Page 89 of Hollywood

I tilted my head, thinking about that. Clint had told me he didn’t have anyone else to pass the shop onto. Maybe the barbershop customers were his family and friends. Not so different from us, in a way. Redemption Road was a family of sorts, too.

I had Ruby—and maybe I’d even have Carrie again, in some co-parenting role—but Tex and the other guys were mybrothers. Except for the whole fucking Tex part. That was a little less brotherly.

“What’s got you snickering over there?” Tex asked.

Everyone looked at me. I shook my head. “You don’t want to know. Trust me.”

Tex gave me a long look, almost as if he knew my mind was dwelling on things better left unsaid. He turned to Ghost. “I was thinking about putting in a garden at our place, but you’ve got a lot of space out here. What do you think of me planting a crop or two?”

“As long as I don’t have to keep it alive,” Ghost said. “I’ve got enough work as the park groundskeeper.”

“How’s that going?”

“Nina likes to get her money’s worth,” he said dryly.

A loud motor cut through the night, and we all turned to watch Joyride’s yellow Hummer pull to a stop. He hopped out, a grocery bag swinging from his fingertips.

He crossed the weedy lot toward us and handed it to Ghost. “Here, you won’t starve now.”

Ghost looked into the bag. “Salmon patties?”

Joyride shrugged. “I grabbed the first thing I saw. My mom’s been doing some sort of seafood diet.”

“All right.” He turned for the grill. “We’ll see how this goes.”

“Joy!” Ruby exclaimed as she wiggled her way down Tex’s legs to the ground. “Joy! Joy!”

Everyone chuckled as she made a beeline for him. He scooped her up, his tense face relaxing into a genuine smile. “Hey, girlie. Did you miss me?”

“Park,” she said.

“Ah, you only love me for my park trips.” He nodded. “That tracks.”

“I was getting worried I was about to be replaced as the favorite,” Tex said.

Joyride smirked at me. “Yeah, not happening.”

Hopefully no one else noticed the subtext that Tex was my favorite, as well.

Joyride took a seat on the other side of the fire, holding Ruby in his lap. She played with his hair, which was long enough to brush his collar. Biscuit trotted over to investigate the newcomer with a few sniffs, then curled up on Knight’s toes.

“How are you doing, Joy?” Knight asked. “We heard you got a little surprise at the rehab center.”

He wasn’t one to beat around the bush.

Joy shrugged. “I’m fine. I’m the one who got to walk away from the accident, so…”

“Doesn’t mean you’re not hurting,” Knight said. “And if you are, we’re all here for you. Hollywood said you were pretty shaken up.”

Joyride scowled. “Holly shouldn’t be blabbing my business.”

“I’m sorry. When you didn’t show for the meeting yesterday, they were worried. We’re all here for you.”

“Yeah, well.”

He didn’t seem to have anything to say to that. He gazed at the fire, looking lost.

“Joey,” I said tentatively. “We just want to make sure you’re okay.”