Page 143 of Hollywood

Them and Chastity and the kids. Hollywood and Ruby, most of all.

Letting my dad go hurt. His rejection was a barb in my heart, tugging and tearing and stinging. But with every word of support from Holly, Chas, and the guys, it eased a little. Scabbed over a bit. One day, maybe it would only be a scar, barely visible.

Until then, I’d lean on my real family and know that I was loved without measure.

“Thank you,” I scraped out as I stood to leave. Work would only wait so long, though at least I wouldn’t have to put Ken in an awkward spot by begging for help when I got there. “The next time any of you need anything, I’m there.”

“We know,” Knight said.

“And we’ll hold you to it,” Ghost added. “I want those tomatoes this spring.”

“I call dibs on the peppers!” Knight added.

“What about me?” Joyride asked. “I want something, too.”

“I’ll put in a strawberry patch with your name on it,” I promised.

Hollywood stood and leaned in close. “Looks like you’re going to be feeding us all come harvest.”

I chuckled. “I’m happy to provide something.”

“You provide a lot,” he said, eyes meeting mine. “You provide everything I need.”

My heart thumped, and even though the guys were all around us, I couldn’t resist pulling him in for a kiss.

Knight gave a sharp whistle. Joyride hooted.

There was a time a public display of affection would have made me incredibly uncomfortable. But I was safe with the guys. With my real family. And I couldn’t bring myself to leave without telling Hollywood again how much he meant to me.

“You’re the best thing to ever happen to me. You know that?”

His lips curved, sweet and glistening. “Ditto, babe. Always.”

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EPILOGUE

EIGHT MONTHS LATER…

Hollywood

“Be careful, babe!”

I craned my head back, shading my eyes with one hand. Tex straddled a thick tree branch, affixing a rope for the tire that Ghost rolled over below.

A few feet away, Knight, Joyride, and Flynn were wrangling a swing set for Chastity’s new backyard. Her oldest son, Dylan, held out a packet of screws, eager to help the men.

Robbie watched impatiently, barging over to ask how long it would be every few minutes, while Lanie busied herself making mud pies in a corner of the yard.

Chastity and the kids had just moved into the trailer park—only a few houses down from us. Pretty soon, the Redemption Road crew would have this whole neighborhood locked down and I wasn’t mad about it.

Tex needed his sister close—especially after losing his dad.

He wobbled as he backed toward the tree trunk, and I cringed. “Oh, god, don’t fall!”

Chastity nudged me. “He’s fine, hon. He was a total monkey as a kid. We couldn’t get him to stop climbing things.”

“Really?” Above us, Tex shifted to secure his tools, balancing precariously. “Well, I don’t like it!”