I shifted my gaze, catching Tex’s glare. It wasn’t meant for us, though. I followed his hard stare to a group of rowdy men at a booth a few feet away.
That must be his sister’s ex and company.
“Well, let’s go see what kind of mess we’re walking in on,” I said grimly, starting toward Tex.
His gaze flicked up, and surprise flared in his eyes as he saw us approach.
He shook his head. “Fuck off, Knight. I’m not goin’ back.”
“No one’s asking you to go back.” Not yet, anyway. “We’re just here to get you to your parole meeting. No sense borrowing trouble, right?”
He lifted his pint glass and took a long swallow of beer. “No point to it.”
I pulled out a chair and sat. Joy followed my lead.
“What’s good to eat here?” He waved a hand to get the server’s attention. “Damn, I amstarving.”
Tex sent me a disbelieving look. “Adopted the poor little rich kid, I see.”
“Hey, fuck you,” Joyride said almost cheerfully. “Better the rich kid than the runaway fuckup.”
“Joy,” I said warningly.
“What? He started it.”
“And we’re not children.”
He rolled his eyes and slumped in his chair. Okay,someof us weren’t children.
The server approached our table. Joyride perked up,eagerly ordering the special, along with a beer. Ghost asked for a beer too. I asked for water.
“Water? Really?” Joy said. “You’re such an old man.”
“The water is for you. You’re the one driving. I’ll be having your beer.”
“Fuck’s sake, it’sonebeer.”
I ignored him and turned my attention back to Tex. “What’s going on here with your sister?”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“You’re watching her ex like a hawk. When we went to her place, she seemed to expect trouble.”
Tex rubbed his jaw, which he’d let get more bearded than usual for him. Usually, he rocked a sort of well-groomed country-boy look. Wranglers with cowboy boots, plain black T-shirts, a Dallas Cowboys ballcap he was pretty much never without.
“Messy divorce,” he said. “My dad wanted me to come keep an eye on the situation. It might get…ugly.”
I frowned. “What do you mean by ugly?”
“It’s not your problem.”
“Come on. We have one another’s backs. You know that. If you need our help?—”
“I don’t,” he said shortly. “That’s why I didn’t invite you all up here. It’s why I didn’t take your calls. Take a fucking hint. I don’t want any of you in trouble because of me.”
“What about you?” Ghost asked. “You looking for trouble?”
Tex picked up his pint glass and finished off his beer. “Maybe I am.”