The Royal Heir - The Valtoria Diaries 2

Your least complicated cuddle option

The camping trip which had seemed like a tolerable idea at the time soon began to seem like a very bad idea when Drake ended up having to erect two tents, due to Jones being incapable on pregnancy grounds, and Maxwell simply being incapable. It was a good job that he had brought plenty of whisky along with him. He'd also found that, despite their unspoken agreement that this was absolutely not a birthday celebration, he'd been presented with several gifts of whisky. Still, he didn't reject them. He had a feeling he'd need all the whisky to get through the next twelve hours or so.

"Better make sure it's sturdy," Maxwell was saying. "We tend to get pretty into it."

"Yep, hammer that peg in nice and firm," Jones said.

"You talking to Drake, or me?"

Jones just sniggered, and Drake exhaled wearily. The things he did for these people.

Once that was all done, he wandered back to base camp where Rick and Hana had satisfactorily completed the construction of their own tents. Hana glared at him pointedly as he inspected her handiwork, the message he got here was I don't need you to put up a tent for me, Drake Walker. And that was fair enough. Perhaps tonight wasn't going to be such a great opportunity to test the water with Hana after all.

"So, Drake, what's next on the agenda?" Rick asked, settling himself down on a fold-up chair.

"Start drinking whisky, I guess?" Drake suggested.

"There's certainly enough of it," Hana agreed, looking down at his collection of bottles.

Drake wasn't so sure about that, as Maxwell ran over with his guitar.

"Seriously, Maxwell?"

"Aw, c'mon Drake, we had fun singing songs round the campfire at the BBBB..."

"Fun? My ears did not have fun."

"Let his first few whiskies sink in," Rick suggested, as Jones caught up to join the group. "He might be more amenable to a musical interlude then."

"I suppose the next thing to do would be to get the campfire going," Hana pondered.

Maxwell gasped and flung his guitar in Jones's direction, whose reflexes were pretty impressive considering the abruptness of his throw. "Firewood! Drake, we need to go collect some firewood! You, me, now!"

"Why does it have to be you and me?" Drake was suspicious now, especially when Jones glared at him. Fine, it was going to be easier to go with this than fight against it. "Come on then."

"This is so exciting," Maxwell said, grooving on the spot. "I get to introduce you to all my favourite trees!" He slunk over to Jones and gave her a quick kiss. "Look after our little bean while I'm gone!" Before she could respond (she was still holding the guitar) he dashed back over to Drake and began to usher him away.

"Right, what the hell is all this about?" Drake said suspiciously, once they were some distance away.

"I told you! An opportunity for us to bond, get some firewood, and for you to meet some of my favourite trees!" He tapped a tree. "This one is Jed Wood. Bit of a fan of Eurovision, he is."

"How the hell can.." Drake sighed. "Actually, I don't want to know." He picked up a few bits of wood from the floor amongst the trees. Best to get this ordeal over with as soon as possible.