Page 88 of Heartbeats & Highways

I attempted to roll over,but I encountered fur in my nose. I cracked my eyes open and saw a dog nestled up against me. I’d been spooning Cuddle Bug.

The clock on the microwave read five-thirty. My groggy brain finally put the pieces together; I’d fallen asleep last night on Jazz and Brielle’s couch.

I wondered what had woken me up, but then I heard it: the sound of the shower.

After gently nudging Cuddle Bug off the couch, I was able to sit up. They’d left the stove light on which gave me just enough illumination to see the coffee table and not bash my knee.

There was a snick of a key sliding into the lock and then the door opened. Jazz was carrying her shoes and trying to be stealthy, but Cuddle Bug went to investigate which only startled Jazz. She knocked into the entryway table and let out a low curse.

“I’m awake,” I announced.

“Oh, thank God,” Jazz said. She quickly closed the door and set her shoes down.

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep on your couch. You should’ve woken me.”

“Don’t worry about it. You looked far too peaceful to wake up. I sent Savage a text to let him know you were crashing with us.”

“Oh. Thanks for that,” I said. “Uh, not to be dramatic, but I’ve got about five minutes before my body realizes it’s awake and decides to upchuck.”

“There’s a second bathroom.” Jazz pointed to a door I hadn’t noticed before. “Do what you need.”

“Thanks. So you were with Homer?”

“I was,” she admitted. “He came up here after you fell asleep. And I let him convince me to spend the night with him. The man does not know how to share a bed, though. I didn’t get any sleep.”

“Uh-huh,” I drawled.

She giggled. “Seriously. Anyway, I’m gonna feed the dogs, then take them out for a bathroom break. Then I’m napping for a few hours before I have to be at the bakery.”

My stomach swirled and I jumped up off the couch. “Oh no.”

Jazz stepped out of the way as I barreled past her to the second bathroom. A few minutes later, I was back on the couch.

I heard a door open and a moment later Brielle strode out in a robe, a towel wrapped around her head. “Thought I heard you guys moving around,” Brielle said. “You mind if I hit the light and get the coffee going?”

“Have at it,” I said. “And what you really heard was me throwing up.”

The kitchen light came on. “I did hear that, yes.” Brielle smiled. “But I was trying to be nice first thing in the morning. Jazz came back?”

“Yep. She took the dogs out.” I cocked my head to the side. “You’re up early.”

“I gotta get to work and decorate a hundred cupcakes.” She grimaced. “I can drop you off at home if you want.”

“That would be great, thanks.”

“Can I get you anything? Toast? Orange juice?”

“Both of those, actually.” I laughed. “So, when exactly did I conk out? I don’t even remember falling asleep.”

“Jazz was in the middle of picking her wedding colors. I would’ve passed out too, but sheismy best friend. And I’m going to be maid of honor.”

“She’s talking about a wedding already? I thought she was making Homer work for it.”

“She is,” Brielle said. “But she’s also Jazz, and she’s wanted him for years. So the moment she believes he’s truly committed, she’s gonna want a wedding.”

“Wild.”

Brielle shrugged. “My parents will be overjoyed. They’ve started demanding grandbabies. Roman gets it the worst because he’s the oldest. But when Homer and Jazz tie the knot, the focus will be off the rest of us. Which is why I say the sooner the better.”

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