‘That a euphemism?’ Bailey asked as I cackled. Lottie was blushing fully.
‘Oh, fuck off,’ she replied, grinning. ‘I mean, that wasofficiallywhen it happened, when I found out who he actually was.’
‘Sooo, what happened here, then?’ I asked, following her gaze over to the door that led out to the corridor, the bathrooms beyond that. ‘Hang on – wait – oh God, Lottie! You horny motherfucker – did you guys get busy in the bathrooms?’
It was Bailey’s turn to laugh, almost dropping the box of catalogues.
‘No, not quite,’ Lottie said, unable to help herself giggling again as Bailey’s eyes lit up, waiting for her response. ‘Almost. It was in the corridor – we didn’t make it to the bathrooms.’
‘That’s my girl,’ I laughed, shaking my head at her. ‘That’s one way to deal with jet lag.’
‘Want some of this?’ Lil said as she sidled over, carrying a small tower of glasses and a massive jug filled with something iced and bright orange. ‘It’s some kinda cocktail – enough alcohol in there to get all of us ready for this whole thing, I think.’ She looked up, noticing the amusement all round. ‘Hold up, what did I miss?’
‘Oh, only that Lottie defiled the corridor out there with Cole on her first night in Jackson,’ I chuckled, enjoying Lottie’s resignation, knowing there was no way out of the merciless teasing now.
‘Ahh, that where it happened, huh?’ Lil replied, raising an eyebrow as she poured from the jug into the glasses, passing them round.
‘You knew?’ Bailey questioned, looking between Lil and Lottie as they shared a look.
‘Oh, I knew, honey,’ Lil confirmed, knocking her glass back and pouring another. ‘There’s not much that happens in this town without me hearing about it. I knew right then that either my cousin was staying, or my ranch manager was leaving.’
I knocked back my own glass, taken aback.
‘Jesus,’ I rasped, ‘the fuck is this?’
‘The ticket to survival,’ she answered, refilling it. ‘Now, I’ve heard about you and Jesse,’ she said, the faintest hint of a smile on her lips. ‘And from what I hear, you guys make Lottie and Cole sound like Joseph and the blessed Virgin Mary.’
It was Lottie’s turn to laugh, half choking on her own drink.
I shrugged, grinning.
‘Y’all okay here, ladies? It’s getting mighty rowdy this early,’ Cole interrupted, sidling round to Lottie and enveloping her with his vast frame.
Bailey snorted.
‘I’m just doing my job,’ she said, holding up a catalogue and carrying on round the tables.
‘I was just getting the lowdown on Hestia’s adventures,’ Lil chuckled. ‘Sounds like I missed a hell of a summer.’
Cole caught my eye for a moment, a glint in his eye.
‘I tried to keep them busy,’ he replied, ‘but you know Jesse. When he’s decided on something, there ain’t a damn thing anyone can do to change his mind.’
Lil nodded, smiling as she looked back to me. ‘And he has no idea about this, right? All a total surprise?’
I nodded, thinking back to the range of calls we’d had on the phone this week: from short and sweet when his meds had kicked in, to the one call that would be branded in my head for ever. The surgery had gone well – even if he was pissed at the thought of a huge hospital bill, he was still somewhat consoled at likely having enough to help his mum. But, frustratingly, he wouldn’t tell me what the other plans were, and no amount of trying to pry it out of the others was working either.
‘Clara’s bringing him home tomorrow,’ I said, not quite able to hide my smile.
‘You know how he’s gonna have to be real careful with that arm for a while,’ Cole added, tilting his head as he looked down towards Lottie.
‘Don’t worry, it’s not his arm I’ve been missing,’ I replied, taking another drink and watching Lil and Lottie dissolve.
Cole laughed with them and shook his head.
‘Cocktails, huh? You building up the courage, Lil?’
She grimaced between laughs.
