32. Morning Appetizers
Chapter thirty-two
Morning Appetizers
Stanley
“You have to get up. Right now.”
Edward comes barging in, speaking in a hushed tone that sounds suspicious. My first thought is that someone is breaking into his apartment. But if that were the case, I don’t think he’d wake me up so quietly.
“What’s up? Is breakfast here?”
“No, it’s...” He leans in close, his eyes wide. It’s difficult to read his expression. “Maria.”
"What about Maria?"
“Last night, when I brought her to bed, she kissed me. Wanted me to bring you guys in there and... you know.”
I perk up.
"Why the fuck didn't you tell us last night?!" I hiss between my teeth.
“She was still intoxicated and I wasn’t going to do that to her.” Edward spreads his arms wide, confused, like he doesn’t know what to do.
He has a good point. With how drunk she was when she came in—and how many tears she shed—giving in to her demands wouldn't have been the right choice for anyone. The last thing we need to give her from the experience is regrets.
"Well, hey, at least now we know she's actually interested and eager."
“Be serious, Stan.”
“Sorry. Sleep-deprived humor. So we're just supposed to sit here and act like our dicks don't want us to run in there?”
"Pretty much. But that's why I woke you up first instead of Drake.”
“Heh, good call. If you’d told him, he’d be in there already." Then he'd be making everything even worse for everyone involved.
"I'm still going to order breakfast, if you want something. Go ask Drake what he wants. Oh, and it might be a good idea not to tell him." Edward stretches his arms over his head and heads to the kitchen to start some coffee before he orders.
"You're still treating us, right?" I wag my finger in his direction and roll out of bed. I try to sweep away the fog of sleep so that I can come to terms with what could have happened.
I knock lightly on the door to Alex's bedroom before letting myself in. Drake's curled up on the floor in a sleeping bag; Alex's bed is much too small for him anyway.
"Hey, dickhead." I nudge his shoulder with my foot. He rolls over with a groan and opens one annoyed eye at me.
"Ed's ordering breakfast. Want anything?"
"Huh?" He pulls out his phone from inside his sleeping bag. "It's like five in the morning!"
"Yeah, well, he couldn't sleep, and you were going to get up in an hour anyway." I bite back on a smile, knowing how much he'd freak out right now if he knew the truth. "He's getting the coffee started, so you want in or not?"
"Yeah, yeah. Just get me some buttered biscuits and a hash brown."
"Is that all?"
"Yes, that's all, now can you get the fuck out so I can sleep?"
"Touchy, touchy. I forgot how much of a Grumpy Gus you were in the mornings." I leave without another word and give Ed his order, glad that Drake wasn't prying any further about why we're awake in the first place.
Still, I can't help but keep my gaze off the bedroom door where Maria sleeps just behind it. To go in there now and ask her again, to allow myself to be taken into her and feel her embrace...
I shut my eyes and sweep the thoughts away. Don't get your hopes up, Stan. Just let it be.