Page 39 of Hollywood

“Tex! Where the hell have you been?”

“I’m over in Riverton helping a friend. Didn’t Chastity tell you?”

He huffed. “She told me some story about an accident and a kid? Everyone okayover there?”

“Yeah, my friend’s ex is in the hospital, but his little girl is okay. He’s taking?—”

“Good!” he interrupted. “I need you over here for some work.”

“Today?”

“Tomorrow morning,” he said. “Got us a couple of extra mowing jobs. It’s not fancy, but it pays the bills.”

“Sorry. I can’t do it.”

“What do you mean? You said everyone was okay.”

“Well, yeah, but I’m helping Hollywood with his daughter. He’s going back to work tomorrow, so I need to watch her.”

“So he can go back to work, but you can’t?”

“I’ll be back this weekend for the big job you lined up,” I said. “I can’t come before then.”

There was a beat of loaded silence.

“Fine,” he said curtly. “But you better not leave me hanging on Saturday, Tex. I’m counting on you. We both know reliability isn’t your strong suit, but try not to let me down, okay?”

My stomach twisted. “I’ll be there.”

“Fine. We’ll talk about your priorities then.”

He hung up without waiting for an answer. But that was probably just as well. I didn’t have one that would make him happy.

This weekend, I’d have to tell him I was quitting to move back to Riverton. He’d be disappointed in me. Again.

If I wasn’t fucking up one thing, I was fucking up another. I’d earned my father’s disappointments. Every one of them.

But pleasing him would mean disappointing Hollywood. And after failing him so badly once already, I couldn’t stomach doing it again.

Dad would just have to understand.

CHAPTER 9

Hollywood

Tex droveme to the barbershop the next morning, despite the apartment being a jumble of moving boxes and donate piles. We’d spent about six hours yesterday getting nearly everything in the house packed up for the move. I’d hoped to finish before returning to work, but Ruby crashed around eight, and we didn’t want to keep her up, so Tex would have to finish off a few more boxes on his own.

Ghost and Knight were loading up Tex’s truck for a second run when we left. They’d come over early to get as much done as they could before they had to report to their own jobs, though Joyride had promised to help Tex later in the day.

As Tex parked at the curb, a few people walked down the sidewalk in front of us. A little boutique next door attracted shoppers. I recognized Emory Gold and his friend, Allison, as they went through the door.

I hesitated to get out of the car. “I feel bad to leave you mid-move like this.”

“The guys are helping.”

I grimaced. “Yeah, everyone except me, and it’s my place.”

“Our place,” he said quietly. “And we did the hardest part yesterday. It’s mostly hauling and unloading today.”