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“Try them all and see which you like best.”
Before I know it, my milkshake is whisked away from me, and Rebel takes a massive drink from it - using my straw! I protest loudly - that’s way too intimate - but he ignores me and passes my milkshake to Jax. Thankfully he takes a drink from the glass but passes it on to Ace. It’s almost gone already, and Thorn finishes it off. “Hey!” I pout.
“That was a seriously good milkshake!” Thorn smiles, smacking his lips.
The rest of the milkshakes get passed around in the same way, and I make a point of trying the other four: there’s caramel, mint choc chip (which I love), dark chocolate, and a weird peanut butter and jelly combo that Rebel loves. Of course, the SoCal guy would love a Pb&J milkshake. Everyone else admits the milkshakes are amazing but that they too like the white chocolate best, so we order up another round of those for everyone as Carey brings the food out.
Two enormous platters of breakfast are placed on the table and the guys’ jaw’s drop. I smile smugly at them as Carey returns with the pancakes and a boy I don’t recognise follows her out with a tray full of pancake toppings. By the time they’ve placed everything on the table, there’s not an inch of spare space. I smile and tell the guys to dig in, already heaping my plate with bacon, sausage, eggs and hash browns. The guys follow and soon we’re all tucking in to fully laden dishes, and groaning about how good the food is.
The guys make short work of the breakfast platters, and I almost worry that they’re going to still be hungry when we’re done, but then I remember that the pancakes are always overkill. I load a fresh plate up with my three and peruse the toppings. Unlike with my milkshake choice, I always experiment with different pancake toppings. On one I pile fresh strawberries and cream, on another I heap blueberries and maple syrup, and on the last, I layer chocolate spread and sliced peaches. Not the most exciting combinations in the world, but it’s what I’m feeling today. Rebel leans over and helps himself to some of my chocolate peach pancake, declaring that he likes it. I’m a bit miffed with all the food and drink stealing. I have an urge to scream, “Raven doesn’t share food!” like Joey from Friends, but I’m not sure these guys will appreciate the reference. Instead, I smack Rebel on the back of the hand with my spoon when he tried to come in for seconds.
Pretty soon the guys are all groaning that they’re full, yet they just about manage to scrape their plates clean. Rebel looks like he might be sick. “I guess I’m winning the bet then,” I smile. He gives me a sly look before shaking his head and calling Carey over. I quickly ask her for the bill, but Rebel interrupts me.
“Can I get another stack of 15 pancakes, please? With a selection of toppings?” My jaw just about hits the table, and so does Carey’s. There’s no way we can manage another three pancakes each! “To go,” he adds.
That sly fucker!
“No fair! That doesn’t count!”
“You only bet that I wouldn’t order more pancakes. You didn’t say anything about eating them.”
“Don’t waste food. That’s barbaric,” I scold. I can’t stand the thought of Aunt J making those pancakes, especially just for them to be thrown away uneaten for the sake of a bet. It makes me feel sick, and not just because I’ve overeaten.
“I’m not. They were so good, I’m getting them to go. I’ll have them later. You didn’t say I had to eat the extras now.” His grin reaches epic shit-eating proportions, and I want to thump him. So I do. I thump him in the arm, not caring how he reacts. He’s so frustrating. But I’m also a little excited that he won and we get to go out. How sad is that?
I’m reaching for my purse when a sharp voice calls from the kitchen, “My goddaughter better not be trying to pay for her goddamn breakfast! I can buy her a meal if she stops by once in a bloody while.” I’m appropriately chastised when she appears at the door to the kitchen literally wagging her finger at me like I’m a naughty dog. “Tip the children. They get shit pay.” This is something of a joke: she pays the casual weekend and holiday staff, or ‘children’ as she calls them, exceptionally well. Even though many are under eighteen, she pays above minimum wage. But I’m more than happy to tip. I go to open my purse when a hand reaches out from across the table and stops me.
“We got this.” I look up into Jax’s gorgeous espresso eyes and see his sincerity. I can tell from the set of his jaw that there’s to be no arguing, so I nod and put my purse back into my bag. The guys all pull out their wallets and drop a wad of bills on the table. I don’t count it, but I can tell that each one of them has more than paid for our meal several times over. Whoa.
“I didn’t bring you here to buy me brunch. I just wanted to share one of my favourite places with you all. But thank you. The tip will be much appreciated.”
We stand up to leave, and as the guys head out to the car, I dip into the kitchen to say a quick goodbye to Aunty Josie. I want to thank her for the meal and to promise to come back soon. I quickly join the guys at the Jeep, climbing into the front once again, and we’re speeding back towards the school before I know it. I’ve had such a good time with them all that I don’t really want it to end, but I am pretty tired. I’m a little sad when we pull up in front of the main entrance and I have to get out.
“I had a really great time today. With all of you. Thank you,” I say sincerely. I reluctantly undo my seatbelt and go towards the door handle when Thorn stops me.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” he asks.
“Just a run in the morning. Why?”
“You run?” Ace asks from the back seat, his gentle foreign voice lifting with interest.
“Yeah. I was going to check out some of the trails through the woods in the morning.”
“I’ll join you. Six am.”
“Er-” I want to protest, but I have no idea how. The way Ace speaks is so matter of fact I’m not sure that I can tell him no. I’m excited to spend some time with him, I noticed he was pretty quiet today, but I don’t know if that’s because he’s shy or if it’s a language barrier thing. I’m just not excited about another early start! It’s supposed to be the bloody holidays. I groan, but reluctantly agree to meet him at six tomorrow morning.
“After, come hang out with us. We’ll cook you breakfast, and you can spend the day.” Jax’s proposal sounds much better than spending the day alone, so I quickly agree, and his whole face brightens. He looks amazing when he smiles.
I say a quick goodbye and climb out of the car. Just as I’m heading up the stairs towards the main entrance, I hear the windows on the Jeep go down. I turn to see Rebel leaning over a very unhappy looking Jax, half hanging out the window. “We can arrange our date then!” he crows. I flip him off, and he howls with laughter. There’s no need to show him how much I like him.
“Raven?” Thorn calls out. “I know you lost the bet, but maybe we can arrange our second date tomorrow too?” I smile and blow him a kiss as I run up the stairs and head to my room.
What have I gotten myself into now?
Lizzie’s Letter
Hey Sis,
