Wild and Free (The Wilder Brothers)

“I’ve only been in bed for three hours.”

“No, you’ve been in bed for three hours plus another twenty-one.”

“What?” I asked.

“It’s Saturday, Jess. You slept through Friday.”

I threw the covers off my head and forced myself up from my bed. I grabbed my cell phone and unlocked it, and my eyes widened when I saw the date and time. Bianca was right. I’d gone back to bed Friday morning and slept through the entire day.

“Shit,” I said.

“Come on. I’ve got coffee, cinnamon rolls, and Netflix.”

“That sounds heavenly. Do you hate me still?”

“You’re assuming I hated you before. No, you melodramatic drama queen. I don’t hate you. Now, get your ass out of bed and get out here. Two plates of cinnamon rolls aren’t going to eat themselves.”

“Two plates?”

“I bought two rolls of them at a discount price in the gas station up the road. If they don’t make us sick, it’ll make for a nice brunch.”

“Hmmmm, past-date cinnamon rolls. My favorite,” I said.

“Hey, once I make it big with my writing, we’re blowing this popsicle stand.”

“How is that going, by the way?” I asked as I slid out of bed.

“It’s not, right now. But hopefully the tavern won’t run all of us ragged to the bone and I can spare some time to my books again.”

“You could go write instead of watching Netflix with me.”

“And lose my place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? I’d rather jump off a cliff.”

“You get too attached to characters.”

“It’s the writer in me,” she said, smiling.

“Let me get myself cleaned up a little bit, then I’ll be out there to help you drink coffee and eat cinnamon rolls.”

“Well, don’t take too long. If you take any longer than thirty minutes, I can’t guarantee any will be left for you,” she said.

“Yeah, and then I’ll have to take you to the hospital for gorging yourself until you get sick.”

“Maybe it’ll be the hospital that man was taken to.” She winked at me.

“Bianca.”

“Jessica.”

“Enough with the man,” I said. “I’ll go back to sleep. I’ll do it.”

“Only you would threaten me with going back to sleep.”

“Because it only works on you since you’re so dependent on my company.”

“Sorry for loving you.”

“Apology accepted,” I said, grinning.