The moment I stepped out of the tent I was greeted with the smell of bacon. With my stomach voicing my hunger, I headed over to Jeff and Ari’s campsite. Josh was manning the bacon while Jeff was at another stove tossing a pancake in the air.
The closer I got, the hungrier I became. Josh lifted his head and looked my way. My lower stomach pulled with desire. I had been so exhausted I fell asleep almost the moment my head hit the pillow last night. Josh held me against his body with his hand resting on the babies all night long.
“Hey, princess. How’d you sleep?” Josh asked while kissing me quickly on the lips.
“Better than I thought I would. I’m seriously surprised at how comfortable that blow-up mattress is.”
Josh’s face beamed. “I’m glad you slept good. I swear you were out before you even laid your head on the pillow.”
“I’d imagine carrying around two little babies is exhausting,” Jeff said with a wink and smile.
“I guess so. I wouldn’t know what to compare it to, for me this seems like normal.”
Ari walked over and sat down next to me. “I can’t even imagine having more than one inside of me. This little one is pretty damn demanding on her own.”
I rubbed my baby bump and smiled. I was showing a lot more than Ari, even though I was a few weeks behind her. “I’d have to say these two are for sure making their presence known in more than one way.”
Wrapping her arm with mine, Ari gave me the warmest smile. “I’m so happy we’re pregnant together.”
I returned her smile. If someone would have told me a few years ago Ari and I would both be pregnant, and me with twins, I’d have laughed at them. We used to talk about how we were going to travel the world after college and explore places we dreamed of going to. Family and marriage was an afterthought. Now look at us. Both the happiest we’d ever been.
“Me too, Ari,” I replied. “Even though I’m so much bigger than you.”
She laughed. “You’re carrying two of them. I’ve only got one.”
Glancing over to the guys, I asked, “Do y’all need any help?”
Jeff and Josh both shook their heads. Jeff answered, “Nope. You two take it easy. Unlike Gunner, we’ve got our job of cooking down.”
Ari moaned next to me. “Gunner. I really wanted to get him at truth or dare last night.”
Josh whipped his head back and shot Ari a dirty look. “Then why did you pick me? You do know I’m fearing when it hits me.”
The look on Ari’s face was priceless. How she could pull off sweet and innocent was beyond me. In her best southern voice, she said, “Why, Josh Hayes, I declare I have no idea what you’re talkin’ ‘bout.”
He frowned then stated, “You will when you hear my screams of pain coming from the men’s bathroom.”
Ari lost it laughing, as did I. “That’s disgusting, Hayes,” Gunner said walking up with a jug of orange juice. My mouth started to water when he lifted it and grinned.
“How did you know I was craving orange juice?” I asked while standing and making my way over to him.
Gunner reached for a couple of plastic cups and poured two glasses, one for me and one for Ari.
“I remembered Ellie craving it and when I got up this morning for a run, I realized we didn’t buy any last night. The park store had some though.”
Ari downed her drink. “I could kiss you right now, Gunner.”
“Hey, hey, what’s this?” Jeff asked as he set a giant plate full of pancakes on the table.
Ari and I both dug in, each taking four pancakes a piece.
“Wow, y’all are are eating a—”
Jeff stopped talking when both of our eyes swung up to glare at him.
“Um, I’ll go make some more,” Jeff said while giving Gunner a quick grin. “Hey, where’s Ellie?”
I couldn’t help but notice Gunner’s face light up. “She’s still sleeping. We were up late last night.”
Jeff stopped walking and dropped his head. “Dude, really? I don’t need that picture in my head.”
Gunner flashed an evil smile at Ari and me and replied, “I didn’t say anything.”
“Josh! Are you trying to overcook the bacon?” Ari called out.
Glancing over his shoulder, Josh snarled his lip at Ari. “I swear, if you weren’t married to my best friend.”
Throwing out a light-hearted chuckle, Ari responded, “Please, you know you love me, assmole.”
Josh walked over to the table and set two plates of bacon down. One in front of me, one in front of Ari. She reached across and took a few pieces. Taking a huge bite, she went to say something then stopped.
“What in the fuck is this rubber shit in my mouth?” Ari gasped.
Tasting the bacon, I shrugged. “Mine’s good.”
Ari leaned over and spit her bacon into her napkin. “Oh, God I’m going to hurl.” She reached over and picked up a piece of the bacon. It was then I noticed it was shaped weird. Her eyes lifted slowly until she was giving Josh a death stare.
