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“Makes them both my cousins,” I murmured, my mind circling around this for some reason. It was nice knowing I had more family, regardless of how strange of a situation it was for them to be said family. But there was more to this situation that wouldn’t leave me alone. “I’d like to meet him.”
“I doubt that’ll be an issue, since he’s also one of Azzie’s companions,” Aya said. “Kirby mentioned wanting to get Astrid and Azzie together soon, so maybe we can coordinate a dual meet-up.”
“I have a photo you can look at.” Mom held up a hand and twitched a finger. A photograph appeared out of thin air.Neat trick.
I took the photo and froze. Staring up at me was a familiar rugged, brown-haired, brown-eyed man.It can’t be.This person was the man I met up with every now and then when he found himself up this way in his travels. I’d even just seen him a month ago. Hell, I talked to him over the phone not long after that when he’d called me all distressed over something.Come to think of it, he was acting squirrelly when he called. Something about a spear…
“No way,” Astrid breathed. “That’s Doomsday.”
I turned to look at her. “Seriously, why the hell do you call him that?”
“Because the only thing that kept him from totally ruining our trip the first time we met him was the pronghorn I snagged. And his mom was totally a doomsday prepper. You can’t convince me otherwise.” She shrugged. “Besides, he doesn’t seem to mind the nickname.”
Aya laughed. “What are you two talking about?”
I showed them the photo, and Darius nodded. “Yeah, that’s the Zeke kid you’ve hung out with ever since meeting him on that first hunting trip.”
“So, you already know him?” Mom asked.
“Yeah, we’re amigos,” I said. “We went on a fishing and hunting trip to Wyoming in August, before our junior year. That’s where we met him and his mom for the first time. I spent a lot of time with him. Astrid hated his guts for some reason.”
“You had so much fun with your new boyfriend you all but forgot I existed until the trip was nearly over,” she muttered.
I didn’t remember this. I could have sworn I spent a lot of time with her, but with the way Darius was laughing, Astrid and I clearly remembered having different experiences.
I looked at the photo again. “Either way, this is definitely the Zeke we know.”
“Fate has its reasons, even if we don’t understand at the time,” Mom said.
“Well, our reunion will be interesting.”Actually…
I whipped out my phone and pulled up my messaging app. Scrolling, I found his name and typed out a text.
Hey, we need to talk about something I just learned that concerns the two of us. Preferably in person. Tell me a time you’re free and where, and I’ll be there in… a blink.
It took a moment to get a response, but I did.
Are you insinuating a very particular form of travel?
Well, it all depends on if the dragon-lady who taught you revealed this ability yet, Cousin.
He came back with a response that made me laugh.
Well, fuck me sideways.
Yeah, so I think it would be best we find a time to talk. Probably with Dahlia too. Actually, make that mandatory with her too. All three of us need to talk.
Astrid rested her chin on my shoulder. “Tell him I say hi.”
Astrid also says, hi Doomsday.
Do you want to talk now? And hi Red.
Astrid smiled at his response. She may have had a jealous-girlfriend reaction to him the first time we met, but they did get along these days.
Today isn’t good for me. Too much going on. We’ll work something out.
I set my phone on the coffee table. “Well, that just happened. Guess I’m meeting up with my new cousins at some point.”
