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I wondered what teenage Knox was like, loved getting that tiny glimpse into how he’d grown up.
“I bet you were super close to her,” I said.
“Yeah,” was all he said, and I could hear the emotion, the grief that was a lot newer than mine.
I checked the urge to touch the hand that clenched his jeans on his thigh. I didn’t want to bring on his sadness, so I went back to my family. “I’m happy my dad is happy. He deserves to be. But it’s taken me a lot of years to be able to see it that way.”
“You were a kid who lost her mom. It’s a blow at any age.”
I nodded. “I’d like to think I’ve grown up, but my relationship with Cynthia hasn’t changed. It’s exhausting. There are times when I just wish we could be closer. I love her kids so much, and they’ll always be part of my life. And my dad… He hates that we don’t get along.”
We were both quiet for a couple minutes. Then he asked, “Have you ever thought about sitting down with her and talking, burying the hatchet?”
“She’s never asked.”
“What if you approached her?”
I frowned, trying to imagine it. “I wouldn’t know where to start.”
“Maybe if you were the bigger person and made the first move, she’d admit she’s tired of not getting along too.”
“Maybe.”
Before I could think more in-depth about that, he asked, “So your stepmom was here too?”
I scowled, thinking back to earlier. “She tracked Hannah down by her phone and barged in. I’m sorry. I know we didn’t discuss me having people over.”
“They’re your family,” he said. “It doesn’t bother me. Seems to have bothered you though.”
“There was drama.” I sat up and cradled my knees to my chest. “She accused me of undermining her by letting my sister come over, even though I tried to get Hannah to understand that particular bonfire can be dangerous, especially on the night our two teams play.”
“So you took your parents’ side, but your stepmother was mad anyway?”
“She didn’t stop to ask. All she saw was that Hannah came to me instead of her. You’d think she would just be relieved her daughter has someone to talk to besides her friends.”
“Yeah, you’d think.”
I reclined again and shifted onto my stomach, folding my arms under my head, tired of thinking of it, of her. “So tell me about your afternoon.”
“My afternoon,” he repeated. He leaned his head back into the cushion, his gaze going to the ceiling. “Mixed bag. It was weird.”
“Weird how?”
“I had some good moments with my dad when I got there. Really good.”
“So that wasn’t the weird part?”
“That was the good part. Then I met everyone I didn’t know, one by one. Tried to fit in. Failed.”
I lifted my head to look at him, my brows shooting up. “Thatisa lot. Why do you say you failed?”
“I stuck out like a sore thumb. Me and my surprise baby.” He laughed. “Don’t get me wrong. Everyone was welcoming. Friendly. Loved on Juniper. Except for Cash, but that was expected. He’s still pissed I didn’t reveal who I was sooner.”
“Did he say something today?”
“Sure did. After birthday cake, he and I ended up in the kitchen alone. He said some things. I said some things. Then I decided it was time to call it a night.”
“I’m sorry. Cash has a good heart, but he doesn’t hide when he’s upset.”
