Page 67 of From Nowhere

“I’m sorry about your wife.” He hands me the bag of groceries.

I take them with more force than necessary and turn toward the door. “Yeah, I can tell you’re really sorry.”

Lola licks her lips after taking a sip of the soda. “What’s a survey?”

“Come on. I’ll tell you later.”

Chapter Seventeen

Maren

“This is stupid.” I stare at Ozzy’s house from across the street. It’s nine fifteen on Sunday night, and the main level of his house is dark. With a shallow breath of courage and a lapse in common sense, I climb out of my RAV and sneak around to the south side of the house, loose rocks along the hill threatening my footing. There are two windows, but one is small, like a bathroom window, so I choose the bigger window, with light behind the drawn shades. Before I tap on it, I play it safe and text Ozzy.

Maren: Hey

Ozzy: Hey! U back in Missoula?

Maren: Yes. What are you doing?

Ozzy: Staring at the TV

Maren: Want to stare at me instead?

My phone vibrates with a FaceTime from Ozzy. I bite my lower lip and shake my head while answering it.

He squints at the screen. “Where are you? I can barely see you.”

“Sorry. I’m outside.”

“What are you doing outside at this time of night?”

“I think I’m on a booty call of sorts that’s not going as planned,” I say.

He blinks several times before he stands up from his bed. “Are you ...” He opens his blinds, and I wave.

The etched confusion on his face softens, and his lips curl into a killer smile. He ends the call and opens the window.

“Is this okay?”

He helps me inside. “It’s definitely okay.”

I glance around his room while unzipping my hoodie. My curiosity about his space takes a back seat to his bare chest.

Ozzy’s lips twitch when I tear my gaze away from his chest and focus on his face.

I blush with a slight laugh. “Sorry. I, uh ...” I cross my arms.

Uncross them.

Look for back pockets that I don’t have with these lounge pants.

Finally, I manage to shove my hands into the pockets of my hoodie.

“You, uh what?” He cocks his head to the side.

Ozzy has abs. I don’t know why I expected a dad bod beneath his shirt, but I did. He also has tool tattoos below his right ribs.

“I wanted to see you,” I murmur.

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