Chapter 78

“Okay, just checking,” I said, and returned to the deck, where I gently shook Philip’s shoulder and said, “Babe, it’s time to get up. We need to take a quick shower before lunch.”

He rolled over, stretched for a minute or two, and said, “Okay, I’m awake.”

John and Joe were also sitting up and beginning to take notice of their surroundings. “Time to get cleaned up, guys,” I said. “Lunch will be ready shortly.”

With that, I took Philip’s hand, pulled him to his feet, and led him upstairs, where we took a quick shower together, but without our usual horseplay. As we headed back downstairs, John and Joe met us on the stairs, so I said, “See you at the table in a few minutes,” and we continued on down the steps.

We arrived in the living area of the house just as Richard and Bruce were setting the table for lunch. I noted that they had, as Bruce had mentioned earlier, “gone native” and were now as naked as the rest of us.

“Feels good to let it all hang out, doesn’t it?” I said.