Hot Mess (LBSC #1) | Completed

Chapter 8

The next morning three short bursts of whistle ripped me from my sleep. Enraged, but not enough to leave the cozy warmth of my covers, I shouted from beneath them.

"Zoey Renee McCann, I'm going to take that whistle and shove it up your–"

Another shrill whistle cut me off. I threw off the covers, ready to throttle Zoey. While she was, in fact, at the end of my bed, it wasn't her holding the whistle, but Quinn. Quinn. Here in my room. With my dirty underwear and bras scattered around the floor.

Shit.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, furiously feeling around my mouth for any traces of dried drool.

Zoey crossed her arms and gave me a stern stare. "I asked him to come. I needed reinforcement."

Quinn waved, looking adorable even after dawn. I'd imagined him in my room often enough, but at least in my dreams I'd had the decency to clean up first.

"Morning," he said. "I hear we're going to yoga."

I retreated beneath my covers. "I'll get out as soon as you leave."

"Reese..." Zoey started.

"I promise, Zo. Just go and I'll be out in five minutes, tops," I said from my cotton sanctuary.

"Three," Zoey negotiated. "Three minutes, we're back in here, and we're going to strip the bed."

I waited until I heard Quinn and Zoey leave the room before I threw off my covers and left the safety of my bed. In order to reach my dresser I had to step around the piles of dirty leggings and sweatshirts littering the floor. I struggled with the drawer I hardly ever used: the drawer that contained my exercise clothes and swimsuits. I dug through the piles of clothes and grinned when I saw a wrinkled turquoise tank top reading, "Burpees? I thought you said Slurpees."

I paired the tank with some dark gray, cotton capris I'd bought for lounging around the apartment, hastily gathered my hair in a ponytail, and shoved my feet into my galaxy-print Vans. I swiped my phone off the nightstand and threw open the door to my bedroom where Zoey was staring at her watch, her mouth slightly parted. Quinn reclined on our couch, flipping through a women's magazine.

"Ready."

Zoey wrinkled her nose. "You didn't brush your teeth."

"Hey, you said three minutes. This is as good as it gets."

"Reese, go brush your teeth."

****

An hour and a half later, I collapsed on my mat in corpse pose, utterly exhausted. While it seemed like Zoey had made it through class without breaking into a sweat a single time, I was a tiny bit glad to see that Quinn had trouble keeping up.

After a cheerful "Namaste" and "I wish you love and light" from Daisy I rolled my mat and got to my feet.

"How was it today?" Zoey asked. "Easier?"

I grunted in response.

Zoey turned to Quinn. "What about you?"

"The next time you enlist me to help you get Reese out of bed can it be for something like eating donuts? Hell, I'll even take waffles."

Zoey shook her head. "You two are ridiculous. But I guess I owe you. Eclairs and coffee at Cuppa?"

I swiped a hand across my forehead. "No can do, Zo. I've got an appointment. A date with destiny, if you will."

Zoey looked back and forth from me to Quinn. "Reese MacDowell turning down a free eclair? I think it's time I started building my underground shelter for the apocalypse."