Ride Steady (Chaos, #3)(95)

He remembered. All the kids he saw year to year, the man remembered.

“Yeah,” Joker agreed.

“Are you married? Settled? Seeing a girl?”

“Yup. You remember Carissa Teodoro?”

At that, Mr. Robinson smiled huge and remarked, “I see she finally got you to notice her.”

Fuck. The man didn’t miss anything, even shit Joker, who wanted that to be true and paid attention, didn’t see.

“Yeah,” was all he said. Then he went for it. “Are things really good with you?”

If he remembered Carissa’s crush, Joker wanting to be a mechanic, he sure as f*ck wouldn’t forget where they were the last time they saw each other… and why they were there.

Even if it wasn’t his business, Mr. Robinson gave it to him, also easy. “They’re fine. We haven’t been able to…” he trailed off, cleared his throat and kept going. “We’ve settled into the we we need to be. We wanted more. But you’ve got to learn when to let go and focus on what you have.” He grinned, it was part sad, part defiant. “Prettiest girl I ever saw, best wife a man can have. It could be worse.”

It sure f*cking could.

Joker just hoped he could find a way to give him better.

He didn’t say that.

He said, “You always had it goin’ on.”

The grin stayed in place when Mr. Robinson replied, “Glad you agree.”

That day, while Carissa was on shift, Joker had worked at Ride. She’d be off shift soon and Robinson had worked all day.

He needed to let him get home to his wife and dinner.

So he reached into his back pocket, took out his wallet, pulled out a card, and shoved his wallet back in while extending the card to his old history teacher.

“Card for Ride. You can call in, ask for me. But my cell’s on the back. Just in case you’re interested in what I’m building, you can stop around. Anytime. You tell me when, I’ll be there and I’ll show you.”

Mr. Robinson didn’t hesitate. “Couldn’t keep me away.”

That hit him in the throat, and Joker forced a swallow to wash it away before he said gruffly, “Right. Let you go. Call when you want.” He jerked up his chin and finished on, “Good to see you again, Mr. Robinson.”

“Man to man now, Carson. I’m Keith.”

Joker nodded to him. “Keith.”

They shook hands again and Keith Robinson lifted up the card. “I’ll give you a call.”

“Look forward to it.”

Robinson gave him a smile and headed to his SUV.

Joker went to his bike.

Mounted on it, he looked left into the cab of the truck.

Robinson was shifting into gear, doing it looking down and also doing it smiling.

He’d worried.

Joker had given him closure. He’d also given him relief.

But back in high school Keith Robinson had given Joker a whole lot more.

And on that thought, the impact of all Carissa was forced to accept due to circumstances struck him so hard it felt like a power punch to the gut.

He’d run away, worked his ass off, ate shit, walked through hell, got his diploma, worked to get his mechanic’s license, and come out the other side.

So he’d forgotten how it felt. How deep it ran. How intense the desire was, how extreme the hope was that you’d one day be in a position to give back to those who put brightness in a dark life, cutting through the black.

Unconsciously, even if years had passed, once he’d opened his eyes, he’d set himself on a course of giving back.

And taking in the smile he gave a man he respected, he determined he’d stay true to that course.

No matter what it took.

*

When she walked in the back door, Joker was at Carissa’s stove, stirring the thickening sauce, dinner around the corner because she’d texted him half an hour ago with I’m off in thirty. Then I’m on my way home. You better be there, sweetie, because I’m STARVED.

He’d been there.

He turned to see her walk in and toss her purse on the counter.

“Yo,” he greeted.

She grinned at him.

Then she blinked.

After that she asked, “What on earth is that?”

He looked down into the pot then to her. “étouffée sauce.”

Her eyes got big.

Fucking cute.

“Like, shrimp étouffée?”

“No. Got crawfish. So, like, crawfish étouffée.”

She wandered to him, her eyes on the pot. “Where’d you get crawfish?”

“Got it at the LeLane’s close to Ride. Also got the étouffée mix at the LeLane’s close to Ride.”

Her head tipped back and her eyes caught his.

Now she was pouting.

Totally f*cking cute.

“You didn’t come to my store?”

“Carrie, you gave me half an hour to pull this shit together. Ride is close to your pad, but your LeLane’s overshoots this house by ten minutes. The LeLane’s by Ride is only a few minutes outta the way.”

“I see,” she muttered, her eyes drifting back down to the pot.

“You done chattin’?’ he asked, and she looked up at him.

“I’m not sure.”