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Jana parked behind the grocery store and rested her forehead on the steering wheel. She couldn’t very well walk into the grocery store with her face streaked with tears. At least she hadn’t been wearing makeup. After all these years, and all this time, Knox had thought such a huge lie about her. It was so ridiculous that it was laughable, but since it was happening to her, there was nothing to laugh about.
She remembered the day she’d bought the pregnancy test. She’d gone to the next town because she was too mortified to get it in Prosper. When it came back negative, she’d sobbed out her relief, then determined that the one-time interlude with Knox would be her last. She didn’t want to be a knocked-up teenager, and there was no way she’d go to any doctor who might know her parents to ask for birth control. Besides, she was pretty sure Knox wasn’t the father type.
She’d been more right than she could have ever known then. According to Barb, he was hardly a part of his daughter’s life, and he’d been a terrible husband to Macie. It seemed that Jana had lucked out after all.
If so, then why did she feel so terrible now? Yeah, it was tough to think that Knox believed a lie all these years, but really, it was probably a good thing. If they’d talked back in high school, and he’d found out the truth, they probably would have kept dating. And Jana would be the one with an ex-husband now.
She took a deep breath, then released it. Yes, she was lucky. She’d dodged a bullet, as they said. There was nothing to cry about. She could let the pain go now. Knox had answered her question, and now that she knew what had happened to make him break up with her, she could move on.
No longer shackled to a wall of unanswered questions, life could only get better. Right?
Jana checked her appearance in the mirror. Not great, but not terrible, either. She pulled out the spare foundation powder she kept in her purse and smoothed some on. There. Her crying was hardly noticeable now. She’d be in and out of the store in a jiffy, and besides, her car was the only one here this early in the morning.
Ten minutes later, Jana was back in her SUV, having only encountered Trista, the teenage cashier who was putting in summer hours. So far, so good. Jana pulled onto Main Street, drove through town, then turned onto the road that would take her back home. She wasn’t all that delayed after all. Making the pickup time wouldn’t be a big deal, and she wouldn’t have to call and put them off.
She instinctively put her foot on the brake when she saw a man walking up ahead. This time, Jana wasn’t fooled. She knew exactly who it was. It seemed that Knox had gotten his truck part, judging by the sack that he carried. Because she’d been the one to pick him up, she knew he still had a way to go before he reached his truck. And he could walk. It was good exercise, right?
She continued driving past him, and he glanced over as she did so. When he lifted his hand in a wave—a wave goodbye, of course—something in Jana’s chest jolted. He’d been hurt, too. Despite all the ill thoughts she’d had of him for a very long time, he’d gone through similar emotions. He thought she’d gone behind his back and done something serious without bothering to consult or tell him.
Before Jana knew it, she’d pressed on the brakes and stopped. She closed her eyes and breathed out. Why was she extending the olive branch? She’d have to analyze it later, but for now, she was going with her gut.
She rolled down the passenger side window as Knox approached. She tried not to notice the definition of his tanned forearms as he rested them on the window.
“Must be my lucky day,” he said, his green eyes locked on hers.
The softness of his tone cut through her misgivings about stopping. He was grateful, that was clear.
“Get in before I change my mind,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am.” Knox popped open the door; a second later, he was sitting next to her, making the interior of the SUV seem extremely small.
His long legs barely fit in the space, and his shoulders were broad enough to nearly touch hers. But she wasn’t checking him out or noticing his scent of sage and the outdoors. If there was one thing that hadn’t changed about Knox Prosper, it was that he never put on airs. He didn’t wear cologne, didn’t wear fancy shirts, didn’t wear any sort of jewelry. He didn’t need it. And the whiskers on his chin added another dimension. His raw masculinity was appealing enough.
Stop, Jana.
She started driving, hating how her stomach was all fluttery. “Got what you needed?” she said, not because she necessarily wanted to have a conversation with him, but because she had to say something to keep her thoughts from straying where they shouldn’t.
“I hope so,” Knox said, opening his sack. He pulled out a U-joint. “Bill seemed to think this will fix it.”
Jana nodded. His truck was in sight, just up ahead. “And you know how to put it in?”
Knox chuckled, and despite any walls Jana had put up, the sound made her all melty. “Between Bill’s crash course explanation and YouTube, I’m counting on it. I’ve already had to forfeit my practice time at the arena this morning, so now I have plenty of time.”
Jana glanced over at him as she slowed down behind his truck. “Can you do it later today?”
“Nope.” Knox set the U-joint back into the sack and reached for the door handle. “I’ll just have to go tomorrow.” He popped open the door. “Thanks for this. I appreciate the ride, both ways. And I’m sorry about… earlier. For all of it. For not finding out for myself and believing two guys I knew were yahoos to begin with.”
Jana’s throat had gone tight. “I’m sorry, too,” she whispered.
Their gazes held. His green eyes were filled with sincerity, regret, sorrow… things she’d never expected to see from him. Not in her wildest hopes.
Knox touched the brim of his hat and climbed out. He shut the door, then strode to his truck. Jana didn’t move. She didn’t pull away. She merely watched him as he popped the hood of his truck and set to work.
“Damn it,” she muttered, then climbed out of the car. “Hey, Knox. If that can wait, you can use my car to get to the arena. Just drop me off at home. I’m making jam all morning, so I won’t need it.”
He turned slowly, his gaze finding hers where she stood like a nervous school girl giving out her first valentine.
“Ah, that’s sweet of you to offer, Jana,” he said. “But I don’t want to impose. I think we both know you’d like to roast me to a blackened crisp over a fire.”
