‘I don’t know,’ Alice said, pulling at Briar’s shirt, managing to get it and her sports bra over her head in one fluid motion. ‘Is it working?’
Briar swallowed, mouth dry as Alice reached behind her back to unhook her bra. ‘Maybe.’
‘Well.’ Alice lowered herself back down so that there was no longer any space between them. She brought her mouth to Briar’s ear. ‘I’ll just have to keep testing out this theory, huh?’
‘Gonna catalog my reactions?’ Briar said with a breathless grin, grinding her hips in a way that made them both groan.
‘If this is your idea of dirty talk…’ Alice said with a laugh. Her cheeks were pink, her hair matted from Briar’s fingers, and she was the most beautiful thing Briar had ever seen.
‘Classify me like one of your mushrooms,’ Briar deadpanned, and they both devolved into giggles.
They met Freddie the next morning, packing up the car together. As it turned out, the annual camping trip hadn’t died with Susan, but had expanded to include more than just biological family. This year, Briar and her family were joined by Alice, Cook, Noah, Harper, Sierra and Freddie. Briar couldn’t think of a more perfect way to end the summer.
When they reached the familiar stretch of road that marked the trailhead, Briar was practically buzzing with excitement. She caught sight of identical blonde heads and practically leapt from the car before Alice had fully stopped.
She squeezed Hazel and Laurel tightly. ‘How was the flight?’
‘Good,’ Hazel said, struggling against Briar’s vice grip. ‘RJ and Dad should be here any minute.’
Briar caught sight of Sierra climbing out of the car she’d driven the twins in just as Freddie launched himself at her.
‘I’ve missed you,’ he cried. ‘Having no service has been terrible. Please tell me you have the recent Paul Mescal photos I requested.’
Sierra nodded, handing over her phone. ‘Have I ever let you down before?’
Freddie didn’t respond, furiously swiping. ‘Oh my god, where did he find even shorter shorts?’
‘How have you been?’ Briar asked Sierra. ‘How’s the vet’s office?’
Sierra shrugged. ‘I quit.’
‘Oh, why?’
‘I got into this art therapy master’s program,’ Sierra said. ‘I start in the fall.’
Briar turned to Freddie, who definitely should have mentioned this to her, but he missed her glare, still enraptured by Paul Mescal’s thighs.
‘I’m so happy for you,’ Alice said, patting Sierra’s shoulder.
‘I should be thanking you, actually. If you’ve taught me anything, it’s that higher education is a perfect way to avoid the real world,’ Sierra joked.
‘Can’t avoid it forever,’ Alice sing-songed back, opening the trunk of the car.
The final cars arrived together. RJ and Briar’s dad came in one car, Noah, Harper and Cook in the other.
Cook beamed at Briar and Alice, pulling them under either arm.
‘First summer under ye belt, hen,’ he said, shaking Alice by the shoulder. ‘How do ye feel?’
‘Accomplished, for once,’ Alice said, her cheeks were flushed in a way that Briar found adorable.
‘She really pulled it off,’ Briar said.
‘Couldn’t have done it without a lot of help,’ Alice murmured, glancing around the group. ‘You guys have supported me through a ton this past year. I’m so happy you could make it.’
‘Alright, alright, save the speech,’ Noah cut in, grinning. ‘We’re losing daylight.’
And they began down the trail.
