Page 15 of Ashes to Ink

But Ryan didn’t mind. Landon was hot, and he was also one ofRyan’s best friends. He and Landon had never dated, and considering that heknew that Landon’s gaze had settled on another of their friends, a certain artteacher with a penchant for glaring at them both, Ryan was glad they hadn’t.

Plus, Ryan had always had eyes for Abby. Landon had noticedthat from the start, even if it had taken a little bit longer for everyone elseto see it.

“I can’t believe that Carter got burned as bad as he did atThea’s bakery,” Landon said, shaking his head. “I swear, between the tattooshop getting broken into, and the bakery having a freaking explosion, it’s likeone thing after another with the Montgomerys.”

“Truer words have never been spoken,” Ryan said, turningwith two shirts in his hands. “The dark blue or the black?”

Landon raised a brow, shaking his head. “They’re the exactsame shirt. Just in two different colors.”

Ryan shrugged. “You say that as if you don’t own eighteen ofthe same shirt.”

Landon put his hand on his chest as if wounded, and Ryanrolled his eyes. He knew that Landon was trying to jokingly come on to himbecause it was safe. The two of them were friends for a reason.

“You’re an idiot. I’m just going to say it now. You’re anidiot.”

“No, Ryan, my dear boy, you’re the idiot. And you want towear the other black one you have. The one that I gave you for your birthday.”

“That shirt? No. That shirt cost more than I make in amonth.”

Landon rolled his eyes and pushed Ryan out of the way. “No,not so much. And I know what Adrienne and Shep payyou and what you make from your clients. You make a hell of a lot more in aweek than I paid for that shirt. I got it on sale. I like money. Therefore, Idon’t spend it unless I have to. Remember?”

Ryan huffed out a breath and then stripped off his currentshirt before putting on the one that Landon handed over.

“See? I was right. It looks the best. And make sure youbrush your hair and put in some of that gel you like. I already know thatyou’ve already taken care of your facial hair. You take care of your beard morethan you take care of anything else on you or in this house.”

Ryan ran his hand over his beard and grinned. “It takes alot of work to make this look good.”

Landon burst out laughing. “Are you saying you don’t lookgood unless you put work into it?”

Ryan flipped him off. “Oh, shut up. Beard care is some ofthe most important care you can do. It takes a lot of soaps and oils to makesure it smells nice and isn’t a Petri dish of crap that you don’t want to thinkabout.”

“Emphasis on the crap.”

Ryan snorted since that was true. He and his friends who hadbeards took care of themselves, unlike some of the guys out there who grew abeard and ignored it. Didn’t they ever want their mouths on another person? Ifthey did, they needed to take care of their damn beards.

Ryan went to brush his hair like Landon had told him to. Hisfriend was better at this whole dating thing than Ryan was, so he would takethe other man’s advice.

“But back to Carter,” Ryan began, “he’s going to be okay. Asfor if he and Roxie are going to be okay together? That’s a whole other story.”

Landon sighed, leaning against the doorway between themaster bathroom and the master bath. “I know. I’m a little worried about thosetwo. I don’t think they’re going to last. I don’t think they can.”

Ryan met Landon’s gaze in the mirror. “Do you know somethingI don’t?”

Landon shook his head. “No, I don’t. I just have a feeling.But maybe Carter getting hurt like he did will force the two of them toactually talk to one another. Talking’s hard. People say it’s easy, then theyyell at each other for not talking when it’s important. But actually coming upwith the words and trying to figure out what you feel? That’s a lot harder thanit should be.”

Ryan glanced at his friend. He wasn’t sure if Landon wastalking about Roxie and Carter or him and Kaylee, but it wasn’t like Ryan couldask. As his friend had said, talking was hard. And he wasn’t about to broachthat subject when Landon wasn’t ready—or when Ryan had to think about Abby.

“Has Michael stopped by again?” Landon asked, seemingly outof the blue.

Ryan shook his head. “I haven’t seen him since he came bylast night.” His brother had stopped by two other times over the past week, andRyan had pushed him away each time. He hated doing it, but he knew it was forthe best.

Ryan had almost ended up in jail once because of Michael,and he wasn’t going to do it again. There was only one way to help his brother,and that was by making sure that Michael saw and confronted his own demons.Every time he came for food or money and Ryan gave in, Ryan ended up hurt, andMichael ended up in a worse downward spiral. Ryan had attempted to get Michaelcounseling, but he’d refused. He’d tried to get him treatment, and Michael hadalmost beaten Ryan to death.

There was nothing Ryan could do except try to protect hisown life and pray that, no matter what happened, Michael would land on hisfeet.

Because he always did.

“I just hope he doesn’t somehow find me on my date withAbby.”