Page 18 of Beck & Coll
“Okay. I’ll be ready when you get back because I am starving.”
It was cute the way she continued to pout. Her mouth was full. Both the upper and the bottom lip were equally juicy. They looked good as hell poked out.
“Stop pouting.”
“Whatever. I just hope you’re not planning to feed me any of the fish we caught. I know people do it all of the time, but I’m not ready to eat my catch. I’ve heard of farm to table, but I can’t eat any fish knowing it just came out of the water. That’s too damn fresh. I’mma need my fish to be at least three days old before I can eat them.”
I laughed heartily.
“I’m for real. I don’t want that fish for breakfast or brunch or whatever. I’m feeling like I want to be a vegetarian today. All I want is pancakes. Just pancakes.”
“You sure about that?” I was still laughing. “STGis known for having the best salmon croquettes in the state.”
She seemed to consider my words. “What type of fish did we catch? What type of fish got in my face? Was that a salmon?”
“That was a trout.”
“Okay then. Maybe Icanbe open to salmon croquettes.”
I didn’t holdback at breakfast—not on food… or drinks. After ordering a meal that consisted of salmon croquettes and home fries, I followed that up with a short stack of pancakes on the side. My drink of choice was a bellini flight, featuring four of the flavored cocktails. There was, of course, the standard peach bellini, there was the Rossini made with prosecco and strawberry puree, there was the Puccini, a combination of prosecco and mandarin orange puree, and the Tintoretto, which paired prosecco with pomegranate puree.
The conversation was lively, and the food was delicious. I was thankful to Beckham for suggesting the restaurant. After we ate, he signed for the check and walked me through the entrance of the restaurant back into the lodge’s lobby.
I turned to him. “Thanks, Beckham. The food was delicious.”
I found the room spinning just a tad. I knew it was from the drinks, but I knew that the feeling would pass quickly.
He eyed me suspiciously. “You okay?”
“It’s the liquor.”
“Yeah.” His head nodded in agreement. “For someone who claims to be in a beef with fish, you were definitely drinking like one.”
That made me bend over while roaring with laughter. “Shut up,” I told him. “I was traumatized. I needed something to take the edge off.”
“Seems like you needed four somethings to take the edge off.”
I waved him off with a toss of my right hand. “Whatever. Don’t you have somewhere to be? Aren’t there some clients that want you to take them up a mountain or something?”
“There are. You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. I have a light buzz. That’s all.”
“What’s on your agenda for the rest of the day?”
“I really want to go into town and see what Jackson Falls has to offer. Is there a company that offers tours?”
“There is. Stop over at the concierge desk, and Malena can set you up with something.” He checked his watch, then glanced down at me. “Be careful, Collins. Stay on your feet.”
I rolled my eyes at him playfully. “I will.”
“I’m serious. Stay focused.”
I nodded before repeating, “I will.”
He pulled me into a hug before I could react. I returned the gesture and couldn’t help noticing how good he smelled and how muscular his body was underneath the athletic gear he wore.
Malena, the concierge, was a twenty-something, multi-racial young lady with a big smile and a sweet personality. She also possessed a wealth of knowledge about not only the lodge but also Jackson Falls in general.
