Page 83 of Ride or Die

I turn over my shoulder to check on the kids, finding Tommy asleep, head resting against the window, Billie watching him from the opposite side of the back seat, like she’s scared to take her eyes off him. I’ve been checking on her constantly since we don’t have her booster, but I assured Cole it would be okay just this once. I’m still in shock that Bailey let him take her Jeep to come all the way to Lubbock to get us. Cole was right what hesaid to me that first day—it seems the people around here really do give a shit about each other.

When we pull off the country road and into the driveway, I’m taken aback to see Mama Joy’s truck parked out front, the lights on inside the house.

I glance sideways, meeting Cole’s eyes.

“I called her from the hospital,” he says as if to answer my unspoken question. “She insisted she stop by to get the house ready for when y’all got back. She’s… hard to say no to.”

And I should be grateful, relieved to have someone like Mama Joy—the kindest, most selfless woman I’ve ever met—here, helping, when she has the biggest event of the year happening back at her ranch. But, at the risk of sounding ungrateful, it’s almost like it’s too much. Overwhelming. It’s suddenly hard to breathe.

Before Cole even shuts off the engine, Mama Joy is rushing out of the house, a concerned look on her face, dish towel slung over her shoulder as she hurries down the steps.

“Hey, is this okay?” Cole asks, touching my hand and giving it a slight squeeze. “Because I can tell her to leave, if you need me to.”

“No, don’t do that.” I shake my head. “It’s… fine.”

He searches my eyes a moment before nodding once and killing the engine, and before I’m even out of the truck, Mama Joy is reaching in and wrapping her arms around me, hugging me so tight it knocks the wind out my lungs.

“Oh, you poor sweet thing,” she cries, pulling back and cupping my cheeks to get a good look at me. “Are you okay, baby?”

I swallow hard, and I know my smile is weak, but I don’t even have it in me to fake it. “I’m okay. Really.”

“I was so worried.” Mama Joy frowns, and I see the genuine concern in her eyes, which helps to ease some of the unwelcomefrustration from my body. This woman truly cares about me and Billie and Tommy. I need to remember that, because she and Cole are really the only people we have in our corner.

CHAPTER 31

COLE

Iturn and lean through the front seats to gently wake Tommy. He stirs a moment, his sleepy eyes opening slowly before he jolts as if it to wonder where the fuck he is.

“Hey, you’re okay, bud,” I assure him with a whisper. “We’re home.”

His face scrunches up like he’s in pain, but he doesn’t complain, swallowing hard and looking sideways at his sister who’s still watching him closely, like she ain’t ready to let him out of her sight just yet.

“Are you okay, Tommy?” Billie asks gently. “You can cuddle Curly if you want.”

Tommy forces a smile and reaches out, touching her arm. “I’m okay, sis.”

“Mama Joy’s here, and”—I glance out the window where the two women are talking lowly—“well, I wouldn’t be surprised if she done made y’all somethin’ good to eat.”

“I’m hungry,” Billie declares, as if she’s only just realized.

I smirk. “Me too, Miss Billie.”

Billie makes quick work of pushing open her door and jumping down, and when it’s just the two of us, I turn back to Tom, meeting his eyes.

“Sure you’re okay, pal?” I quirk a brow. “Ain’t no shame in sayin’ no.”

He huffs out a breath. “I dunno. It was just… It was really scary. I thought we were gonna—” He stops himself, pressing his lips together like even saying the word is too much.

I nod, noticing the tears well in his eyes. “You’re safe, buddy.”

Tom’s door pulls open with a soft click, Clara appearing in the opening, her smile uncertain as she looks from Tom, to me and back again.

“You okay, baby?” she asks softly, brushing his floppy hair from his eyes.

Tom looks from me to his mama and offers her the hint of a smile. “I’m okay.”

As soon as we walk inside, as expected, the house smells like a goddamn dream, Mama Joy rushing in ahead and disappearing through the doorway to the kitchen.