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She scowled and looked away. “I guess we’re both big liars”
I tipped her chin up with my fingers. “No more lying to each other. Okay?”
She nodded and bit her lip. “Let’s call my mother tomorrow and tell her we’re back together. Trying to work it out. And we’ll tell them who you really are.
I groaned. “That should be fun.”
“We can skip over the whole fake dating thing. One shock is enough for them.
I agreed. “What’s important now is that we’re really dating this time.
“Right.”
“So, if we make this call tomorrow, does that mean I can stay with you tonight?” My eyes silently pleaded with her. “You already know I can be a perfect gentleman if we share a bed. Even if you crawl all over me.”
“I did not!” She pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest. “You must have pulled me on top of you.”
I pulled her right back to me. “Your place or mine?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Mine. It’s old and tiny and charmless, but at least I wouldn’t call it a total dump.”
“Let’s go, then.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck. “Kiss me first.”
I smiled, closed my eyes, and kissed her softly. The electricity ramped up quickly. I deepened the kiss, moving my lips with hers in a passionate embrace. Our tongues moved together in perfect harmony until we were both breathless, and I finally pulled away.
“That’s all you get for now.”
Chapter 25
Summer
Itwasagorgeousday in early May for the Kentucky Derby. I glanced over at Knox as we strolled through Churchill Downs with my parents right behind us. He looked entirely at home among the sea of wide-brimmed hats and pastel dresses, sporting his own preppy outfit, while somehow still managing to look devastatingly sexy. I couldn’t help but admire how he carried himself, his confidence as intoxicating as the mint julep I sipped.
“It’s really crowded,” I murmured, taking in the bustling scene before us. The racetrack was filled with excitement; people chatted animatedly, placing bets and laughing with friends. The women wore their best sundresses, accessorized with vibrant hats and sunglasses, while the men donned dapper suits or sport coats. The air was thick with anticipation — it practically crackled with energy.
“At least we’re not in the infield. You said our seats were pretty fancy.” Knox reminded me, raising an eyebrow as he adjusted his dress shirt, looking nothing like the rock star that I’d gotten to know over the past six weeks of dating for real.
I’d spent many Derby days of years past in the infield with eighty thousand other partiers. The party started early morning and by afternoon, the infield was like spring break gone wild. The last time I’d been in the infield on Derby day, it had poured down buckets of rain for hours, turning the atmosphere into drunken mud-wrestling debauchery. Even though some of my old friends still bought general admission tickets, I’d left those days far behind.
“My parents are in clubhouse box seats,” I replied, “but their box was already filled. She was able to get us 300 Level seats through her friends, which are still really good. It’s not Millionaire’s Row or the Turf Club, but it’ll be really fun.”
“Let’s go have some fun, then,” he suggested with a wicked grin. I felt my pulse quicken. I still had to pinch myself sometimes when I remembered who he was and that millions of fans loved him and his music. How did I get so lucky to stumble into a relationship with him?
As we made our way through the crowd, I couldn’t help but notice the scrutinizing glances Knox received from both men and women alike. Knox was careful not to react, but I was sure that people were trying to guess if he was a celebrity. And for a moment, I felt a surge of pride — the lead guitarist of Ghost Parker was my boyfriend.
“Summer,” my mother called, breaking me out of my thoughts. “Your father and I are going to find our seats. Why don’t you and Knox stay down here and enjoy the atmosphere?”
“Sure, Mom,” I agreed, trying to sound casual. I knew the amount of walking we’d done was quickly tiring out my mother. “Go get off your feet. Hopefully, you’re in the shade.”
With a nod, my parents disappeared into the throng of people, leaving Knox and me alone to navigate the chaos together. As the next race approached, the excitement around us swelled, and I could feel it seeping into my bones.
Knox was a big fan of the mint juleps, but I didn’t enjoy the bourbon as much. I gave him my commemorative glass half filled with the concoction and he downed it in one gulp. “Do you want another? Or something else?”
“A glass of wine would be great.” I staked a spot against the railing while I waited for him to return. There was alcohol everywhere, so it didn’t take long for him to return.
“Ready for this?” Knox asked, handing me my wine as we settled our backs against the railing, in position to watch the horses thunder past when the race began.
