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I leave her to it, and detour to grab some breakfast. The buffet looks amazing, and I load up a plate with waffles and sausage and hash browns--
“Since when do you carb load in the mornings?” Reeve elbows into line beside me. “You always said you can’t stomach anything but coffee before ten.”
What can I say? Multiple orgasms really give a girl an appetite, but I’m not about to mention that to my little brother.
“I’ve been up for hours,” I say instead, adding a bowl of fruit, and taking the spread over to a table with a stunning view of the bay. Yesterday’s rainstorm has cleared off completely, leaving nothing but blue skies, bright sunshine, and a perfect tropical day.
Reeve joins me, bringing two cups of coffee, and a mountain of his own food. “This wedding is crazy,” he says, shaking his head. “It’s like a pressure cooker, throwing all these rich people together for this long, with this much alcohol. But it’s great material,” he adds with a grin, and I laugh.
“I forget, to you writers, all our stress is just entertainment.”
“You don’t seem stressed,” he points out with a smirk. “I’m guessing the best man has something to do with that…”
I focus on inhaling my food. “No comment,” I manage.
Reeve grins. “So, what happens next week?”
“What do you mean?” I ask, taking a sip of freshly-squeezed juice.
“With Josh, when you’re back home, after the wedding.” Reeve reaches over and steals a waffle. “Are you going to keep seeing him?”
“I… don’t know, we haven’t talked about it.” I reply slowly.
“No?” My brother quirks an eyebrow. “New York is far, sure, but you’ll be in North Carolina for the movie soon, and that’s a closer commute. And you get married and move to the West Coast so you don’t have to be long-distance?—”
“Woah!” I stop him, feeling a shot of panic. “Who’s talking moving and marriage?” I chug the rest of my juice. “We haven’t talked about any of it – because there’s nothing to talk about yet!”
Reeve studies me for a moment. “Oh, OK. I get it. I just thought Josh was different to the rest of them.”
“The rest of who?”
“The men you have a few good dates with, then come up with some reason why it would never work.” Reeve gives a casual shrug. “I mean, sure, they were all idiots, but I figured you’d get it together when you found the right one. Apparently not.” He munches a piece of bacon.
I frown. “I don’t invent reasons,” I argue. “And who says Josh is the right guy, anyway?—"
“Mom!”
We’re distracted by five and a half feet of gangly energy, barreling across the room and smothering me with a hug. “Lottie!” I hug her back fiercely, glad to see her – and for the interruption. “When did you get here? You weren’t due for hours.”
“We took off early,” she beams. “Because you can do that, with a private jet. Just take off, any time you like.” Lottie holds me at arm’s length and looks me over. “Did you do something new with your hair? You look different.”
“Nothing new!” I say quickly.Nothing except three nights of wild sex.“But look at you! I missed you, kid.”
Lottie rolls her eyes. “I was gone, like, two weeks, mom.”
“A lot can happen in two weeks,” I say, and Reeve shoots me an amused look.
“Yes, it can,” he agrees. “Now, come here.” He gives Lottie a bearhug, then pretends to check her over. “No tattoos, piercings?” Reeve asks. “Those wild rebels at space camp didn’t talk you into a life of crime and bathtub hooch?”
“Hooch?” Lottie laughs, as Ivy comes over to join us.
“He’s deep in research for the next movie,” she explains, greeting Lottie. “It’s all gangsters and bootleggers and stolen gold.”
“So where’s Avery?” Lottie asks, glancing around. “I’ve been following the whole thing on socials. I can’t believe you got Cash Hendricks to come sing for them!”
I clear my throat. “Uh, Cash had to leave early, voice rest.”
“But tell us about camp!” Ivy jumps in, to my relief. The less said about Cash, the better. “I want to hear everything.”
