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“You okay? This is a good surprise. Well, at least for me.” He gave a half-smile that faded into something more awkward when I failed to answer. “X-ray ended up having to go to urgent care. Hairline ankle fracture. But I spent all night in the ER with him, wishing I’d tried harder for your number.”
“It’s new.” My voice came out numb, almost robotic. “I wasn’t lying. I didn’t have the number memorized.”
“That’s even better news. So you weren’t looking to blow me off?”
I’d been looking to blow something all right, but definitely not my longtime friend’s way-too-attractive, way-too-young kid. Assuming this was Knox, I was so, so screwed, and not at all the good kind. Twenty-three felt a hell of a lot younger than the twenty-five-ish I’d assumed. Of age or not, Rob would not forgive me if he found out.
In the light of day, Knox did look younger. Board shorts. Sandals. Messy hair. Scruffy beard. No way would Rob accept any “I swear he looked older” BS, even if I doubted Knox got carded often. That was the sort of line creepers used. I was the one who was forty-freaking-one and should have known way better.
“We can’t—”
“Monroe!” Rob came striding out from the back of the house where the big kitchen and family room were located. “I see you met Knox. Good. I was just telling him earlier that you said yes to the summer plan.”
“You’re Monroe?” Now it was Knox’s turn to look stricken and confused. “I thought Monroe was some retired, older dude.”
“Knox.” Rob’s tone was scolding, which somehow made everything worse. “Have some manners. Especially if you want a room for the summer.”
Rob’s dad voice had me waiting for the bolt of lightning to take me out.
Monroe, you idiot, I lectured myself. Don’t assume. Ever. I was a fucking naval investigator. I was feared throughout NCIS for being relentless and finding even the tiniest connections between details. But not apparently when it came to my own life. I’d assumed Rebound—Knox—was older, and my loose hookup ethics hadn’t bothered to press for an actual name, something I was kicking myself for, big time.
“Rob?” Jessica’s voice sounded from the kitchen. “Did you move the pepper grinder?”
“Coming,” he called back before he pointed at Knox. “Take Monroe out back to the party. Fruit can go on the food table, beer in the cooler. And try to make a better impression.”
“Sure thing, Dad.”
Dad. Death seriously couldn’t come fast enough. Knox had an easy smile, but as soon as Rob disappeared to the kitchen, his expression transformed, face wrinkling with either pain or disgust, possibly both.
“I need one of those beers.” He plucked the six-pack from my hand, pulling one loose as he led the way to the patio doors to the deck and backyard.
“You can’t—”
“Twenty-three, remember?” He deposited four beers in the cooler and held out the last one for me after I set the fruit platter on the table with other side dishes. Below us, kids ran free while a few clumps of adults stood or sat talking.
“Don’t remind me.” I groaned. And damn it all to hell, why did he have to make flipping open the bottle cap sexy. He held out the bottle opener, and our hands brushed, every bit as electric as on the dance floor, and I wanted to groan for a whole different reason.
“Hey, I look older. You look younger. It all washes out. Cheers.” He clinked bottles with me. “Let’s start again. I’m sorry for the reaction. Dad made it sound like his friend with the hoarder house was old. Like Henri was. That kind of old.”
“As opposed to my kind of old?” I shook my head, not sure I’d ever felt more ancient. “Henri was my great-aunt. You knew her?”
“Just the stories about what a character she was. I’ve never been inside the house, but I remember the metal reindeer she’d put on the front lawn every year until she got sick. I’ve always wanted to explore the place. I’m looking forward to that. Among other things.” He gave me a pointed look I couldn’t quite decipher. Or rather, maybe I didn’t want to. If he was willing to pick up where we’d left off…
No. Better to assume he wasn’t.
“No exploring. No way.”
“What? You don’t need summer help? Dad said it was a done deal that you had a place for me.”
I bit back an exasperated noise. Because I so did have a place for him. Under me. Over me. Next to me. My body wasn’t picky. But I couldn’t. We couldn’t.
“And Dad is exactly why this can’t possibly work.”
“Oh wait.” He peered closer at me. “Are you not out? I just assumed…”
“I’m out. Your dad’s known longer than the navy even.”
“Yeah, he’s cool.” Knox had an offhand tone that reflected none of my panic and terror back when I’d told my friend group. Knox’s casualness only underscored how much younger he was. Different world now and all that. Knox smiled easily. “I told him and Mom when I was in middle school. So, if we’re both out, I’m not sure I see the problem here.”
