“Wait, no. Keep the music.”
She brings her hands in for a clasp near the gold buttons on her red sweater. “Are you sure?
“Absolutely.” My team will win or lose without me, and their play has never felt less relevant. “Holiday music is way more fun for tree trimming.”
The distinctive sound of an old-school telephone ringer comes from a sparkly phone on the coffee table. “Oh, Ev, that’s your Dad!” Claire drops a snowflake ornament like it’s fire as opposed to fake ice and vanishes down a hallway.
In front of the tree, Everly trails her finger along the curve of a glittery silver ball. Her pouty lips are tugged to one side. “You know you just scored a dozen brownie points, right?”
“Brownie points?”
“Telling Mom that decorating was more fun than football.” Her hair shimmers from the flames in the fireplace.
I step around an ottoman and meet her at the tree. The toes of my loafers kiss the tips of her stocking feet. “I meant it.”
She lofts her chin to a quizzical angle. Mischief crinkles her eyes. “Did you now?”
“I did.”
She smells of sweet candy cane. Bet she tastes like it too.
A silky strand of hair is hung up in the weave of her sweater. I free it, sliding my finger to the tip of her collarbone.
Her head cocks, and her smile has pluck. “What’s your game, stranger?”
I didn’t plan this, but I can’t think of a better first-kiss scenario. Toasty fire. Sparkly lights. Jingly music. I dip my face—
“Yeah. What is your game, Knox Herd?”
Chapter 16
Knox
When, where, and how I ran afoul of Oakley’s good opinion is anyone’s guess. I’ve showered, worn deodorant, and been a perfect gentleman. What more has a man got to do?
Smarting from the sting of a death glare, I busy my hands shaping a branch that hasn’t quite had all the off-season flattening fluffed out of it yet. Seconds after Oakley reappeared, Everly abandoned me to her sister’s not-so-good graces when her own phone rang with a call from her soon-to-be boss.
“Why haven’t you told her?”
I turn. Arms crisscrossed over her heaving-like-a-huffy-bull chest, Oakley comes toe to toe.
“Told her what?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, KnoxHerd.
Sure, not everyone I’ve crossed paths with in my lifetime has been a fan, but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard my name sound like a curse before.
I put my hands at my waist. I don’t see any point in beating around the bush. “Why don’t you just go ahead and tell me what you suddenly have against me, and I’ll see how I can help, Oakley.”
She levels a daring squint. “I know who you really are.”
“Okay…”
“Don’tokayme. My sister thinks you’re just some ditch digger who also happens to be a nice guy.”
Ditch digger? I hope those weren’t Everly’s words. Truthfully, it doesn’t sound like her. “It’s a sin to be a nice guy?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
