“Morning,” she replies with sleep still in her eyes.
“How’d you sleep?” I think I know the answer but still want to hear it from her.
“Great. You and Slate are good sleeping buddies.”
“How are you feeling?” I flip the last of the pancakes. “Do you need anything for your coffee?”
“I’m a tad hungover. Black coffee is great… would be better if I could get it in an IV.” She takes a sip. “Wait, are you making breakfast?”
“Yes. Thought it’d be better than going back to the lodge or having to leave. It’s no big deal.” I’m aware of how gag-worthy it sounds like I don’t want to be without her. But the truth is, I don’t.
Her eyes stop on me before she sputters out, “Do you always cook likethis?”
She’s staring at my bare chest. I haven’t put a shirt on this morning. She makes me blush, but I don’t want her to see so I turn and pretend to focus intently on the last pancake in the pan.
Her eyes are viciously green and peek over her mug of coffee. “I don’t know the last time someone cooked me breakfast.”
This bothers me. I hate how people haven’t done the bare minimum for her.
“Is that bacon?” she asks and I nod. “Ughhhh, you’re the best. Thank you.”
I make our plates and by the time I sit down, Slate is already begging for Ivy to feed him food. He’s shameless and knows she’s an easy target. Ivy takes one look at him and laughs.
“What’s your plan today?” She pours syrup all over her pancakes. “Do you have to work?”
“No real plan. And I just have a few things to get done at the lodge. It’ll maybe take an hour or so. You?”
“How can you not have a plan? You run a whole business.” Her voice is playful but curious.
“Things tend to work out.”
Ivy doesn’t say anything while she stares at me over her coffee.
“I mean... I have a plan some days… just not today.” I take a sip of my own coffee. “Don’t you worry about it.
We sit, eating our breakfast, like we’ve done it a thousand times.
“After breakfast, we could take a walk. Movement is good for a hangover.”
Ivy groans and rolls her eyes.
“We’ll bring Slate,” I say, and I know I’ve said the magic words.
“Fine. I’m in,” she replies.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
THE WALK HELPED with the hangover but it’s clear I still need a nap. And a gallon of water. And maybe some fries.
Holland brought me back to the lodge after we walked Slate. We didn’t hold hands, he didn’t kiss me goodbye, but the air between us was different.
I couldn’t stop thinking of how he looked at me in the shower, his hands on my face, right before he kissed me. And then the actual kiss. He was intense. Sweet. Surprising.
Hell, I surprised myself.
In my room, the site of my laptop interrupts thoughts of Holland and me.
The intentional step away from my work inbox was challenging and made me feel a little uncomfortable. Me telling Jack I wouldn’t work my entire time here was probably more detrimental to me than him.
