Right Back On

Thirty-Three

By the time Wyatt and I got back to the hotel after eating breakfast, it was nearing nine o'clock. It always amazed me, how fast time flew when we were together; especially when we went out to eat. I'd officially been up for three hours and wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep.

"Aw, you're so cute when you're tired," Wyatt teased, earning a slug to the shoulder for pinching my cheek.

"Go away," I muttered, not really meaning it. Even though he was the reason I was walking around town in somebody else's clothes with unbrushed teeth and hair, Wyatt was saving my butt. Without him, I probably wouldn't have had such a good time the last few days.

"What do you say we go and see if Blake's up yet?" He proposed, steering us towards the elevator. His right arm was wrapped tightly around my shoulders, as usual. I'd gotten used to it by then and felt almost naked without that warm presence when I was alone.

Just like our first elevator ride that morning, I leaned my head on his bony shoulder, ready and willing to fall asleep right there. He was basically holding me up by the time it stopped on my floor.

"Okay, you just concentrate on staying on your feet and I'll see if we can get the bear to wake up," he chuckled, taking the last few steps towards our door.

I did as I was told and stood by as he pounded on the black door, calling her name every few hits. "Blake! Blakey, wake up! C'mon, Blake. I bet you can hear me."

We both spun around in alarm at the sound of a door opening several feet away. I breathed a sigh of relief when Mark Dace emerged. He was fully dressed for the day in wranglers that were being precariously held up with a belt beneath his sagging belly, along with a blue plaid shirt.

"What's all this damn ruckus about?" He gave the two of us a thorough once over, confusion crossing his mustached face. "And what the hell are you still doing in pajamas, miss Coda?"

I sighed and hid my face in Wyatt's bony shoulder. "It's a long story."

"Well, how 'bout you just tell me and get it over with?" He suggested, face softening a little at my embarrassment.

"It was my fault," Wyatt volunteered, raising a hand to prove his point. "I made her come outside to watch the sunrise this morning and she forgot a room key."

"Oh. Well, I suppose that would be a problem. I'm sure Blake ain't about to wake up anytime soon, either."

I shook my head. "She's the heaviest sleeper I've ever met."

Mark nodded firmly in agreement. "You got that right. Hell, I wouldn't come near her with a ten foot pole, especially after a night like that. She'll bite your head off!"

I met Wyatt's eyes with a look of horror. "Is she gonna be mad at me, then?"

Mark just shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. "It's 'probly best if you let her wake up on her own. If I was you, I'd find somewhere else to hang out until she's ready to face the world."

"She can chill in my room for a while," Wyatt decided.

"Alright. By the way, have you seen Kellan yet this morning?"

I shook my head, as did Wyatt.

"Well, I haven't either. And if his night was anything like I figure it was, I 'probly don't want to. Maybe we should just let him and Blake sleep it off. Otherwise tonight's gonna be hell for everybody." Mark reached up to stroke his mustache thoughtfully. "Maybe I'll just take Callie out to lunch and leave them be."

"Sounds like a good plan to me! Now let's get the hell out of here before one of them wakes up!"

Wyatt whisked me back to the elevator and Mark retreated into his room. "We can find a movie to watch or something. Sound good?"