“Dude, what’s going on in that head of yours?”

Jed’s voice jerked Quincy from his thoughts. “Hey, Jed. How’s it going?”

“You tell me. I must’ve said your name three times. You a’right?”

“Yeah, man. Just thinking.” Quincy picked up another book from the cart and shelved it.

“Anything I can help with?” Jed asked.

When he and Jed had first met, they’d bonded over their difficult pasts. Jed’s father had died when Jed was eleven, and Jed had been in and out of trouble for years and had even spent a few months in jail before finally cleaning up his act.

“Maybe. Did anything change between you and Josie when you told her about your past?”

Jed shrugged, walking alongside Quincy as he shelved more books. “I don’t think anyone wants to hear that the guy they’re falling for was a thief or spent time in jail, but we worked through it. Why? What’s up?”

“Roni and I got closer last night.”

“I’m not surprised after spending time with you two. That’s great.”

“Yeah. She’s amazing. You talked with her—you know how smart she is—and she’s so fucking cute, she kills me.” Quincy laughed a little, remembering how surprised she’d been the first night they were together, when he’d said he was cool with just kissing, and how cute she’d been when he’d kissed her onstage last night.

“Josie and I really like her, and Bear and Tru weighed in this morning at the shop,” Jed said. “They dug her, too, and it was easy to see how into you she is.”

“Yeah. I’m so damn lucky.”

“She’s lucky, Quince. You’re a catch. Just ask any of the million women who try to get your attention, or anyone who knows you.”

Quincy motioned for Jed to follow him into the next aisle and said, “I appreciate that. I can’t stop thinking about her. Her dad’s a dick—a gambler and drinker. She hasn’t seen him since she was a kid, and she has no idea who her mother is. She’s got no family, and other than one friend and maybe her boss, I don’t think she’s got anyone to lean on.”

“She’s got you.”

“You’ve got that right, even more so now. But weird shit is going on in my head. She’s got this quiet strength about her, and I know she can handle herself. But she grew up in a seedy area, and it pisses me off that her grandmother never moved her out of there. She’s too good a person to have had to deal with that shit.”

“Quincy, you of all people know you can’t change the past. Don’t even bother thinking about it. It’s a waste of energy. She’s out of there now, and she’s safe.”

“Yeah. But I made a mistake, and it’s been weighing on me all day. I didn’t tell her about my past before we took things further, and I feel like I should have.”

“Did you sleep with her?”

Quincy put the last of the books he was shelving in place and said, “No.”