Page 92 of Last Fall

22

ERIK

Granting Rights toShirtlessness

After the game Friday night,Wes came down to the beach house with me. Carrie had an unexpected surgery in the morning so he decidedwhy not hitch a ridewithErik.

Luckily he really was happy for us now that we were together and he mostly left me alone to drive in peace while he stuffed his ugly face with food. I only had to shoot him a death stare when he asked how the sex was and he ignored me for the rest of thedrive.

I pretended I didn’t see how happy the girls were when Wes arrived and kept my focus on the only one who really mattered. Then in the morning we gave them all a show worthy of inspiring some newheroes.

“Can you give the potatoes a shake?” I asked. My hands were full with veggieomelets.

“Shaken,” Wes said, turning back to hispancakes.

Our audience watched. All seven of them lined up in chairs and barstools with mimosas in theirhands.

Oh, and Wes and I wereshirtless.

Possibly dangerous considering the stove, but the greasy stuff was in the oven so I was pretty sure we were safe. The girls thought it was fun and Zoe hadn’t stopped smiling since we put on our red ruffled aprons, so I didn’t really care if we were ridiculous orbrilliant.

“I like my bacon un-burnt,” Alexandra said while clearing herthroat.

Wes peeked into the oven. “Two more minutes and it will be perfect. I promise.” Then he winked and she grinned into her champagneflute.

“More champagne anyone?” Julia asked holding up thebottle.

Alexandra held out her now emptyglass.

“Who wanted the veggie omelet, minus the tomatoes?” I glanced downtheline.

Alexis raised her hand. I plated her omelet and slid it down the bar. “Order up!” Julia and Laura both held up phones. “Uh, what are you twodoing?”

“They’re Instagramming, buddy,” Wes said as he passed me with a plate of pancakes. “Right now you’re live on my feed.” Then he winked and waved towardJulia.

Son of bitch.I supposed it was inevitable. “Couldn’t you have at leastwarnedme?”

Wes patted my cheek. “Don’t worry, Princess. Your hair and makeup lookbeautiful.”

“And what are you doing?” I askedLaura.

“Documenting for posterity!” she grinned. “Taking pictures and videos and saving them to our group folder to be used as weeachwish.”

“Again,” I looked to Zoe for help, “don’t I get a say in this? Shouldn’t I have to sign something granting you rights to myshirtlessness?”

But my lady just laughed at me and I really liked the sound. “Erik. Do you consent to giving us video and photo rights to your sexy body and rough voice? This is on Wes’s Instagram for therecord.”

“Sexy body and rough voice? Well, how can I say no?” I looked at the girls holding the phones and said, “I give my fullconsent.”

We got a lot of giggling as we finished serving up our breakfast and Wes’s theatrics reached eye-rolling heights, but I had to admit it was fun. While the writers rushed off to get dressed for the signing, Wes and I cleaned thekitchen.

“Don’t you need to get pretty?” Iteasedhim.

He glanced at his reflection in the window and messed his hair. “Nope. All I need are jeans and a tight t-shirt.”

“Does Carrie get jealous?” They were two loud, passionate people. I wouldn’t be surprised if Carrie didn’t like lines of women drooling over herhusband.

Seven writers? Sure. Why not? They were Zoe’s friends and it was fun. But spending four hours on display wasdifferent.