“She’s actually a good roommate,” Josh complimented.
“Aw, thank you, Joshie. He’s a good landlord too. I owe him for several months’ rent now, but he hasn’t thrown me out yet.”
Interesting. She was somewhat of a bitch to him, owed him rent money, and he still put up with her. I get being submissive, but I needed to find his backbone and what the deal is with why he let this little girl walk all over him.
“When are you guys going to Oxygen again?”
“I’m there every night,” Alison quickly spoke up.
“I won’t be able to make it until the weekend. It’s the start of tourist season, and the rental shop has been crazy busy. Plus, all of the instructors are really busy,” Josh said.
“Meh, just set some surfboards out with a sign to ask them to return the boards,” Alison offered her suggestion on how to handle the busy season.
“Fuck, that would be a terrible liability. Someone would drown and then the family would sue. No thank you,” Josh said as he laughed.
“What do you do, Josh?” I asked. From what it sounded like, he might be in the recreation field.
“I’m a surf instructor and also work in the rental shop close to the Santa Monica Pier,” Josh said proudly.
“Cowabunga, man.” Alison reached up and tousled his hair. “Sam, can’t you tell he’s a beach bum?”
Where had his money come from? You don’t renovate a beautiful home in Santa Monica and live on a surf instructor salary.
“Now that you mention it, yes, Josh does have that surfer guy look,” I confirmed.
Josh had very light brown hair that appeared to have some blond in it that was probably from the sun. I recalled from last night seeing him shirtless in the bathroom while brushing his teeth that he was quite tan. I was sure I’d seen him naked in Oxygen, but the lighting was dimmer in there, and I hadn’t noticed his surfer body and look.
“The look is part of the gig,” he joked.
Always a joke.
“I might try to make it to Oxygen this week,” I announced as I pulled up in front of James’ house.
“I’ll look for you!” Alison clapped her hands excitedly. “Thank you for letting us stay at your place and for driving us back to James’ today,” Alison said as she got out of the vehicle. “See you this week sometime.”
I waved at them as they shut the car doors and made their way to their own vehicles. Josh waited on the sidewalk by Alison’s car until she got settled inside. He didn’t move from his spot until she started her car. After she waved at him and pulled away from the curb, then he proceeded to his SUV.
“Nice ride, Josh,” I said under my breath as I watched him get into a brand new Range Rover.
Before I pulled away from the front of James’ house, I quickly sent him a text.
Sam: I just dropped Alison and Josh off to get their cars. Any word from Brandon?
I set the cell phone down on the console and headed home. Alison and Josh both consumed my thoughts along the drive. I was more than interested in taking them under my wing. I’d reach out to James in a few days and talk to him about the pair. Hopefully, by then Brandon would be back because I couldn’t stand seeing James torn up like this.
3
Sam
It had beena few days since James found Brandon. Though I was just about climbing the walls in anticipation to talk to James, I needed to be mindful of the situation with Brandon. James had taken a few days off from work to be with Brandon and get him settled down. But when he returned to work, it appeared that things were stable at home and going well. Everything about him screamed that he was in love, and it was great to see him so happy.
“James, do you have time for lunch today?” I asked when he approached the nurses’ station where I was standing.
“Of course.” He looked at his watch and asked me what time I wanted to go.
“I can go now if you’re free.”
Being an emergency room doctor, I was hardly ever able to plan a lunch. I could never say that I’d be free in an hour because you never knew what would come through the door and when.
