“Books and—”
“Yep.Boring.”
“Hey, I happen to like books.When I told him that, we talked about what my latest read was, and...”
“And what was it?”
I bit the inside of my cheek and then started to laugh.“Actually, it was a very, very trashy thriller, and before you ask how it’s possible for a thriller to be trashy, just believe me, this one was.But he said he likes classics, so I told him I read some Charles Dickens.”
Knox burst out laughing.“And you see nothing wrong with that?”
“Ihaveread Charles Dickens at some point.”
“But you didn’t tell him the truth.”
I nodded sheepishly.“You’re right.I wanted to impress him.”
As he turned around to put the sandwich in the toaster, I got a good look at his back.God, those muscles.And his jeans fit his ass perfectly.I sighed, trying to remember what we were talking about.
“Dating is hard,” I blurted.
He turned around.Yep, his front was even more impressive.I mean, I’d always known that.But I couldn’t ogle him when he was facing me.I had to be sneaky and find an opportunity later.
I was just making sure every part of him was doing well after the accident.That was all.
“Then why do you do it?Just quit.”
“No.That’s how I got in this situation in the first place.I had a shitty-ass date last year and swore off men, figuring the right one would find me.And guess what?”I drummed my fingers on the island.“No one showed up.It didn’t happen.I thought a new hire—Gregory—at my school always liked me, but then I was wrong.So my friend Agnes and I made a pact: We’ll date as much as possible so we can find ‘the one’ ourselves.”
“So, how does this work?Do you have dates lined up one after the other, and then you decide which one you like best?”
I scoffed.“Of course not.That’s atrocious.I plan to set up two dates a week.I actually tell the guys that I’m having other dates so they know.And if the first date goes well, I cancel the second one.That’s the plan, anyway.I haven’t managed to have a good date so far.”
“Let me help you, then.Maybe I can introduce you to...Wait, no.That idea wouldn’t work.I mean, it’s just Finn left, and my friends aren’t what you would want.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Oh, I do.”
I raised a brow.“You think you know me so well, huh?”
“Humor me.What are you looking for?”
I had a very good answer.I’d rehearsed it a few times so I could tell it to my dates.
“I want someone who’s ready to start a family and wants to build a life with me.I actually have two dream scenarios for the wedding.When the time comes, I have no idea how I’ll choose.”I took out my phone and immediately brought up my Pinterest boards, holding the screen in front of him.
Knox jerked his head back, eyes wide, then composed himself.“Go on.”
Putting my phone back, I said, “I want someone who’s into baking so we can do that in our free time.Books are, of course, a plus.But I really hope to find someone who loves the idea of having three kids.”
Knox didn’t reply.
I frowned.“What are you thinking?It’s got to be bad, because you usually have something to say right away.”
He slowly turned back to take his dinner out of the toaster and then bit into it.
“Knox, you have to say something.You can’t leave me hanging like this.”
