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Three days into the summer-long bachelor's party, Steven approaches me in the morning after I'm done surfing and grabbing breakfast. I'm always up earlier than he is even though we go to bed at the same time. I nod at him when he enters and slides up onto the stool opposite of me. I'm standing at the island and eating a massive bowl of cereal when he speaks, his voice husky with sleep.
"I have good news and bad news." Steven states. I raise a brow at him and he continues, "Which do you want first?"
My stomach drops as my mind races about the possibilities. Could it have to do with his sister Belly? Or my brother Conrad? I take the time to deliberately chew my sugary cereal and swallow it before I answer him.
"Hit me with the bad news." I want it to be ripped off quickly like a bandaid and prepare myself for the worst. I also think about an exit strategy just in case.
Steven scratches his neck and yawns, "Miranda called me last night crying because she misses me so uh... I invited her up. I hope that's okay. She works a couple of days a week and will commute to the city so you might see her in the morning when she leaves."
He peers at me to see my reaction. My shoulders relax a bit at it just being Miranda coming to stay with us. "Oh yeah, that's totally fine dude. I don't plan on spending every hour of every day with you so might as well spend some time with your fiance."
I wiggle my brows at him and wink suggestively. He blows me off but there's a tint of red to his cheeks. I ask him what's the good news. This time it's Steven's turn to wiggle his brows and wink suggestively.
"Miranda's best friend is coming with her." He replies and gets up to putter around for coffee supplies. Steven turns to me and goes, "Her name is Rosie. She's Miranda's Maid of Honour."
For a moment, Bachelor Steven quickly adds, "Please don't tell my future wife this... but Rosie is a total fox."
"Cross my heart." I make an 'x' motion over my heart, "Hope to die."
"Stick a dirty needle in your eye?" Steven questions as he finishes the final touches on his coffee and lets it brew. The smell of it alone could melt the hair off a donkey. I shake my head thinking about how much the Conklin family loves strong coffee, like strong enough to make hair grow on your chest.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I mumble while slurping up the sugary milk leftover in the bowl before placing the dirty dish in the sink. I make a note to do the dishes later when I suddenly have a brilliant idea. I turn and ask Steven, "So what time will the girls arrive?"
"Miranda still has to work so probably not until after eight p.m."
I grin and nod, pulling out a container from the cupboard. I peel off the Tupperware lid and the smell hits us instantaneously. Chocolate and weed are baked together to make the world's finest pot brownies. I shove it underneath Steven's nose. He inhales the scent and makes a pleasing face.
I wiggle the brownies, enticing him. I casually mention, "What about a little wake and bake?"
Steven is already reaching out, grabbing one and biting off a huge chunk before I can tell him to slow down. I have to smack the rest of his hand. "Dude! Take it easy - the potency of these babies can send you into August!"
He looks panicked for a brief moment but he shrugs it off. "Whatever, I'm on vacation."
I laugh at him, shaking my head. "Alright well don't complain to me when you can't remember how to walk."
With that, I eat my sizable chunk of the weed brownie. I chew and swallow back the gooey mixture, noting the skunky flavor to it. I smack my lips and kiss the tips of my fingers like a chef, "My compliments to the chef."
Steven looks at me confused. "Wait... aren't you the chef, Jere?"
"Yeah, duhhhh, dude. Compliments to me. The chef." I snicker and store the drugs back in the cupboard so that we're not tempted to get totally blitzed. Out of sight and out of mind as I like to say.
