“I got one about dragons,” Finn says, coming up behind Leah.
Glancing around, my gaze slams into Knox’s. Dammit. I thought I’d be safe at the Daily Grind. This place is always so busy that I never imagined Knox would willingly come here. I suppose if he’s been with Holt and his girls all day, he’s likely here because Holt suggested it.
He looks at me with the same intensity he always does. It’s as if he’s trying to see into my soul and examine every broken piece of me. Without the anger in his eyes, his appraisal is almost worse.
I’m a little like a bug he wants to pin on his wall. That should terrify me, but for some reason, it only makes me curious. He’s a mystery wrapped up in an enigma. I want to know why he’s not pissed at me anymore. Why has he treated me like shit for so long, only to suddenly do acomplete one-eighty? It’s not as if I’ve changed how I interact with him.
I’d ask him if I believed I’d get a straight answer, but he’d probably just scoff at me instead of explaining.
The kids sit down at a table by themselves while Holt and Knox find spots between Gia and Gwen. I listen to my friends chat, catching up on what everyone has been up to today. It doesn’t seem to matter how many times I sit in situations like this—I still have a hard time believing I get to join in on these mundane moments of friendship.
Knox sits back to listen as well, his mouth quirking up a little when Holt tells a funny story about Finn and Leah at the library sale today. It’s weird to see him without the scowl on his face. I’ve always thought he was handsome, but the vitriol he would throw at me was too distracting for me to acknowledge my attraction.
His dark hair has grown out quite a bit since the fall. It curls over his ears to the point where I’d imagine he has to push it out of his face when he’s not wearing a hat. His full beard isn’t scraggly either, which surprises me. I wouldn’t have thought Knox would use products to take care of his beard, but there’s a good chance I’ve been wrong about a lot of things.
Suddenly, his eyes meet mine, and I flush, knowing I’ve just been caught staring at him. It’s then that I realize his eyes are actually a caramel color instead of brown.
I’m ensnared by his gaze, unable to look away even though it would be the smart thing to do.
In the blink of an eye, Knox is twisting, his arm shooting out to catch Leah as she trips over her feet. A second later, and her little head would have smashed into the corner of the table next to ours.
Knox’s grip on Leah’s arm allows him to lift her until she’s standing. Once she’s balanced, Leah bursts into tears. Herterror of almost falling needs an outlet, and to my surprise, Knox scoops her into his lap, talking softly to her as he gets her to calm down.
He gently rubs the arm he had to grab, where red marks are starting to form on Leah’s skin. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he says softly, wiping Leah’s tears from her cheeks. “Are you okay?”
Her breathing is stuttered as she inhales. A little nod is all Knox gets in return, and she stays snuggled against his chest. Holt comes around the table and squats in front of her. Leah blinks at him and falls into his arms. She doesn’t cry anymore, just hugs her dad around the neck.
“I needed to go potty,” she says to him.
“Okay, monkey. Let’s go.” Holt stands with Leah still in his arms and heads back to the bathroom.
A collective breath of relief settles over the rest of us now that the moment is over.
“That was a great save, Knox,” Gia says with gratitude.
He shrugs. “I’m glad she didn’t hit her head.”
“Same.” Gwen nods.
Gia and Gwen start discussing the Independence Day extravaganza. Gia was tapped to help with planning, and apparently, it’s a hot mess. Last year’s organizer didn’t keep track of anything they did to plan the event, so Gia has had to start from scratch with only a couple of weeks to get it together.
I try to participate in the conversation, but my thoughts keep going back to how Knox comforted Leah after she fell. Saving her is one thing—apologizing to her for hurting her arm when he caught her is another. Not to mention the way Leah was so comfortable in his arms.
It’s just further proof that the Knox I’ve interacted with isn’t the same one everyone else does. Which begs the question, which version of him is the real one?
CHAPTER 19
Knox
Inarrow my eyes at Finn. His wide grin screams of innocence when I know he’s not innocent in the slightest. “Are you cheating over there?”
Finn giggles as he pulls the cards toward him. “I don’t even know how to cheat.”
I grunt, annoyed that my six-year-old son is beating me handily in War. I’ve only got a few cards left in my hand. It won’t be long now before he takes them all.
Round after round, we play until we get into another battle that I manage to win. This is why I both love and hate this card game. It keeps Finn entertained for a long time, but that also means I have to play until one of us either forfeits or loses outright. I’m usually the one forfeiting for one reason or another. Dinner is in the oven, so we’re playing until the timer goes off.
I’ve been counting down the minutes.
