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“What, like you go to hospitals or something?”
“Well, we’ve mainly visited nursing homes, but we did also hit River Rocks Rehab, and I’m in talks with the hospital about visiting the oncology department.”
“Oh, wow. I didn’t know you did that.”
“It’s all new.”
“Then you must have met Kit, huh?”
“Yeah, I did. He seems like a good doctor.”
There was something about Axel’s tone that hit wrong. I tilted my head. “You don’t like him?”
“I didn’t say that. He was just a little…uptight, I guess, when the topic of Bailey dating an ex-con came up. He seemed a little judgey.”
“Ah, well, you know he’s Dakota’s brother, right?”
“Dakota Willis? As in…”
“The woman I paralyzed in a car accident.” I swallowed. “If he was judgey, it wasn’t really about Bailey or his boyfriend. It was about me.”
“Oh.”
“We, uh, met, and it rattled him.” I chewed my inner cheek. “I think he’s working through it. He’s a great guy.”
Axel took the plastic bag full of doggo supplies when I held it out, then hefted the bag of dog food over his shoulder again. “He seemed good with his patients. Thanks for letting me know. I won’t write him off just yet.”
I smiled faintly. “Good. Don’t.”
He went over to the door, and I followed him, so I could finally close up the shop.
“I’m not writing you off either,” Axel said. “Hang in there”—his eyes dropped to the nametag on my work vest—“J-Dog.”
I rolled my eyes at the stupid name. “Thanks, man.”
Axel jogged across the parking lot to an ugly green El Camino, where he dumped all his supplies. A fluffy corgi stuck its head out the cracked window and gave a sharp bark.
I flipped the sign to CLOSED, closed out my register, and turned off all the lights. I was headed to my Hummer ten minutes after Axel had left.
I usually raided my mom’s freezer for steak, but that would take me ten minutes out of my way, so I went through the Zacos drive-thru instead and ordered their big-bag special of assorted pizzacos.
When I got to the empty lot by Ghost’s camper trailer, the guys sat around a blazing firepit. Their chairs were pulled significantly closer to the fire than usual. When I stepped out of the Hummer and a sharp wind cut right through my fleece pullover, I knew why.
I hugged the bag of pizzacos to my chest and jogged across the lot. Knight’s gray-and-white Boston terrier met me halfway, jumping against my legs and barking.
“Yes, yes, I’m here! Good to see you too!”
Tex lifted his beer bottle in greeting. “About time! Did you bring steak?”
“Nope.”
He sat back. “Well, shit. Is it salmon patties again?”
“The salmon was great,” Hollywood said. “Don’t be a diva.”
“I’m not a diva.”
“Just a Texan,” I joked. “Sorry. I worked late, so you’re gonna have to live with Zacos.”
