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!”
Chastity laughed. “Yeah, Mom hated it too.”
Her tone turned wistful. The longer we were together, the more Tex opened up. He’d told me his mom was the nurturer of the family, the one who kissed scraped knees, who baked cookies with them, who listened when they were afraid or angry.
Losing her had broken their family. Or at least, their father. Tex and Chastity were closer than ever. Meanwhile, his dad had lost another business and from what Chastity heard from the people she knew in Hayworth, he was drinking too much and circling the drain.
I should probably feel bad for him, but I didn’t. He’d thrown away a perfectly good son.
“I’m so glad you decided to make the move over here,” I told Chastity. “Tex is excited to spend more time with the kids.”
She smiled. “Yeah. He’s always been so good with them. But then, I don’t have to tell you.”
“Nope.”
Now that she was out of rehab, Carrie had custody of Ruby again.
But she’d be bringing her over soon for a three-night stay.
We’d decided that until Ruby started elementary, we’d split the week between us.
Once school started, we’d evaluate what was best for Ruby, but at the minimum, I’d continue to have her every weekend.
I missed Ruby when she was gone, but dividing the week really was the best of both worlds. I got to spend more time alone with Tex—and when I had Ruby, I had more energy to really be the best dad I could be.
Tex finally climbed down.
“Don’t do that ever again!” I wrapped my arms around him, dragging his head down to smooch his cheek. “I thought I was going to have a heart attack.”
He laughed and rubbed my back. “Seriously? That was nothing. I used to hang out on the roof of our house. Almost fell off once. Was hanging on to the eaves by my fingertips.”
Chastity laughed. “Dad was yelling at you to get your ass down, and Mom was bribing you with cookies.”
“Yeah,” he said with a sigh. “I miss those cookies.”
“Well, you’re getting no cookies today! I won’t reward you for scaring the crap out of me,” I said. “And don’t go showing Ruby how to climb anything, either.”
He drew back with a grin. “No rewards at all?” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
I smacked his ass. “Don’t get smart with me.”
He grinned. “I could have fallen to my death. I just thought you might want to appreciate having me around.”
I gasped. “Shame on you, playing on my fears to get some!”
He brushed a quick kiss over my forehead. “Can’t help it, darlin’. I’ve got no shame when it comes to you.”
He sauntered off to help Ghost with the tire swing. Chastity turned to me. “He’s really happy. I haven’t seen him brush off a mention of Dad so easily in a long time.”
I nodded. “He’s getting there. I know it hurts him still, but he’s got a lot of great things going for him.”
“Yeah, he told me about his promotion at Wilde Roots.”
“Yeah, he’s in charge of all inventory. He’s got a day shift now. We worked Ruby’s schedule around it, so it works out.”
“I guess congrats are in order for you too, right? Tex said you’re going to take over the barbershop.”
“Sort of? It’s still Clint’s place. He’ll continue to own it, but I’ll be managing it and bringing in some new barbers to expand the business. The plan is that when he’s ready, it’ll eventually be mine.”
“That’s amazing!” she said. “I’ll bring the boys in for cuts.”
“Do that. I’ll give you the family rate.”
“What’s that?”
“Free, of course.”
“Even better,” she joked. “I’ll be a bit tight on cash until I get my first paycheck.”
Chastity had gotten a job as a server at Sauced, of all places. Tex had talked to the owners, who’d fired him last year. Apparently, they felt so bad about letting him go that they instantly offered Chastity the job.
I went inside to help her unpack. Aiden joined us, too, while the other guys finished setting up the playground in Chastity’s backyard. Robbie and Lanie were already taking turns on the tire swing.
By the time Carrie pulled up in her teal blue Jetta with Ruby in the back seat, Knight had set up the patio furniture on the deck and was dropping into a chair with a tired groan.
I met Carrie in the front yard. She still moved a little slower than I remembered—a slight hitch in her stride—but she unbuckled and swung Ruby to the ground with relative ease.
“Hey, Roo!”
Ruby ran toward me, arms already outstretched. “Da!”
I swept her up, swung her around, and planted a big kiss on her cheek. Tex came around the house. He must have heard the car.
“There’s my girl.”
Ruby twisted in my arms. “Tex! I wanna fly!”
She’s finally gotten his name’s pronunciation down, but I kinda missed her calling him Teck.
He plucked her from my arms and tossed her into the air. She was larger now, at three, but still so tiny in his big hands. “Is this all I am to you?” he teased. “Just an airplane ride?”
“Yes!”
He pulled her down and blew a raspberry into her neck. “Wrong answer!”
She giggled. “You’re my Tex!”
“Good enough,” he said with a grin, cuddling her for a moment before putting her down. “Tex is filthy. You wanna know why?”
She gaze up at him with curious eyes.
“I was making a surprise in the backyard. Go see.”
She took off like a shot, nearly tripping over a rock in her hurry.
“Be careful!” Carrie called. “Slow down!”
“You’re wasting your breath,” Tex said with a chuckle.
“I know,” Carrie said with a sigh. “She’s got boundless energy.”
“You doing okay with that?” I asked.
Carrie had only been out of rehab for two months. She still did outpatient therapy.
She smiled at me. “Yeah, but I’m glad we’re sharing custody. I couldn’t do it seven days a week. Not yet, anyway.”
I slipped an arm around her, hugging her from the side. “You got anywhere to be?”
“Not really. Why?”
