Page 194 of While You Were Trending

My brother is a fucking cockblock.

What I thought was him waiting with me until Ginny arrived at the hotel room I grabbed for the night turned into an impromptu party, with him and Lou finding excuse after excuse not to leave.

And now it’s six a.m., and I’m waking up with Zander’s leg flung across mine, Ginny on his other side in a king-size bed.

I lift my head and find Ginny blinking her eyes open, Zander’s arm flung across her belly.

“Don’t scream,” I whisper to her. “We were attacked by drag queens, but we survived.”

That smile.

I would go to the ends of the universe to see that smile every day.

“Did we win?” she whispers back.

“Not according to my boner.”

Her eyes twinkle. “Is there a lock on the bathroom door?”

“No. It’s one of those fucking sliding barn door atrocities.”

She lifts a shoulder. “Then maybe it would serve them right to wake up to…noises.”

Zander snorts, then farts, then mutters, “Stop it with the feather parsnips, Marcus, you know I’m allegiant.”

Ginny claps a hand over her mouth, but her snort of laughter still carries through the room.

I shove Zander’s leg off of me and climb out of bed.

“Don’t step on me!” Lou shrieks from the floor.

He’s halfway across the room, far,farfrom my feet, and since he insisted on sleeping with the shades open, the morning sunlight is clearly illuminating him.

“I can see how that was a risk.” Ginny pulls herself to sitting.

She’s in my Minnesota T-shirt and loose shorts, and I’m irritated all over again that my brother and his best friend are here with us.

Morning Ginny in my T-shirt and very little else is my favorite.

“Quit being horny,” Zander moans into his pillow. “Your kind of horny is so gross.”

“You’re gross,” I mutter back, which sends Ginny into another peal of laughter.

“Coffee?” I say to her.

She beams at me in ways that suggest she could take over the sun’s job if she wanted. “Yes, please.”

I dig into my bag for her favorite morning blend and my travel tea kettle and pour-over gear.

“Stop making noise,” Zander moans.

Ginny pets his hair. “Poor Zander. Do you need coffee too?”

“I need coffee,” Lou says. “What are you doing? All you have to do is hit the button on that Keurig.”

“Absolutely not.” I grab the bottled water also in my duffel and pour it into the kettle. “They don’t clean those between guests.”

“Who cares?” Zander grumps.