Page 91 of Ozzie

A server walks by with a tray of hors d’oeuvres, and we each take one. “For a vacation now and again, sure. But I’d get restless trying to sit around and do nothing. Are you telling me you could retire to a beach?”

I grin. “Hell yeah.”

Lightning nods toward the bar. I glance over and spot JB. He hasn’t seen us yet, and I suspect his father failed to tell him we’d be here. JB loops his arm through that of an older woman, and they walk toward one of the tables. Her back is to us the entire time.

“Do you think that’s his mom?” I ask.

We were given photos of her, but we need to see her face to confirm. When the woman turns to the side, we confirm it is Mrs. Walton.

We continue to watch them. She wipes something off of JB’s face as we inch closer. A man walks up to both of them.

“Mrs. Walton, it’s so lovely to see you. And this must be your son?”

“Yes, this is Mitchel.”

The man asks her to dance, and they walk off to the small dance floor where two other couples are dancing. This may be a ball, but most people are drinking and talking.

“Let’s say hi to JB,” Lightning says.

We both walk up and stand on either side of him.

“Hello again,” Lightning says.

JB’s eyes widen. “Why are you here? Are you following me?”

I chuckle. “Sort of. Your dad asked us to attend.”

JB shakes his head. “Why? We attend this every year. Is he worried I’m going to misbehave?”

Lightning shrugs. While part of me thinks we should tell him why we are here, another part worries he would look around and give away our cover.

“Are you going to follow me the entire time I’m here?”

“Maybe,” I say.

“Unbelievable.”

I shove my hands into my pockets. “You don’t want us to? You seemed happy for our help in Istanbul.”

“That was different. I was actually in danger there. Here, my dad wants to keep me from seeing some of my friends.”

I glance at Lightning, who arches a brow. I nod, letting him know I won’t say too much.

“JB, your dad didn’t ask us to stop you from doing anything, only to keep an eye on you.”

He laughs. “Yeah, so you can give him the full report when we get back. I got it. Well, you can tell him I broke up with her, so he doesn’t need to be worried anymore.”

“Her?” I ask.

JB takes a deep breath. “Jessica. She was my dad’s assistant until he found out we were dating. She lives here in the city now. And no, I won’t be seeing her.”

It sounds like JB is bitter about what happened.

“Did you two break up because she lost her job?”

He laughs. “No, but that didn’t help since she moved here and I was still in DC. We broke up because she said she couldn’t do this anymore. Not that it is any of yourbusiness. I don’t know why I’m even talking about her. Excuse me.”

He walks to the bar, and we keep our eyes on him.

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