I urged her forward. “Come meet Tex’s sister, Chastity. She’s got three kids. Ruby will probably spend a lot of time with them.”
“Okay,” she said with a smile. “I’m curious about this surprise.”
We walked around the house, pausing when we reached the backyard. Ruby had already found her way onto the slide, squealing as she slid down. Lanie was right behind her, giggling.
Tex wrapped an arm around me. “Not bad for a day’s work, huh?”
“Not bad at all.”
“This is great,” Carrie said. “I never get over to the park with Ruby as much as I’d like.”
“I know, right? Now, we can pop over so easily, and Ruby will have some great playmates.”
“Lanie’s five now,” Tex said. “The boy on the tire swing is Robbie. He’s six. Dylan, the oldest, is inside brooding because the Wi-Fi isn’t working yet.”
Carrie grinned. “Sounds about right.”
“He’s ten going on fifteen,” I added. “He massacres Tex on video games every weekend.”
“Harsh,” Tex said.
“But true!” Chastity singsonged as she joined us. “Hiya. I’m the sister.”
“I’m the ex-fiancée.”
“Ooh. You must have stories,” Chastity said with an evil glint in her eye.
“So many stories. But I bet you have some too.”
“I sure do.” Chastity linked arms with Carrie and led her farther into the yard. “How would you like to help me break out the margarita mix while we share war stories?”
“I’d love it.”
I exchanged a look with Tex. “What have we done?”
“Something very scary.” He nuzzled into my neck, planting a kiss that sent a zing down my spine. “But also very good.”
“Come grab a beer!” Knight called. “Joyride bought supplies!”
We all went up onto the deck behind the trailer. There were only four chairs but plenty of railing. I found a spot to perch, and Tex hopped up beside me.
“Are you grilling?” I asked.
“Nah. I’m too pooped. I called out for pizza.”
“Good plan,” Tex said with a laugh. “Did you get sausage?”
“And jalapenos,” he added.
“Of course.” Aiden rolled his eyes. “This man cannot live without a little spice.”
“Why do you think I’ve got you?” Knight said, pinching his side.
Aiden jerked with a laugh, then turned to retaliate. Joyride handed out beers from the six-pack of Nebraska Red from a regional brewery.
I twisted the top off and took a swig from the bottle. “Hey, not bad. You didn’t get watered down crap.”
“Hey,” he protested. “I have good taste.”
“Eh.” I wiggled my hand in a so-so gesture.
“Says the guy who likes those god-awful IPAs,” Tex teased.
I huffed. “I have superior taste, that’s all.”
“Well, I can’t argue that your taste in men is great,” Tex said.
I snorted. “Think highly of yourself, do you?”
“You chose me, so I must be pretty damn awesome,” he said. “Nothing else explains it.”
I grinned and leaned in against his side. “Yeah, you are. The most awesome.”
His hand brushed my back, sliding under the edge of my T-shirt, stroking warmth into me and making me crave him even more than I had back when I foolishly kissed him and nearly scared him off for good.
I’d wanted him then. Longed for his touch.
But now it was different. Tex wasn’t a fantasy.
He wasn’t a hazy collection of what-ifs or might-bes.
He was the man by my side, day after day, through early mornings, through chores, through the mundane annoyance of bills and oil changes. He was my every day. My ordinary.
But also my extraordinary.
With him and Ruby, I had everything I needed.
But the guys, Carrie, and Chastity and the kids were there too. A tribe of our own, a family of our choosing.
Tex’s dad had bailed on him. My mother had washed her hands of me when I wouldn’t go back to the life she thought best.
But we didn’t need them. We had a family of men who were far from perfect. They’d made some mistakes, even hurt people around them—but they were loyal and caring and had huge hearts.
I’d take them in my corner any day.
Chastity and Carrie emerged, frozen margaritas in hand. Tex’s sister looked out at the darkening horizon where the kids were still playing.
“I think we’re going to be real happy here.”
“I know we are,” Tex said.
I turned to him with a smile, heart full. “Yeah, we really are.”
His arm tightened around me, and he was easy to read now, his eyes warm. But I didn’t have to worry about reading him. He leaned in and kissed me, easy with his affection in a way he’d never have dared a year ago.
“You’re the best thing to ever happen to me, darlin’,” he murmured in my ear.
I smiled. “Ditto, babe. Always.”
Joyride's story is next! Can he make amends and find love with Kit---or is he destined to live without the redemption he's not so sure he deserves?
They call me Joyride because it’s what got me sent to prison. But it only reminds me of all the pain I’ve caused…
Two days after my eighteenth birthday I stole my parents’ car and went joyriding. I was mad at my dad, freaked out about my sexuality, and hurt that my best friend was dating someone who wasn’t me.
I was reckless. Driving too fast. Heedless of the rain. Crying.
The car spun out of control and crashed into another vehicle, changing the course of two lives forever.
Five years later, I’m out of prison and finally at peace with being gay. I’ve got a good group of guys at Redemption Road who are focused on moving forward. But I can’t. All I can see is Dakota Willis, the other driver, paralyzed because of my actions.
When I run into Kit, my hot hookup from Omaha—a physical therapist who seems interested—I think this might be my moment to look forward instead of back.
Then I discover he’s Dakota’s brother. It’s over before it started. But if I can’t be with him, I can at least face Dakota again. Tell her I’m sorry. Try to make amends.
If Kit hates me, I deserve it. If he uses me for his pleasure, I’ll serve as long as he wants. I’ve hurt these people, and I should hurt too.