Page 133 of Last First Date

“I understand,” I replied, feeling guilty. “If there’s anything I can do to make it right, please let me know. I never intended for you to be collateral damage in all of this.”

Waverly stopped, turning to face me with a serious expression. “You need to understand, this is not just about tonight. It’s about all of it.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You assumed the worst of me. You thought I couldn’t handle the event, that I would mess it up,” she said, her eyes searching mine. “That’s not the kind of support I need or deserve.”

Her words hit me hard, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You’re right, Waverly. I underestimated you, and I’m sorry. I need to do better. Please, don’t quit. We can work through this. You’re an asset to the company.”

“If you’re not going to fire me, I’m not quitting,” she said, smiling.

57

WAVERLY

The weight of the last few weeks was easing. It felt good to get up there and expose Benjamin. I thought it was also going to put Knox in his place. I had come out swinging, without really thinking about who was on the other end of my blows. It dawned on me that Knox had been a pawn in Benjamin’s game, just as much as I had been. Benjamin tried to destroy Knox through me. We had both been played.

Stopping in the quiet corner of the street, I turned to face him. “Did you give him my phone number?”

“No, Waverly. I had no idea about Benjamin’s actions until tonight. I’m not his ally. We’ve never been friends. I would never give him your number. I also made it clear he wasn’t supposed to talk to you. Clearly, he didn’t listen.”

The tension began to unravel. It struck me that my anger toward Knox had been misplaced. He’d been going through hell with the Benjamin thing and his grandfather. He carried all of it without saying a word. It made me feel bad.

“I’ve been so angry with you,” I admitted, my voice carrying a hint of regret. “But it seems we were both played by Benjamin.”

Knox nodded. “I understand why you were angry. But I want you to know that I’m not the person you thought I was. I haven’t given you a lot to go on. I don’t open up to anyone. I don’t trust many people. But you’re different, Waverly. I trust you. I may not show it or say it often, but I do. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you and prove that I’m not the enemy here.”

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. It was as though a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Knox’s words reassured me that he hadn’t intentionally betrayed me. In fact, he had been just as much a victim of Benjamin’s manipulations as I had been. Benjamin had almost succeeded in destroying the friendship we had built. Maybe it was more than a friendship. That was another hurdle. It might have been a little much to try and tackle our feelings for each other right away.

“I appreciate that, Knox,” I said softly, my anger dissipating. “I apologize for jumping to conclusions and not giving you the benefit of the doubt. We were both blindsided by Benjamin, and I’m sorry for blaming you.”

Knox’s eyes softened, and he reached out to gently squeeze my hand. “Apology accepted, Waverly. We’ll get through this together, I promise.”

In that moment, I realized how lucky I was to have someone like Knox in my life. Despite his guarded nature and the challenges he had faced, he was willing to fight for me and stand up against the manipulation we had both endured.

Benjamin may have thought he could tear us apart, but in the end, he only brought us closer. A surge of gratitude and understanding washed over me, and in that moment, I realized that Knox had never been the enemy. He’d always been in my corner. I just couldn’t see him there.

Without giving it a second thought, I leaned in and kissed him. Knox reciprocated the kiss, despite his obvious surprise. As we pulled away, a spark of uncertainty flashed in his eyes. He took a step back, his expression serious. He held my hands in his, staring directly into my eyes.

“This isn’t just a fling for me, Waverly,” he confessed, his voice sincere. “I need you to know that I’m in love with you. That fact has to be clear. I don’t want there to be any doubt in you. I love you. I will spend every minute of every day proving it to you. I know I have to earn back your trust and I will do it.”

The admission hung in the air. I met his gaze, a range of emotions swirling within me. My heart was flipping and rolling and doing all kinds of things in my chest. “It’s crystal clear, Knox.”

Without hesitation, I kissed him again, the connection between us deepening. We were standing on the sidewalk and things were getting heated very quickly. It was always like that when I was with him. He did something to me that I couldn’t quite explain.

“Would you like to come to my place?” I asked quietly.

His eyes lit up. “I definitely want to go to your place.”

“Did you drive or take an Uber?”

“I drove. You?”

“Drove.” I grinned. “I wasn’t sure if I would need a quick escape.”

“I’ll follow you,” he said anxiously.

I couldn’t believe the last couple of weeks of strife were all for nothing. We should have talked. All of this could have been avoided with a conversation. In the future, I would. I would pin him down and make him talk to me.