Ride Steady (Chaos #3)(148)

Joker turned his attention to Kam. “Carissa’s got somethin’ she wants to mention to Mrs. Heely.”

“Yes?” Mrs. Heely asked. “What’s that, dear?”

“Actually, Joker has something to mention,” Carissa said.

“Wasn’t my idea, Carrie,” he reminded her.

She kicked him under the table again.

He dropped his head and grinned at his cherry pie–smeared plate.

“Well, someone spit it out,” Linus put in.

Joker turned eyes to his woman and again lifted his brows.

She made an irritated noise that was f*cking cute before she cast her eyes down the table.

“There’s a house for rent across the street,” she announced.

Linus looked to Kam.

Mrs. Heely’s brows drew together in confusion. “There is?”

“It’s two bedrooms,” Carissa declared. “Not small, not huge, a lot like this house. I went over and chatted with the current renter. She’s really nice and she loves that house, but she got a job in Boulder so she’s moving there.”

“Is that so?” Mrs. Heely said, still looking confused.

“It has a big yard but that should be okay. There aren’t a lot of plants and shrubs to maintain,” Carissa went on.

Mrs. Heely didn’t look any less confused.

Jesus.

“Carrie wants you to move into it, Mrs. Heely,” Joker stated.

Linus grinned at Kam.

Joker’s attention was diverted by Travis hightailing his ass across the floor toward the dining room table.

“I… um, I… well, I don’t know what to say,” Mrs. Heely said as Joker pushed back his chair and got up to go get Travis.

“The for rent sign has a number. I can call. We can have a look,” Carissa told her.

“I’m in a place, sweetheart,” Mrs. Heely replied.

“I know,” Carissa said and Joker could hear the caution.

He bent and lifted up Travis.

Travis immediately shoved an arm out toward the couch.

Joker took him there.

“But this place is bigger,” Carissa went on. “And it’s closer to Carson. He doesn’t officially live here, but he’s here a lot. And he’d mow your lawn.”

Joker sat on the back of the couch and looked to Linus, and he didn’t try to hide how he felt about how he was now going to mow Mrs. Heely’s lawn, something he didn’t know was part of the deal.

Linus was shaking and doing it hard, trying not to laugh out loud.

“Carissa, you’re being very sweet, but I’m happy where I am,” Mrs. Heely told her.

Joker took in the look on his girl’s face, knowing she didn’t believe that.

“I have company,” Mrs. Heely said gently. “Anytime I want, there are folks around. We have things to do. They plan activities away and we all get on buses and go. It’s fun. And I still have my car, so it isn’t like I don’t have my freedom. I just have to let someone know I’m going.”

“Okay,” Carissa mumbled.

“And I’m halfway between you, Carson and Travis and Linus, Kam and the kids. Perfect spot,” Mrs. Heely kept at her.

“Right,” Carissa said, adjusting her plate in front of her.

“I love you want me close,” Mrs. Heely said on a loud whisper, and Joker looked at the back of her head. “That’s very sweet. But I’ve got friends where I am, and I like that I can still take care of my own place. Anything bigger, even a little bit bigger, that would be a lot on me.”

“I could help,” Carissa offered immediately.

“You want Carson to have his family,” Mrs. Heely replied quietly and Joker’s back shot straight.

He didn’t know that was it. He just thought it was Carrie being Carrie, taking care of people, taking care of a woman who meant something to him like her father took care of the woman who raised him.

Carissa didn’t answer, but it wasn’t lost on Joker that she avoided looking at him.

And there it was, that was it.

“I’m not far away,” Mrs. Heely said.

“You’re right. It was a stupid idea. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up,” Carissa returned and Joker could see the pink in her cheeks. She made a move to get up and start collecting dishes.

“Carrie,” Mrs. Heely called.

Carissa stopped moving, planted her ass back in her chair, and looked to Mrs. Heely.

Mrs. Heely said nothing.

But then again, Joker didn’t see her face.

What he saw was that Mrs. Heely actually did say something. Just not with words. He knew it when Carissa’s face went soft, her eyes especially. He knew it when Linus cleared his throat. And he knew it when Kam fidgeted, pulling her napkin from her lap and suddenly pushing back, grabbing some plates, averting her eyes, and moving directly to the kitchen.

“Okay,” Carrie whispered.

“Okay,” Mrs. Heely whispered back.

Whatever she said was huge.

That being, he figured, Mrs. Heely officially passing the buck of looking after Joker to his girl.

Joker didn’t make a big deal of it. It was over and the women started to clear the table.

So he joined the boys on the couch, or actually he let Travis do it, but he allowed this when he could pay attention as they rough-housed with their toddler friend to make sure Jackson and Tyler didn’t do any damage.