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The next morning I don't wake up until after eleven a.m. and my brain is still floating high as I make my way downstairs. The mess on the main floor doesn't help either and I cringe as I step into the living room to see the massive amount of snacks, and garbage on the coffee table. The sight makes my stomach queasy and I head into the kitchen, smelling a delicious scent of coffee.
I pour a cup of it, wondering who made such a perfect batch. There's even a carton of cream in the fridge and some other food that wasn't there last night. I steal a little bit of the half-and-half and I'm stirring it in when the door slides open, and Rosie waltzes in. Miranda trails behind along with Steven. They smell like the ocean, salty and fresh as they shake the wetness from their hair.
I begin by teasing the couple, "Damn Steve, I was sure Miranda would have you locked up until the wedding..."
"If only I had my way." Miranda muses and reaches up to touch Steven's sun-kissed face. It's a tender moment that makes me pine for Belly in the slightest way. I don't remember the last time a girl touched me like that. So soft, so vulnerable and so full of love.
Sure, I let girls touch me all the time but for one thing and one thing only. Sex. It's been one-night stands for the last year. The last girl I slept with was right when she called me 'heartless'.
But even as a heartless, stone-cold badass like myself needs love. I wonder when it'll be my turn to receive something so pure and joyful. Steven and Miranda continue with the public display of affection. Rosie gags playfully in response to it.
"Get a room!" She rolls those big, bright emerald-colored eyes of hers and begins to head towards me. Rosie asks, "Any more coffee Jere?"
I nod and grab her a mug since I'm nearest to the cupboard. After I hand it over to her, I comment on the java, "It's really good coffee today. My compliments to the chef."
"Oh, that was me!!!" Miranda sings out suddenly joining the rest of us in the real world. Steven excuses himself for a cold shower and hurries out of the kitchen.
Rosie sits at the kitchen table and interjects, "You made the coffee but I'm the one who brought it from Australia and you know this stupid pound of coffee is the reason why I'm stuck wearing fuzzy slippers for the summer."
"Oh boo-hoo, I'm sure there's a store in town you can get some shoes from. Right, Jere?" Miranda replies and begins pulling out a carton of eggs, a slab of bacon, and a can of premade biscuits from the fridge.
I nod, "Yeah there's a couple of places. Or you can take a drive to the city."
"See! A drive to the city will be so fun for you. Maybe you can meet up with whatshisname." Miranda already knows where all the cooking ware is and is setting up a frying station with one large pan. She places the bacon in first to get it cooking and in minutes, the kitchen is filled with the delicious salty scent of fatty grease frying.
Miranda hands me the tube of biscuits. "You're on baking duty. I trust you not to fuck it up, Jeremiah."
I take on the responsibility like I'm a soldier going to war. It feels to be helping as Miranda and Rosie chat up a storm, catching each other up with various things. I remain mostly silent and answer when they ask me directly otherwise I spend the time diligently working on my premade biscuits.
In the end, they come out perfect and I'm very happy with them. So is everyone else and they give me compliments as the four of us dig into lunch. It makes me feel incredibly good and I write this all down in the journal later that night. I finish off my entry with, 'this summer is going to be great. I'm glad I came to Cousins Beach.'
