Page 92 of Hollywood

“Just hear me. Please,” he said. “I want to be here with you.”

“I do. I hear you, Tex. I’m sorry.”

He kissed me again, more gently. “I have to go to work.”

I sighed. “I know.”

“Are we okay? I don’t want to leave things…”

“We’re okay,” I promised. “Just talk to me about how you’re feeling. If your dad is giving you a hard time, I want to help.”

“There’s nothing you can do, and I don’t want to drag you into the abyss with me, Holls. You’ve got enough to worry about.”

“A lot less because of you, though. You share my burden. Let me share yours.”

“I’ll try,” he promised.

It was going to have to be good enough. A guy like Tex didn’t change overnight. I’d learned that the hard way when I kissed him back in June. But eventually, he found his way back to me. I had to hope this would be the same.

He’d find a way to lean on me. He just had to learn how.

CHAPTER 20

Tex

Hollywood pressedup behind me and hooked his chin over my shoulder. “You don’t always have to cook.”

I gave the sausage and peppers a final stir before turning off the burner. “I don’t mind. Besides, when you tried those chicken-fried steaks?—”

“Don’t finish that sentence!” Hollywood smacked my arm, making me laugh. He’d burned the breading while the inside remained mostly raw. That took a special skill—but not one any of us wanted.

“I meant I could bring home Zacos, asshole.”

“Asshole?” Ruby echoed. “Asshole!”

Hollywood clapped his hand over his mouth, looking horrified. That only made me laugh harder.

He spun. “No, sweetie, no. I said apple! I’m getting you someapplejuice.”

She looked skeptical. “You call Teck an apple?”

I snickered until Hollywood elbowed me. “Do something,” he muttered between clenched teeth.

“Your Daddy is weird sometimes, honey. He called me an apple.” I shrugged. “I guess it’s because I’m so sweet.”

I swept her up and pretended to gobble her belly. She squealed and laughed, and by the time I set her down, she was done questioning our vocabulary.

“Okay, time to wash up for dinner.”

Hollywood took her hand. “Come on, Roo. Let’s go wash.”

“I an apple too!”

Oh, well, shoot. Apparently, she wasn’t going to forget that one. Hollywood shot me a look over his shoulder. I shrugged. At least she wasn’t calling us all assholes. I’d say it was a win.

I was still chuckling quietly as we all sat down to eat. I’d plated up sausage and bell pepper with rigatoni and a marinara sauce. It wasn’t fancy, but it was tasty.

“How was work?” I asked Hollywood.