Page 75 of One Last Thing Before You Go

“So, Knox. Where are you from, originally?” Jim asks, volunteering as tribute to change the topic.

“All over the place, actually. Growing up, my mom and I moved around a lot. Eventually, we settled in a little town in New Jersey. After that, I went to art school, and haven’t really lived anywhere for more than a month or two since.”

“Wait, really?” Jim asks. “How did you manage that?”

“Well, I’m a freelance photographer—photojournalist—for a lot of travel magazines and websites. So I basically travel the world most of the time and take pictures wherever they send me. I’m never home, so I thought it would be pretty much a waste of money to rent my own place. I guess, technically I live with my mother?” I grimace. “But that’s just for legal reasons— a place to send my mail, keep some of my photo equipment, park my car when I have a trip overseas. That kind of stuff. But when I’m in town, I just stay at an AirBnB or something.” I don’t want her to think I’m a twenty-seven-year-old weirdo who lives with his mom.

Lottie smirks up at me, tightening her hold on my hand. “Don’t worry. I don’t think less of you for it. I am a thirty-four-year-old divorcée living in her brother’s garage, after all.” She means it as a joke, but I know her well-enough to recognize when her self-deprecation is a coverup for how she truly feels about herself.

“So you’re a nomad,” Alejandro says.

“Ah… Yes. I guess so, yeah.”

“Not one for staying in one place.” It’s not a question.

“Uh… By trade. Not so much by choice.”

“What does that mean?” Lottie’s brother barks, raising a questioning brow.

Brandon groans.

“Ah, fuck, man. Come on, drop the protective brother shit and leave him alone,” Daniel begs.

“Alejandro,” Lottie bites back. She looks at me apologetically. “Sorry my brother is such a loser,” she whispers, low enough only I can hear.

I mouth, “I got this.”

I turn back to Alejandro. “It just means that, right now, my job requires me to travel. It’s what I do.”

“So that means you just come and go as you please, then? Like a sailor.” Alejandro looks pointedly at me, and suddenly I get it: he thinks I have a woman in every port.

“Whoa. No. Not like a⁠—”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Bonnie cuts in. “We’ve heard enough about Knox’s boring job. Let’s talk about something else.”

“Right. Because traveling to exotic locations and taking pictures on someone else’s dime is boring?” Lottie mutters in my defense, but no one seems to hear her.

“Baby, she’s just saying that to change the topic,” I whisper, squeezing her hand in mine, letting her know I’m fine. An uncomfortable dinner with a dickish relative is nowhere near my limit of things I would do just to spend time with Lottie.

She nods once in understanding, a hint of a smile on her face.

Daniel clears his throat. “Tell us about the store reno. How’s it going? When can I start sending potential clients your way to check the place out?”

“Not for a couple of weeks. But things are good.” Lottie sits up a little in her seat, genuine smile spreading across her face this time. “Really good, actually. I somehow managed to get Luke to stay ahead of schedule⁠—”

“Through fear, no doubt,” Brandon snorts, but proudly gazes at his sister-in-law.

“Absolutely,” I pipe in. “The other day she threatened to⁠—”

“Excuse me,” she cuts me off. “There are children present.” She nods towards the kids’ table. The table bursts out into laughter, Alejandro included. “But yes. I did tell him I would cut off and feed him certain body parts if he so much as stepped a toe outside my schedule. And it felt good.”

“I bet.”

“Nice! I like to hear my sister’s kicking butt,” Daniel beams at her—just like everyone else at this table. Her siblings and in-laws all look in her direction as if they’re seeing her for the first time again in years.

As we say our goodbyes to everyone at the end of the night, I slip my leather jacket over her shoulders. Leaning in, I take advantage of the situation to breathe in her scent, feel the heat of her body on my fingertips.

“What are you doing?” she asks softly.