Page 73

Because looking at her in that light orange dress—fabric pulled tight against the waves of her hips—I am in awe, the color making her curls look like sunshine got tangled in them. There’s a thin velvet bow tying her hair back like a present. Elegant and beautiful and way out of my league.

Not only that, but she’s smiling—big and bright and so genuine it hits me like lightning zapping to the ground in a flash. It’s not me she’s smiling at, though. She’s smiling because she’s dressed up and going out with a guy that doesn’t have oil stains under his nails after years of maintenance and actually knows what he wants to do with his life.

The guy who probably never drives around rehearsing confessions to a steering wheel.

“Is everything okay?” Her smile slips, and I hate—hate—that I’m the cause of it. “Knox?”

“Sorry. Yes.” I clear my throat and all those words I saved up in the car, all the wishing and practicing I performed on the way here, dissipate into thin air. What was I thinking? She’s happy, genuinely happy, to go out with this guy, and I rushed up here ten minutes before her date in hopes of ruining it. Just how much of an asshole am I?

One look at that smile and I know I can’t ruin this for her. Not now and not like this.

“Are you sure?” Her brow creases. “You seem off.”

“I came to apologize. I was a jerk the other night, and I ran out while you were sick and…” I take a deep breath and try to filter through my thoughts, leaving all the bad and hopefully dropping the good off to her. “I’m so sorry I made it seem like it’s a burden to be there for you when things fall apart. That’s in no way what I meant, but I understand it being taken that way. I should’ve just kept my mouth shut.”

“So…you still don’t think she’s coming, then.”

I open my mouth and close it. I don’t want to lie. “No. I don’t. But I want to be there for you regardless of if she does or if she doesn’t. It’s a privilege to be there, Felicity.”

Her smile tilts up. “Thank you, Knox. I really appreciate it.”

“Yeah. Yeah. So, anyway, uh, good luck. With the date and all. I hope it goes well. I’ll see you later.”

“Knox.”

“Hm?”

“Could you help me? No one else is here and I can’t zip this all the way.” She gives me a shy grin, like I’m someone worthy of her being shy around, and I try not to let my voice shake when I say sure.

I follow her in and shut the door behind me.

The house smells like vanilla candles and her shampoo. The lights are dim, soft. Dangerously soft considering no one else is here and she looks like that and I’m already on the verge of crashing out.

She pulls her curls off her back and lifts them to show me the exposed skin of her upper back. I’ve seen this woman in tiny polka-dot bikinis, but this six inches of bare skin has me fumbling.

My fingers shake as I zip it up to the top and tuck her tag in before she lets her hair fall. “There you go.”

“Thank you. I’ve been struggling with that for longer than I’m willing to admit.”

“No problem. Anyway, I should head out. Let you finish before he gets here.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I really do hope you have a good time tonight, Felicity. And I really am sorry.”

I make my way down the front porch steps, and she calls out behind me, “It’s okay, I promise. I forgave you before you even came here.”

Of course she did. She forgives everyone who doesn’t deserve it. Her mom and I both included.

Chapter Twenty-Eight Flick

“Is the AC too cold?”

Yes, it’s an igloo in here. “Oh no, I’m fine.”

“You sure? I can give you my jacket.”

“No, really, I’m good, thank you.”