Page 133 of Hollywood

He nodded, lips pressed tight. He couldn’t totally hide the tremble there.

“Oh, baby. I’m so sorry.”

His eyes gleamed with moisture, but no tears fell. I wished they would. This man needed to stop bottling up his emotions. But after a lifetime of toxic masculinity, did he even knowhowto cry?

“Don’t apologize,” he said. “I’m the one who fucked up.”

“Wrong.” I looked him in the eye, speaking sternly. “Your dad fucked up. You hear me? Not you.”

“I let you down.”

“No, Tex. No. Your heart was in the right place, and as long as you love me, you’llneverlet me down. I’ll never be disappointed. Because I love you, too. I don’t expect you to be perfect. I hope you don’t expect me to be perfect, because I’m not even close.”

“Youareperfect,” he argued.

“C’mon, Tex. I can’t even make French toast without ruining a pan!”

A startled chuckle escaped him. “Okay, but that’s a small thing. This isn’t like that. You were counting on me to help you with the bills. You need this home for Ruby, and taking care of her is the most important thing.”

I nodded. “Yeah, it is. But Nina can’t evict us for like thirty days. We can come up with the rent before that happens. I’ll pick up some extra shifts at the barbershop. Clint might let me work a couple of Saturdays.”

“I don’t want you to pay for my mistake,” he ground out. “I’ll try to get more shifts at the greenhouse, or maybe I can help Ghost with the park groundskeeping. I couldn’t make enough to cover the rent on time—not just working a couple of days a week—but if we’re catching up over the next thirty days, that might work.”

“It might,” I said. “But I’m still going to help.”

He drew a breath. Probably to protest again.

“We’re partners,” I said. “Right?”

“Right.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “You’re really just okay with this? I don’t understand.”

“It’s not ideal, but I think you coming out to your dad is a much bigger deal. The way he treated you was not okay, Tex.”

“You don’t even know what he said.”

“So, what did he say?”

He grimaced. “That I’m not his son and to stay the hell out of his life.”

“Not okay,” I repeated. “Not even close to okay. This man better hope he doesn’t cross my path. I will give him a piece of my mind, and it won’t be pretty.”

The ghost of a smile touched Tex’s lips. “You gonna fight for my honor?”

“I sure as fuck will.” I could tell he was trying to tease, trying to lighten the moment, but I needed Tex to understand something. “The way you called yourself a fuckup. That’s your dad talking. I’ve heard it before, and I didn’t like it then. Ireallydon’t like it now.”

“Sorry.”

“No, he should be sorry!” I exploded. “Because he’s making my boyfriend think he’s not good enough, and that’s not fucking okay.”

Tex ducked his head and rubbed at the back of his neck. “I mean, he’s right, though. I lost my football scholarship.”

“You had an accident.”

“A stupid, reckless one.”

“Maybe,” I allowed. “You were young.”

“And then I grew pot and sold it out the back door of my dad’s greenhouse. Dad lost everything once the scandal of my arrest came out.”