Page 27 of Under Water

Which is maybe not the most clever name, but Kaleo is sweet, so he gets a pass.

“I think I’m ready to add five,” Ozzie says as he stares at the weights.

West lifts a brow from her spot on the bench. She’s doing curls with light weights—something about wedding dresses and getting snatched. I don’t know what the fuck she’s talking about half the time, but I like hanging out with her, so I just nod and smile.

“You sure?”

Ozzie takes a breath, then rolls his shoulders and nods. “Spot me?”

I know he means me. No one fucks with West’s routine. Setting my dumbbell down, I walk around to the head of the bench while he lies down, and I bend my knees slightly and rest my hands in the ready position.

With a breath, he grips the bar and begins to press.

“You good?” West asks, switching arms.

Ozzie blows out a puff of air. “Yep. I’m good.”

He’s turning a bit pink, but his arms aren’t shaking. Yet. He’s counting off and not losing breath though, and I feel a spark of pride in my chest.

“Swim after this?” I ask, looking over to West.

She wrinkles her nose. “I can’t get my hair wet.”

“You can watch.”

She fixes me with a glare. “Yes, my favorite thing. Watching my brother’s best friend and the station capybara doing laps in the pool.”

“I’m the what?” Ozzie gasps. He sets the bar back up and shakes his arms out as he sits up.

West snorts as she finishes her rep, then reaches for her water bottle. “I mean, you’re a big dude⁠—”

“I’m not big.”

“Tall,” she points out. “Skinny, but you won’t be skinny forever. Rough around the edges, but cute as fuck and loves to swim. You’re a total capybara.”

Ozzie pulls a face. “A giant, terrifying rodent.”

I choke. “Terrifying? Have you seen them?”

He shudders. “Bro. Yes. I didn’t even know they existed, and one day, I was at the zoo, and I turn the corner and there’s a giant fucking hamster staring at me.”

“They’re closer to guinea pigs,” West points out.

Ozzie gives her a flat look. “A rodent is a rodent, and they should not be that size. It’s…unnatural.”

“You’re a child,” she says, standing up. She pulls her leg up behind her by the heel to stretch. “They have a café like half an hour from here where you can have tea with them and brush their little hair.”

Ozzie shudders harder. “That’s a big fuck no.”

“I’d go,” I tell her.

She smiles. “Amazing. Henry and I have wanted to go forever.”

“It’s a double…” I immediately snap my teeth shut.

“You were going to say double date, weren’t you?” she asks with a tiny grin.

“Fuck off.”