“What. Is. This?”
The boyish grin that appeared across Josh’s face made me press my lips together to keep from laughing. “It’s bacon, buttercup.”
Tossing it back onto the plate, Ari shook her head. “No, Josh. What kind of bacon?”
Without missing a beat, he answered, “Soy.”
Ari’s tongue came out of her mouth as she attempted to wipe any remaining soy bacon from her mouth with her napkin.
“Gross! Oh, my gosh it’s so gross!”
With a wink in my direction, Josh replied, “It’s healthy. Didn’t you say you wanted healthy?”
Ari glared at Josh. “No. I want pig bacon. Not soy or buffalo or almond!”
Josh pinched his brows? “Almond?”
Waving her hands about, Ari stood. “What the fuck ever! Almond milk, almond bacon, soy bacon. It’s all healthy shit. I don’t want healthy shit.” She threw the soy bacon to Gus who sniffed then went and laid back over by Gunner.
“Even the dog doesn’t want healthy crap,” Ari stated.
“Actually, soy really isn’t—”
When Ari turned to me, I stopped talking. I slid the plate of bacon her way. “I’ve got plenty of bacon.”
Jeff glanced Josh’s way and said, “You fucked up again, dude.”
With a huff, Josh went back to cooking more bacon as Gunner and I both let out a soft chuckle.
Ellie and I walked arm in arm along the path while Gus followed close by. “How are you feeling?”
Smiling, I replied, “Amazing. The morning sickness still gets to me, but other than that, I feel really good.”
“I can’t imagine carrying two.”
“What about you? How are you feeling?”
Her smile would have lit up a room, had we been inside one. “I feel wonderful. Alex is wonderful, Gunner is wonderful. It’s all wonderful!”
I chuckled then let out a contented sigh. After everything Ellie had gone through with her father leaving them and her mother turning into an alcoholic, I was beyond thrilled to see her getting the happiness she deserved.
“So, the wedding,” Ellie said as she looked at me.
“I don’t want to talk about the wedding. Honestly, no stress this weekend. Let’s just pretend like we have no responsibilities and have fun!”
Ellie laughed. “Done!”
Josh and Jeff were ahead of us arguing about something.
“What are those two going on about?” Ellie asked.
Ari walked up next to me and took my other arm with hers. “Something about who could climb up and back down that hill faster.”
My mouth fell. “Are you serious? Why would they even want to? It’s steep!”
With a chuckle, Ari nodded her head. “Yep. Gunner egged it on and is sitting back listening to the two of them argue about who is the tougher, stronger guy. I swear these men of ours. If I didn’t love them all so much, I’d want to nut roll them.”
Ellie and I both looked at Ari. “Nut roll them? What does that even mean?”
Ari’s only response was an evil grin.
All three guys stopped while Josh and Jeff faced each other. Gunner picked up a stick and threw it for Gus who took off after it.
“Good lord. Why must everything be a competition between them?” Ellie pondered while we approached the two of them.
Jeff tossed his head back and let out a loud laugh. “Honestly, Josh. There is no way you can scale that hill.”
“And you can, oh-mighty-one?” Josh spit back.
“Yes. Face it, you were raised in the city. You don’t have what it takes to do things like this.”
Josh jerked his head back. “You were raised in the city too, asshole.”
Gunner laughed. “How about you both do it at the same time. First one up and back down can declare himself king of Garner State Park.”
Walking over to Josh, I placed my hands on his chest. “This is silly, Josh. Let’s move along and enjoy our hike.”
He gave me the sweetest smile and kissed my forehead. “I love you, princess.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“But I’m taking this dickhead down once and for all. I owe you for the whole Ford truck stunt.”
My shoulders dropped as I stared at a very determined Josh.
Jeff was about on the ground laughing. “Damn. How you liking that truck, Josh? Got enough balls for ya?”
Josh let out some weird growl then placed his hands on my upper arms and looked into my eyes. “I need to do this.”
I shook my head. “No. You really don’t, Josh.”
He smiled and kissed me quickly on the lips. “Thanks for understanding, babe!” My eyes widened in shock as he walked over to the side of the hill with Jeff. They faced each other like they were about to enter a boxing ring.
“Oh hell … I have a feeling this isn’t going to turn out so good,” Ari said as she stood next to me.
My body shuddered as I watched Josh and Jeff race up the hillside. I held my breath when they started pushing each other out of the way.
“Same here,” I whispered.