Simple Man

- NINETEEN -

    Iyana watched with mild disgust Rowan shovel biscuits and gravy in his mouth as if he couldn't get them in fast enough.

"They don't feed you in Los Angeles?" Ozzy asked, staring at Rowan curiously.

"I haven't had a carb that wasn't considered complex in years. My nutritionist would be so irritated with me right now." Rowan said through his food, breaking long enough to take a swig of coffee.

Vin and Taz looked impressed that someone so lean could pack away so much. Rowan was a head taller than the both of them but they were of a stockier build and had more muscle mass all around. Iyana turned back to Ozzy and asked, "So how do you two know each other?"

"How do you think? He'd always come by on the weekends on that little yellow bicycle and hassle me for some food! Don't let his good looks fool you! The boy's stomach was a black hole!" Ozzy replied but the split second look between Rowan and him—it was so fast they probably didn't think she caught it—told her that wasn't the whole story.

"I can see that." Iyana said, catching Rowan's eyes. At least he had the decency to swallow before bashfully smiling.

"So Rowan's check-in went pretty smoothly?" Ozzy asked, a sly smile could be seen before it disappeared behind his coffee mug.

Despite herself Iyana chuckled, "It could have gone smoother."

"Smooth like Liv's mouth? Yes, don't look at me like that Meghan," Ozzy said to Iyana, who looked embarrassed, "I'm old as hell but I hear things fine. I heard she gave a mouthful to Justine—sounds just like another young person I use to know."

Ozzy's blue eyes staring into Rowan's soul.

"Wait, Justine Browning?" Rowan asked, through a mouthful of biscuits.

"Tripp." Ozzy corrected.

"Ah, yes, I forgot. Lorraine told me."

"I'm sure much to that poor woman's dismay. Besides his well-known weakness for those of the fairer sex, our pastor is a faithful leader and a generous Christian man. The rest is their business." Ozzy said.

"Well, let's take a tally shall we? There's Marcy Lindon, Kelly-Ann Pryor, Willow Holmes before she got with Kenny Senior, Tanya White, Millie and Mindie Addams and their mom Grace..." Rowan said as he marked the air with his finger, "Fiona Hall, Camille Brayton, Emalie Renault, Shantel Avery—"

"We get it. No need to list them all, we'd be here until the afternoon." Ozzy said, as he scratched his stomach.

"All I'm saying is if Tommy had been born a woman he would have been the town slut! The irony can't be lost on anyone that he's now the town pastor! I'm sure his daddy pushed him into it but still! Justine could have done better!" Rowan huffed.

"Better like what?" Ozzy asked, Rowan instantly deflated, "Like you?"

"It's not like that. I'd been happy to see her with anyone—but Tommy Tripp."

"Justine is a big girl, she doesn't need you to defend her honor. Lucky for her she went with Tommy and not your Isaac, he tried for her too."

Iyana held her breath at the casual mention of Isaac Wolfe.

"Spoiled brat, I bet that chapped his ass. I heard he left town a couple years after I did."