Page 28 of From Nowhere

“That’s oversimplified. Jamie’s still in a sex fog. You literally screwed her brains out.”

“Maren’s filthy rich. She should move out,” Fitz says, scraping the onion off the cutting board and putting it into the pot while Jamie opens the cans of tomatoes.

I shake my head. It’s no secret that I make way more money than Fitz and Will, and I do it in a matter of five to six months. Then there’s the money I make from flying Ted everywhere in the offseason, which is more than I make as a tanker pilot. And I’ve saved most of my money or invested it. But I like having roommates, and even though Brandon is no longer alive, I feel him in this house. Leaving would resurrect the grief.

“Why would I move out if you two are moving? Then I can have your room, since it’s bigger than mine.”

“Or you could pay cash for your own house and get ten cats,” Fitz says.

“Fitz!” Jamie punches his arm, and he laughs. “I just said she met someone.”

“That’s right. Sorry. Do I need to vet him? Brandon would have wanted me to do that.” Fitz narrows his eyes.

“When are you getting your vasectomy reversed?” I ask to wiggle my way out of the hot seat.

He buckles at the waist with a sour expression. “Not talking about it.”

“At the end of fire season.” Jamie pinches his butt. “And then we’re planning a wedding.”

“Well”—I screw the lid onto my water bottle—“I’ll clear my schedule to help you two find a house so you can get married. And maybe I’ll find one, too, so I can ...” I press my lips together because I don’t know where I’m going with this.

“So you can what?” Jamie gawks. “Get married?” Excitement explodes across her face.

I roll my eyes. Oswald Laster is messing with my mind.

Ozzy

“You have to tell me.” Lola bursts after keeping her mouth shut all day and through half of dinner at the restaurant. “Who’s Maren?”

“A friend.” I slide another slice of pizza onto my plate.

“A girlfriend?”

“Sheisa girl.”

“Dad.”

“Lola.” I smirk while chewing.

“Is she married?”

“No.”

“Kids?”

“No.”

“Is she pretty?”

I shrug.She’s beautiful.

“Do you want to have sex with her?”

I almost choke before I can swallow. Fisting my hand at my mouth, I shake my head. “Enough with the sex talk.”

“Well, Dakota said you’re too young to stop having sex.”

“You’re grounded from seeing Dakota.”

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