to the bar to use the bathroom and brush their teeth. Wyatt buys stock in those disposable toothbrushes to keep in the small bathroom in the barn. Everyone uses it and takes advantage of the amenities he keeps in there for mornings when we camp.
Finally, Charli appears looking positively beautiful in her grumpy state. “Morning, sister.”
“Fuck off,” she mutters, making me grin.
Just because I didn’t give him a hard time about last night doesn’t mean he’s off the hook where his sister is concerned.
“Sorry,” he says, giving her a charming grin.
“Don’t use that smile with me,” she demands, stomping over to her chair but not sitting. “Because of you, I had to sleep in my clothes last night without my sleeping bag, asshole.”
