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Si sideways at Sophia, Simon launched the second wave of the attack "Hey, Neil, how et for the syht tickets?" Sophia asked

"Season tickets," Simon added, as Neil nodded Sophia and Neil then launched into a discussion of where his seats were, and Simon raised his foot above the surface of the water

"Coin’"

"What?"

"Gih five I can’t reach your hand," he insisted, waving his foot back and forth I giggled and slid lower on h, pruney" He laughed

"I’ll give you pruney," I warned, dipping htly

"I could not be more coht now if I were actually inside a ue coated in Bailey’s and coffee I had curled up on top of about fifty pillows next to fireplace--a fireplace with a hearth alh Made out of stone quarried nearby, it was massive It was the focal point of the entire house, with rooave off massive heat

We were chilled to the bone e finally ot too warm in the hot tub, so we hoisted ourselves out to cool off a little By the tiotten, ere shivering and puffing, and wanting nothing more than to curl up next to the fire As we had yet to pick rooirls snuck into the e into our pjs and rejoin the boys, ere now all decked out in T-shirts and pajama pants We made a quick pot of coffee, and I sliced up soe bread I’d wisely hidden from Simon A couple shots of Bailey’s in the coffee cups, and ere all relaxing by the fire like an ad for Currier and Ives

Sially by the fireplace and patted the stack of pillows next to him I dove in and a few stray puffs of feathers swirled around our heads We’d discovered that each boy had a differentand newspapers--when finally Sophia stuck her head up there and declared that the flue was still closed Brought back down a few pegs, the guys at that point deferred to Ryan, if for no other reason than that he was the one holding the , and ere now all seated around the fireplace, sleepy and content

I breathed deeply There was nothing like the sas fireplace, not a bunch of candles, but an honest to goodness fireplace with snaps and crackles and funny little whizzing screeches when the steam came out of a crack in the wood

"So, Caroline, have you asked Simon to teach you hoindsurf yet?" Mimi asked suddenly from her perch on the arm of the couch We’d been quiet for a while, drowsy and al, and I started a little when she spoke

"What? I mean, what?" I asked, startled out of my pillows and back to the present

"Well, these boys here all windsurf You want to learn to windsurf, and I bet Siled, polishing off the last of her coffee and sliding off the arm of the chair into Ryan’s conveniently placed lap They smiled at each other for aand Ryan jokingly launched her off his own lap and into Neil’s He’d not been awakened by her earlier question, but he now see Mi toward my pillow pile

"Actually, yes I’ve alanted to try it"

"It’s tough--not gonna lie But totally worth it" He smiled, and Ryan nodded from across the room

"Sure, Si a wink fro for e get back to the city," I suggested

"No irl has had it," Sophia said "I’?" She poked her head over the back of the armchair where she’d been curled up

"Well, howabout?" Simon asked as I sat up and yawned

"There are four bedrooms, so take your pick," Sophia answered, then wisely drained an entire bottle of water

"Are we doing boy-girl, boy-girl?" I asked, laughing when I saw Si a little nervously at Neil

I stifled a giggle when I saw Sophia and Ryan trade a siht it as well

"Yeah, sure! Don’t let Caroline and me stand in the way of the lovebirds! Mimi, you and Neil pick a room, Sophia and Ryan can pick a room, and Caroline and I will take the rooht, Caroline?"

"Sounds perfect to s Now, off to bed with you all Scoot! Scoot!" I cried Si peeks over our shoulders at the four of theun a death march

"Oh, man, I hope this works out…for my sake" I stood behind Simon as atched the four become two pairs as they parted ways by the bedroo his face just a little to be inches froht now, behind those doors? Sophia and Miure out the best way to hurtaway to rinse the last of the coffee cups and place them in the dishwasher

Simon added the soap and switched it on As alked around, turning lights off for the night, we talked about the hike we’d be taking toonna slow me down, are you?" he teased

I shoved hiand heading for the bedroohties in there foras he followedfor you in there, or anywhere for that

He went pasta bedrooain" He smirked

"Well, I know you’re in there alone, so I’d better not hear any banging," I warned, leaning in the doorway

"No, no banging ’Night, Caroline," he said softly, leaning in his own doorway

"’Night, Siertips as I closed uys, not thatof the trail We’d been hiking for about two hours now, and while everyone stayed together for a while, in the last thirtyback with hiether, and were about to reach the crest of the trail

I’d h the puffy eyes and tired faces on all four of theht’s sleep--except Simon and me