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Zann held out a hand to Michael as he descended the stairs of the shuttle bus at the resort. “You got it, dude?”
“Oh, fuck off.” He slapped her hand away with a half-assed glare that was more embarrassment than genuine ire. “I’m fine.”
“The knees of your jeans say otherwise,” Zann retorted, shooting a pointed look at his bloodied, torn-up denim. He’d taken a rather spectacular tumble down the trail when the toe of his shoe had caught on a rogue rock sticking out of the dirt, and had been limping around ever since. Honestly, she’d thought that they were going to have to carry his ass the rest of the way down the trail, but his pride—and Jack’s laughter—propelled him to finish the trek under his own power. “Seriously, dude. Lemme help.”
“I’m good, Zee.” He grimaced as he hobbled off the last step and out of the way so everyone behind him could exit. “I just need to get to my room and soak in the tub for a while.”
“You okay, man?” Aspen asked as she bounded down the stairs after him, her steps nimble and sure despite the color in her cheeks that lingered from the various tasting flights they had all spent the last several hours sampling.
Michael sighed. “I’m fine. Just stiffened up sitting at the brewery.”
“Yeah, that tracks.” Aspen nodded. “You want me to find a golf cart to drive you up to your place?”
“Golf cart?” Kit echoed as she joined them. “Sign me up!”
“Just as long as Michael doesn’t drive it into a lake,” Eve teased, swatting Aspen’s ass as she ambled past.
“Oh my god,” Michael groaned. “You told her about that?”
Aspen smirked at Michael as she told Eve, “He won’t be driving, don’t worry.”
Zann snorted. That had been a particularly epic bit of fuckery. “And, besides,” she chimed in, unable to resist piling on, “I’m pretty sure there aren’t any lakes around here.”
“There’s a big fucking ocean, though,” Jack deadpanned.
“I hate you all,” Michael muttered as they all erupted in laughter.
They all quieted down a moment later, though, when Lydia stepped off the shuttle, hand held high as she yelled, “All right, y’all, listen up!”
“Whipped,” Jack coughed, and then groaned when Zann punched him in the arm without taking her eyes off Lydia. “Damn, Zee. That hurt.”
Zann smiled innocently at the fondly exasperated look Lydia shot them, and inclined her head in a way that said she was listening.
Lydia huffed a laugh and shook her head. “Before you guys run off,” she said, her gaze sliding over the group, “we just wanted to remind you to be back here in two hours so we can go to dinner. The cruise will be from six until nine—”
“Holy shit!” Kit exclaimed. She bent her arms in front of herself all akimbo and did a dorky, upper-body kind of rocking dance that made Zann think of the animatronic pirates at Disneyland for some reason and sang, “We’re going on a three-hour tour!”
Jack, catching on immediately, because of course he did, mimicked her lame-ass little dance and echoed, “A three-hour tour.”
It was perfectly ridiculous.
Lydia chuckled and jabbed a finger at Kit. “If you dress up as Gilligan, I will buy your drinks all night.”
“Oh no, Lyds, that was a mistake,” Zann muttered under her breath as Kit saluted and replied gleefully, “Oh my god! You’re on!”
They all laughed harder when Jack yelled, “Is that offer open to everyone?”, and then further lost their shit at the way Alder literally face-palmed when Lydia told him, “Only if you dress up as Ginger or Mary Ann.”
“Fuck me,” Alder groaned as Jack and Michael immediately pointed at each other in a silent discussion about who would dress up as who. “Please don’t encourage them!”
“Sorry,” Lydia apologized, though her laughter kind of negated the apology. She took a deep breath and smiled at Zann as she said, “Anyway, once we get back to the harbor, you can either take the shuttle back here or fuck off into town for the rest of the night and grab an Uber or something later. Tomorrow, we’re taking the party bus to some of the local vineyards, so whatever you choose to do tonight, set your alarms now so you’re prepared to be back here at ten thirty tomorrow morning to head out.”
“So organized,” Kit joked.
“She’s been hanging out with Alder too much,” Jack sniggered.
Zann smiled innocently when Lydia wagged a finger at them and asked, “Do I want to know?”
“Nope.” Zann winked at her as she threw another jab at Jack’s shoulder. “Is there anything else?”
