“I am perfectly capable of walking!” Ellie says as she wobbles again.
Sadie tries to talk toward us as well but has to sit.
“Okay, the room is spinning, how much tequila did I drink?”
I raise an eyebrow, amused and slightly concerned at the same time. “I think I’m gonna need to carry both of you out of here,” I tease, but in all honesty, I’m already planning the safest route to get them both out of here while trying to avoid this furry bowling league.
I’m only mildly successful in my endeavor.
The drive to Ellie’s apartment feels like it takes forever with Sadie and Ellie giggling in the backseat, chattering about everything. The two of them insisted we stop by and see how Reggie was doing in his bowling match. Which resulted in my taking photos with several furry fans. Many of which have already ended up on Instagram if the girls giggles are any indication. Ty is going to have a field day with that. They were nice folks and I appreciate fans regardless of their after hours activities. But I really hadn’t planned on a meet and greet and you can definitely tell by what I’m wearing. I’m in my favorite gray sweat pants and a Lilo and Stitch t-shirt my niece and nephew picked out for me when theywent to Disney World.
It’s like herding cats as I guide them both into the elevator, one arm around each of them to keep them steady. I help both girls into Ellie’s apartment after fighting with her keys for two solid minutes, Sadie flops onto the couch. Muttering something about needing the room to stop spinning.
“Let’s get you both to bed, okay?” I say gently, I lead Ellie to her bedroom first, helping her peel off her jacket and shoes.
But instead of settling in, she shifts over, making room on the bed. “Sadie claims I’m a bed hog; I most certainly am not!”
“I don’t know… Sadie might need more room than normal tonight to spread out after all that tequila.” I slide the blanket up over her, making sure she’s comfortable. As I turn to leave, Ellie suddenly grabs my wrist.
“Will you help her get to bed? I would but I am really comfy.” She snuggles deeper into her covers to emphasize how comfortable she is.
I look at her and try to suppress my amusement, failing. I sigh, a smile tugging at my lips, “I’ll go get her.” I turn back to the couch, where Sadie’s already half asleep.
Smiling, I shake my head as I walk over to the couch and help Sadie make her way to bed. I help her slide under the blanket, tucking her in just as I did with Ellie. She mutters something incoherent about needing to “hug the cat” and then promptly falls into a deep, taco and tequila induced sleep.
With both of them tucked in, I stand there for a moment, my gaze lingering on Ellie’s peaceful face asSadie’s content snoring fills the silence. I shoot a quick text to Ty telling him I’ll need a rain check on tonight’s honor mode run and make my way over to Ellie’s sectional. It’s not the comfiest thing in the world but it will do. I want to be here in case either of them needs anything throughout the night. I have a feeling they will need a greasy breakfast when we go to pick up their cars in the morning. I grab a throw pillow and the blanket that Ellie keeps on her couch and drift off to sleep.
The next morning, I wake up to something warm
and fuzzy on my head. So this is Fish, the cat that Sadie so desperately wanted to snuggle last night. “Good morning to you too.” I mutter. I look around her apartment in the morning light. It’s airy yet cozy. Her apartment is decorated in creams, light pinks and pastel greens. Her one wall is lined with white bookshelves that house colorful books in an order I can’t seem to comprehend. I make a mental note to inspect them later to see what she likes to read. Her kitchen is standard for the apartment she lives in but she has decorated it to tie in with the living space. Sitting up and stretching, I catch Ellie groggily making her way into the kitchen.
She’s silent as she makes herself some coffee, not noticing that I am on her couch. I don’t want to startle her but I’m afraid the longer I sit here without her noticing the more awkward it will be. I clear my throat. “Good morning, sunshine. How are you feeling?”
Ellie groans. “I am never drinking again.”
“A bottle of wine followed up by several margaritas will have youfeeling that way.” I tease.
“Thank you for coming to the rescue last night. And putting up with everything that followed. Sadie and I don’t typically get that drunk.” She winces, no doubt remembering snippets of the night.
I can’t help but chuckle. “You two were quite the show. How’s your hangover?”
“Very hard to ignore if I’m being completely honest.” She busies herself with a second cup of coffee and I check my phone in comfortable silence. Elle pads her way over with the second one for me. “Cream and sugar right?” I smile at that even in her hungover state she remembers how I take my coffee.
“Thanks.” I reach for the coffee, taking a sip. “So how was your wine and paint?”
“Oh, it was fun, they’re both awful, we focused too much on the drinking and not enough on the painting. I spilled some of Sadie’s red wine on her painting. I personally think it elevates her painting. Takes away from the tittyness of the pumpkins.”
“Titty pumpkins?” I ask. “I need to see and maybe buy this painting. It sounds like something I should hang in my guestroom.” An amused smile making its way across my face.
“I know how much Sadie makes, she will gladly sell you that painting, but she’s going to upsell you. She’s a shark.”
My smile remains on my face as I try to envision this painting. We drink our coffee in comfortable silence as Elle tries to recover from the previous night. I take thistime to acquaint myself with her cat, Fish. He is desperately trying to drink my coffee every time I set it down, which makes me hold it close to my body.
???
After Elle showers and wakes an incredibly hungover Sadie up, I drive the girls to get very greasy breakfast sandwiches and take them to their cars. I have to see this titty pumpkin painting Elle said that Sadie created.
“Sadie,” I tease, “how much for that titty pumpkin painting?”
