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Matteo glanced around at the rest of us, as if searching for clues to why this would upset Ghost. He was a mystery to us all, though.

“Is that bad?” Matteo finally asked.

“They want to hire in someone new and have me manage them. I don’t know how to deal with people. I can’t be someone’s boss.”

He looked utterly horrified.

Matteo tilted his head. “Well, have you talked to Holden or Axel about your concerns?”

Forrester Bros Auto Shop & Junkyard was owned and operated by a group of guys who grew up as foster brothers. Holden was the business manager, while Axel specifically ran the junkyard.

“They said they’d think about it,” he grumbled. “But they think I could do it and they trust me.” He huffed as if someone telling him they trusted him was a dirty word.

“Pushing yourself is uncomfortable,” Matteo said slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. “But it’s not a bad thing to grow. You’re not in the same place you were when you started the program.”

Ghost crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair, and grunted. It seemed he was done with the conversation.

Matteo smiled briefly. “Keep me updated, Elias.” He turned to me. “Now, you, Joey.”

“Saving the best for last, huh?” I joked.

“The best pain in the ass,” Tex quipped.

Hollywood elbowed him, judging from the wince and grunt.

“Yeah, that’s fair,” I said.

“It’s not,” Hollywood returned, shooting his boyfriend a glare. “We know you’ve been going through a lot.”

I grimaced. I was so over being the poster child for guilt and remorse. I didn’t want the guys to spend their time worrying about me. They had their own problems.

“The new job is fine,” I said. “My co-worker is cool, and the manager isn’t so uptight. I’m going to make it work.” I met Matteo’s concerned gaze. “I promise. I won’t let you down again.”

He sighed. “You never let me down, Joey. It’s not about that. I just want the best for you, and I want this program to work. But if it doesn’t, then we need to get you the resources that will.”

I shook my head hard, heart thumping. “No, I don’t want to— Redemption Road will work. It will. I’m not going to screw it up again.”

“Hey, easy.” Knight cupped my shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “No one’s kicking you out.”

I wet my lips. “Matteo said this was my last chance.”

Knight’s hand tightened, giving away his surprise. “Did he?”

“I didn’t word it exactly like that,” Matteo said. “But I can’t ignore it if the program isn’t the right fit for someone. It’s all about what’s best for Joey.”

“It was a wake-up call. I know. You’ve been really patient. I’m not mad about it. I just…I’m going to make it work. I swear.”

“Okay,” he said softly. “I believe you.”

The meeting broke up shortly after, and the guys all crowded around my table. Hollywood and Tex, holding Ruby, slid into the opposite side of my booth. Even Ghost stood beside it, blocking my exit.

“Okay, now that the formal meeting is over, tell us about this lunch with Dakota,” Hollywood said. “How did it go?”

I’d kept the guys in the loop on each step of Operation Apology. Well, except for Kit’s surprise visit. That was too raw to share with anybody. I struggled to think about it without experiencing a mix of arousal, shame, and longing. It was like stepping into quicksand and sinking beneath the surface, unable to breathe, so no, that was going to stay between me and Kit and my confused cock.

“It went okay.” They all stared at me, waiting for more. “I don’t know. It was really hard. There were a lot of emotions flying around. She, uh, shed a few tears and I wanted the floor to open and swallow me, you know?”

“Ah, kid. That’s tough.”