Oakley is acting strange, weirdly obsessing over irrelevant details—and all while Knox is in my family home, alone with our mother. Seriously, that’s disaster waiting to happen.
When I’m right, I’m right. I end Oakley’s inquisition by returning to the warm house. Mom has cornered Knox beside the fireplace, where he’s set the enormous box in the open spot she cleared during our date.
“Thank you so much for getting the tree down, Knox. We were planning to set it up last weekend, but Everly was horribly grumpy last Sunday after work, so we postponed things.”
Leave it to a mother…
Knox’s grin deepens.
His hands are in his pockets as he listens to more of Mom’s ramblings. He grins and nods along as if he hasn’t a better way to spend his time.
A patch of cobwebby material tarnishes the shoulder of his coat. I get two sweeps of palm across the spot when I realize what I’m doing. Knox smiles down. Little lines crinkle with charm around his eyes.
“Um, sorry.” I flick my finger in an up-and-down motion. You picked up some attic dust…”
“Not a problem, Ev.” He flashes me a wink.
In front of my mother.Bold move, dude.
A smile holding an alarming edge tips Mom’s mouth. “Everly, I’ve invited Knox to join us for lunch tomorrow, and then we’ll decorate the tree.” She flits a goofy smile at my date. “We can’t decorate without Christmas music, but I did agree to allow the Kansas City game to play on mute while we work.”
I’m floundering suddenly in an alternate universe. Tree decorating is a near sacred ritual for Mom, and she hatesfootball. Not only that, how dare she invitemydate on a…date…without asking me first?
“I’ve agreed, if it’s alright with you?” Knox’s voice contains a pleasant rumble. From what he’s said, I imagine he’s eager for any chance to get out of a boring motel room.
“Of course. Please come.”
Mom beams. “Wonderful. We’ll start at three o’clock. That’ll give you time to get home from work and get cleaned up.” She finishes off with a sniff, as if she can smell a day’s worth of diner stink on me even now.
Knox is grinning like a monkey who happened upon a banana as I take charge of the situation and guide him to the front door. Mom trails along, laboring under the misguided perception that the wrap-up of my date requires her presence.
Laying my hand on Knox’s sleeve, I turn and smile pointedly. “I’ve got it from here, Mom.”
I sigh heartily as I close the front door behind me, finally separating Knox and me from the pair in the house. “I’m sorry about my mom. You don’t have to decorate our silly tree.”
He cups my elbow, and his thumb sweeps tiny circles along my sleeve. “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” His thumb stills. “Unless you don’t want me to come?”
Our eyes latch, the energy zinging through the connection a two-way street. My throat is dry as I struggle to swallow. “I want you to.”
“Good.” His dimple inches out. “Because I want to.”
Okey dokey, lots of wanting going on around here. Does Knox have any idea his smile has the uncanny ability to blindside a girl with its abrupt shifting into movie star charm?
His touch at my elbow draws me closer. His gaze falls to my lips, lips that are beginning to tingle with anticipation.
The front door swings in. I jump back like a naughty child caught mid-antic. Oakley feigns surprise at finding us there.She lounges against the frame, fingering the ends of her long ponytail. “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you were gone, Knox.”
What’s her game? I expect embarrassing weirdness from Mom, but sisters are supposed to be more in tune.
Knox and I back away from each other. His glance waffles between Oakley and me, and the encounter devolves into sheer awkwardness.
And then he smiles that special smile of his, squeezes my hand, and says he can’t wait until tomorrow. He walks down the sidewalk, gets into his rental, and drives away.
My poor lips feel as if they got sent to bed without dinner.
Knox’s taillights are still visible when I wheel on my sister. “What was that all about, Oakley Marie Wilkes?”
I half expect her to play dumb, but she peers at me hard. “Things seemed to be moving kind of fast.” She shrugs with an air of supreme confidence. “I just slowed them down a bit.”
