“It wasnoteasy. You need to reassure Lunar, Danger. She thinks you’re gonna cheat on her with Ria.”
Did any of that make sense?
I blink a few times, finding it hard to register anything I’m actually saying.
Danger exhales and runs his hand through his hair. “Shit! Right. Okay. Thank you for telling me. That’s not going to happen, you know that, right?” I nod and sigh. “Nate, there’s no attraction between Zaria and me. Not that she isn’t stunning. It’s just, I’m one hundred percent committed to my fiancée forever. AndI wouldn’t do that to you. Even though we’ve had our differences, you’re still one of my best pals, Nate.”
“Thanks, man, that means a lot. But I’m good… drunk but good. Go tell this to Lunar. She needs to hear it more than me.”
He slaps my leg. “Sleep it off. I’ll bring up some water and something for the inevitable headache later.” Danger stands and goes to the door. Before leaving, he turns and exhales. “Thanks for taking care of her today.”
“Yeah, right, more like she took care of me.”
He half-smiles and nods, walks out the door, closing it behind him with a click.
I exhale and pull out my cell. There were missed calls from Matt and a text from Ria about an hour ago. I quickly open it tosee a clownfish, and I smile as my heart pounds in my chest. I reply with a dove and send it just to let her know I’m okay.
She doesn’t reply or try to call.
So I turn over and close my eyes with a slightly spinning head while drifting off to sleep.
***
My mouth is dry, my throat is sore, and my head is relentlessly pounding as I slowly wake up from a restless sleep. I open and close my mouth a few times, trying to lubricate it, but it’s to no avail. Opening my eyes, I’m stunned by my surroundings, then remember I’m in Ryan’s old room. Groaning slightly as I sit up, I look at the bedside table to see painkillers and a giant glass of water.
Quickly popping the pills, I throw them back and swallow the entire contents of the glass, instantly regretting it as my stomach churns from the intrusion. I rub my face and look at the time, seeing that it’s close to lunch.
I wonder how Lunar’s fairing today.
Sliding out of bed, I get up slowly and put on my shoes as best I can, then hobble downstairs. The smell of bacon assaults me, and my stomach flips as I enter the kitchen. Danger is at the stove, cooking, wearing a very feminine apron. I smirk as he turns to look at me, tongs in hand. “Morning.”
“Mm…” I murmur.
“Well, at least all you did was snore all night,” he says, explaining the sore throat. “Poor Lunar’s been barfing most of the night. She finally stopped at about five this morning when she passed out cold.”
“Shit! Is she okay?”
“Yeah, hungry as fuck apparently and hankering for bacon…” He chuckles. “You hungry?”
Shaking my head adamantly, my lips turn down in distaste. “No way! I don’t know how the hell she can eat today,” I sneer, and Danger smirks.
“You just need to puke, then you’ll feel better.”
Lunar comes bounding down the stairs, looking sprightly and radiant, like she isn’t hungover at all. I groan internally. “Morning, Nate…” She takes one look and continues, “You look terrible.”
“Thanks, you lookwaytoo good for how much we drank last night.”
“The key is to puke it all up, then the next day, you feel bonza.”
Smirking, I hold in my laugh. “Oh God, sometimes I forget how Australian you are.”
“You can take the chick out of Oz, but you can’t take the bogan out of the babe,” she quips, and Danger laughs.
“So, bacon’s ready,” Danger says.
“Great! Nate, you having some?”
“Just coffee. Lots. Of. Coffee!”
