Page 93 of On the Line

Michelle’s attention zeroes in on my hand still on James’ thigh and she snatches it quickly, seemingly staring at my finger tattoos. “I thought I recognized those!” Her face lights up, dropping my hand back on my lap and turning to James. “That wasOzzyin the background of your picture.” Pointing her finger to my face yet again, I swat it away. “So, what?” she presses. “Are you two dating?”

My gaze slides to James. Her eyes are wide like she’s been caught in a lie. “Yeah Jimbo, answer Michelle’s question—are we dating?” I flash her a cocksure grin and tilt my head to the side as I wait for her to answer. Inside, my heart is pounding a mile a minute.

James matches my gaze, giving me a challenging look, and presses her lips together, but then a smile slowly forms. She addresses Michelle, but her eyes never leave mine. “Yes, as a matter of fact, we are.”

I assume this is how it feels to win the lottery.

I try to save face, holding back the urge to tackle her to the ground and smother her with kisses.

We’re fucking dating.

“You little sneaks,” Michelle says, giving James a playful shove. “How long has this been going on?”

Finding my ability to speak again, I answer for us. “A while.”

“Wait …” Michelle says, her smile dropping, eyes snapping to James. “IsOzzythe one who’s been giving you allkinds of sexual enlightenment?” She holds up her hand, and cringes. “Actually, please don’t answer that, I really don’t want to know.”

“Enlightenment, huh?” I tell James, not even bothering to acknowledge Michelle’s reaction.

James laughs into her hand while I grin from ear to ear.

“Anyway,” Michelle adds, “I was just leaving, I’m here with—doesn’t matter. I’ll see you both at work!”

Then she’s off, making it feel like she was just one big fever dream.

My gaze slowly finds James’, both of us silent.

We burst out laughing, James burying her face in the crook of my neck, her giggles tickling my ear. Taking her hand in mine, I give it a kiss, then cover it with my own.

“So we’re dating,” I say as if I need another confirmation now that we’re alone.

James’ smile is coy while she slowly nods.

I squeeze her hand in response.

I reallydidwin the lottery.

37

OZZY

My phone rings while I’m getting ready to leave James’ apartment. We came back to hers after Darling, giddy and on cloud nine. We stayed in bed this morning cuddling for as long as we could. But now I have to swing by my place before my Sunday shift.

“It’s Soph,” I say absentmindedly to James who’s still lounging in bed.

I answer and stick my phone between my head and shoulder as I side-step into my jeans.

“Hey Soph, what’s up.”

There’s a pause, followed by a gravelly, wheezing cough that somehow is sofuckingdistinguishable that I immediately know who’s on the other end of the line before he even speaks. “It’s Richard.”

“Dad?” My stomach sinks. “Why are you calling me on Sophia’s phone? Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, she’s fine,” he mumbles, “she’s in the living room. My phone got disconnected, that’s all.”

Relief washes over me hearing that Sophia is safe, still, Iroll my eyes. He probably didn’t pay his phone bill again. Luckily, I’m the one in charge of Sophia’s. I notice James straighten up in bed from the corner of my eye, and I’m suddenly hyper-aware of her witnessing this conversation.

Turning around, I face the door and lower my voice. “What do you want, Dad?” I impatiently wait for his answer as I chew on the skin of my thumb.

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