Page 89 of Ozzie

“Piper? Dinner’s here.” Durango is at my door.

“I’ll be out in a minute. Go ahead and dig in,” I say as I stand up and head to my mirror.

I fake a smile and then exit my room.

Willow is laughing and Durango is smiling as I walk up. I can’t say I’ve ever seen my cousin this happy.

He glances at me and then nods to a chair where he has already placed a plate for me.

“Thanks.” I sit and grab some food.

“Durango says you recently graduated from college. I remember how excited I was when I graduated. God, that seems like a lifetime ago,” Willow says. “Ah, to be young again and have your whole life ahead of you.”

I give her a small smile. I’m not that much younger. “Whole life? Are you saying you don’t?”

Durango raises a brow in my direction.

Willow’s smile falls. “Oh no, I don’t mean that. I justmean to have my twenties again would be nice. I’d do things very differently.” She reaches out and gives Durango’s arm a squeeze. She turns her attention back to me. “What do you plan to do with your degree?”

I finish chewing my bite of food. “Well, I’m pretty happy at RHS for now. I haven’t really thought beyond that.” And I haven’t.

The idea of not being near Ozzie isn’t something I’d considered before, but the truth is, I hadn’t planned to work there past college when I started. But I stayed for Ozzie, and now, with this mess with John, starting a new job wouldn’t really work out since Durango insists on having eyes on me all the time.

“What is RHS?” she asks.

“Reed Hawthorne Security,” Durango says. “It’s where I work now.”

Her smile returns. “So, you got Piper a job there. How sweet of you.” And her hand is back on his arm.

Durango is lost in her smile, but I’m not.

“I got the job on my own merit,” I say as I take another bite.

Willow doesn’t take her eyes off Durango. “I’m sure you did.”

And suddenly, I go from being insulted to feeling like a third wheel. I finish my dinner as they move on to stories from their younger years. Apparently, both had crushes on each other for years and never did anything about it. They don’t notice as I leave the table, put my plate in the sink, and return to my room.

All I can think is, please don’t have sex tonight. Asidefrom the fact that I don’t want to hear my cousin having sex because that’s gross, I also don’t want to know if she moans or is quiet or anything about her.

My phone buzzes. A text from Alicia.

Alicia:Hey girl, checking in. Is your leg all healed up now?

I smile. Alicia is Lightning’s girlfriend and one of my favorite people. Instead of responding, I call her.

“Piper? Is everything okay?” she answers.

I sigh. “Not really. I think Durango is about to have sex with someone from Ozzie’s past, and there is only a thin wall between us.”

The music in the background turns off. “Wow, that’s a lot to unpack. You hate phone calls, so this must really be upsetting you. Are you more bothered with your cousin having sex or that it’s with someone from Ozzie’s past? Wait, what do you mean by his past?”

I explain the sordid history to her. She’s silent for a moment.

“Are you still there?” I ask.

“I am. I’m just taking it all in.”

“I hate that I’m jealous that Ozzie moved Willow in because clearly she’s into Durango.”

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