“Little LA wants Bar B Que ribs and mac and cheese, ouu and baked beans.”
He was off the hood before she finished the sentence. “I’ll be back. G, y’all want something?”
“Nah, I’m good.”
Rolani headed toward the row of grills set up near the entrance, and Kennedi watched him go. Watched the way people moved out of his path without him asking. Watched an older woman stop him to say something, her hand on his arm, familiar. Watched him smile and nod before moving on.
Paige watched him go, then turned back to the group. “So, Spirit. How’s book four coming?”
“Slow. I’m stuck on the second act.”
“Writer problems,” Kennedi said. “I get it.”
“Giovanni keeps asking when he can read one.” Spirit rolled her eyes. “I told him absolutely not.”
“He’d never let you live it down,” Paige agreed.
“Exactly. Bad enough he knows I write romance. He doesn’t need the details.”
“Pop would’ve had jokes for days,” Giovanni said, walking back over, phone call finished. His voice was lighter when he said it, but the grief was still there underneath, quick and contained.
Spirit’s smile faltered for a second. “Yeah. He would’ve.”
The moment sat there—brief, heavy, real.
Rolani came back with two plates—ribs, mac and cheese, beans, and collard greens on both. He handed one to Kennedi and kept the other for himself, settling back against the hood of the car.
“You didn’t have to get all this,” she said.
“You’re eating for two. You need all this.” He picked up a rib.
They ate while the races continued, and the night settled into a rhythm. Bass thumping, engines roaring, people moving through the crowd like it was a club with no walls.
“I’m glad you brought me out with you, baby. I had a good night.”
“Good, I wanted you to see that being home can be fun.”
“And the food. Mr. Curtis got a customer in me. The ribs fell off the bone.”
“I love yo ass, I swear.”
She shrugged as she finished her plate.
Around ten, the crowd started thinning. Giovanni mentioned something about getting Paige home before she turned into a pumpkin. Spirit said she needed to get back to her manuscript.The night was winding down, but nobody seemed in a rush to end it.
“Robin’s home Thursday,” Giovanni said to Rolani while the women said their goodbyes. “You ready?”
Rolani nodded. “Been ready. I got Kennedi’s old place set up for him. I need to stock the fridge, and he’s good.”
“He’s gonna be alright, man. He’s got you.”
“He’s got all of us.” Rolani dapped him up. “Appreciate you, bro. For everything.”
“Always.”
They loaded up and pulled out, the Demon rumbling through the now-quiet lot. Kennedi leaned her head against the window, full, tired, and content.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, not looking at him. Watching the trees blur past.
