Page 82 of The Triple Threat

He rolled his eyes and flung a towel over his shoulder as he turned to pick up the plates.

“Hungover would you believe.”

“What?” I asked, picking up my fork and knife as Pop put the plates down. “How come?”

“Damn Henry gave them a bottle of that peach wine he makes. They drank it last night and now can’t get their heads off their pillows this morning.” His face broke into a grin and he joined me at the table. “Can’t say as I mind though. They’re too old to be getting up before dawn every day just to make us breakfast.”

I bit into a piece of bacon and the snap resounded around the room. “Not sure I agree, Pop,” I replied. “Because got to say, your bacon is way below their standard.”

* * *

Still early but having already done three hours work, it was time for coffee. So, when I walked into the house to get the jug on and found my aunts on the sofa watching a film I was a little surprised.

“You’re up,” I said laughing at their pale faces.

“Barely honey,” Auntie L replied. “I know I’m never drinking again.”

“Henry’s never made it that strong before.” Auntie J rubbed at her temples and groaned. “Is it coffee time already?

“Yep, sure is,” I replied. “Pop’s just penning a cow who’s almost ready to give birth.”

“You want me to make it honey?” Auntie L moved to get up from the sofa, but I laid a hand on her shoulder.

“No, you stay and watch your film. What you watching anyway?” I asked as I pulled my jacket off, having already left my boots on the porch.

Auntie J looked up and shrugged. “I have no idea, honey. My painkillers kicked in after twenty minutes and I fell asleep.”

“I think it’s called the Christmas Elf or something like that,” Auntie L offered.

“Oh, you mean, Elf.” I grinned. “Great movie. I remember going to the movies with Carter to see it. If I recall Ellie screamed blue murder because we wouldn’t take her with us.”

“But you did, didn’t you?” Auntie L said softly, a small smile wrinkling up her pale blue eyes.

“You remember that?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No, honey, but I know you, and I know you would have taken her.”

“You’re a good boy, Hunter,” Auntie J added. “Especially where Ellie is concerned.”

I frowned. “You think?”

“Of course,” she replied. “You’ve always looked out for her.”

“It’ll be that sweet spot she holds in his heart,” Auntie L said. “Although from what we heard in the Stars & Stripes that night, the sweet spot she’s got might just be somewhere else.”

“What?” I swung around to see a huge grin on her face. “You said… that wasn’t… what?”

“You heard me, just like we heard you that night. Sounds like you inherited your daddy’s ability with the ladies, Hunter.”

“Auntie L! You… you can’t say stuff like that.”

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders before turning back to the TV and Buddy the Elf.

“Oh sweetheart,” Auntie J sighed, moving her attention to me. “When will you realize you and that girl are destined for each other. You’ve been sweet on her for years, even if you didn’t know it until now.”

I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I never said I was sweet on her now.”

“Didn’t have to,” my aunt said, looking up at me and grabbing my hand. “It’s in your eyes. Well, that and the fact you did unspeakable things to her on singles night.”