Page 120 of Capri

What time is it and why the fuck is Collie so close?

“Long night?” she asks, only encouraging me to throw a pillow at her face.

I reach for my phone to check the time and let out a slow whine as the brightness from the sun burns my eyes. “What time is it?”

It takes my eyes a moment to adjust, but not before Collie answers me, “It’s 10:00 a.m.”

“It’s ten?” I screech, launching myself from the bed.

I can’t remember the last time I slept this late. All the late-night fucking has been wearing me out. I’m tired all the time. Christening every square inch of Jones’ rental, my apartment, our cars. We’ve been incorrigible.

Worth it.

“Okay, now you’re smiling. That’s weird.”

Suddenly, waking up sore and tired ain’t so bad. “Sorry, thought of something good,” I tell her, my smile widening even more.

“What could be so good you wake up with a smile like that? I’m the fun one, and even I don’t smile that big in the mornings.”

She has no idea the fun things I’ve been up to.

“Well, for starters, all the things Jones can do with his di?—”

“Ah!” Collie yelps. “I take it back! I don’t want to know.”

Letting my chuckle resound loudly, I get up and make my way to the kitchen to make a kettle of tea. At this rate, an IV might be my best bet for energy.

Collie follows me, walking to my record player and turning on some music.

“So, what brings you here on this beautiful Sunday morning?”

She looks at me like I have something nasty on my face. “Are you on drugs?”

I blurt out a laugh. “What the hell, Collie? No, I’m not on drugs!”

She’s not convinced. “You eat pot brownies and didn’t know it?”

“No pot brownies have been eaten.”

“Get gangbanged by a group of firefighters?”

I laugh and she keeps on rambling. “Get pregnant with Henry Cavill’s baby?”

“You are insane?” I can’t control my laughter. “Those all sound like thingsyouwould wake up smiling for.”

Her brows rise. “They’re reasonable fantasies. And I gotta say, pretty sad they aren’t your reasons.” She sends me a cheeky smile, full of hesitation. “Tell me about what’s going on with you and Jones. And spare the details, please. It’s too early.”

“There’s not much to say, Cols. All I know is that I love him and I need to tell him. I just haven’t found the right time.”

“Called it,” she hollers, her voice echoing throughout my small apartment. “Seems he loves you too after that stunt at Mariah’s wedding last weekend.”

“God, Cols. You should have seen him. It was hot as hell.”

I pour myself a cup of tea, handing one to Collie and taking a seat on the couch.

“Oh, I heard. I think everyone did. Once you guys left, Drew rounded the corner and everyone had questions. I can’t believe Jones hit him.”

My eyes look anywhere but at her before I say, “He didn’t. I did.”

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