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“You’re getting lucky again,” Tex said.

Hollywood sauntered closer and wiggled his eyebrows. “I always get lucky with you.”

“You walked right into that one,” I called. “And FYI, I’m not late, you fu”—Ruby turned her head my way—“uh, funny guys.”

Tex carried Ruby over to the ball return. “Want to take a turn, Roo?”

“Yeah! Roo’s turn!”

“Okay. Teck is going to bowl with you. We’ll do it together.”

I raised an eyebrow at Hollywood. “He’s actually calling himself Teck now?”

Knight meandered over, a plastic cup full of soda in his hand. “It’s weird, right?”

“Definitely weird,” I agreed.

Hollywood shrugged. “When you have kids, you’ll understand.”

“But Knight’s already got his Biscuit baby,” I joked. “Do you baby talk to your dog, Knight?”

He suddenly looked shifty and cleared his throat. “You better go find Matteo. He was worried about you.”

I sighed. “But the meeting hasn’t even started.”

“Like you haven’t bailed on it before?”

“Fair,” I grumbled.

At the front of the lane, Tex bent over Ruby and helped her hold the lime-green ball between two hands. Together, they rolled it between her legs. It slowly meandered down the lane, looking as if it might stop before it reached the pins. But it was the little bowling ball that could, eventually making contact with a gentle tap that knocked over three pins.

“Good job!” Hollywood called, clapping.

Ruby turned, clapping her little hands. “I did it!”

Tex scooped her up, gave her a spin, then handed her off to Hollywood. He kissed her cheek, making her giggle and squirm.

There was a time he was unsure of himself as a dad. He had come a long way in just a handful of weeks. I wish I could say the same for me, but my life just kept circling the same drain.

Though, maybe, with Dakota’s offer to volunteer with New Horizons, I could take steps to atone for what I’d done. It wasn’t absolution, but it was something positive I could put into the world.

And if it meant I saw Kit again? I wouldn’t cry about it. He’d been mostly civil at lunch. Maybe, once the shock wore off, he’d even like me a little. Not like before, but…well… maybe as a friend?

Probably wishful thinking, but it was all I had right now.

I headed across the lacquered floor toward the built-in plastic booths in the alley cafe. Matteo had already set out two large pizza boxes. Two pitchers of soda, a stack of cups, and paper plates sat beside them.

Matteo looked up as I approached.

I raised a hand. “Present and accounted for.”

He smiled. “I guess Knight mentioned I was getting a little antsy, huh?”

“Something like that.”

“It’s been touch and go here lately with you. I just want to be sure you’re working the program.”

“I get it. I haven’t been very reliable.”