Except Knox may have scandalized himself. His dumbstruck, hand-in-the-cookie-jar horror is award-winning. And, lest I harbored any doubts about his character, particularly with the ladies, Cliff’s genuine shock at finding a woman in Knox’s room registers at a level not fakeable.
Sometimes, I surprise myself. As Knox fumbles through an explanation he doesn’t owe anyone, laughter bubbles in my chest. I will forever remember this moment and the time I wasthatgirl.
I lay back and spill over with giggles. It’s like I’ve landed smack in the middle of a scene staged for some goofy sitcom.
“Everly.”
I look up from my giggle fit. One out of three faces is not grinning—but Knox will come around. As much as anything, he may be worried on my behalf, so I hope he’s getting the message that it’s all good here.
Marlene lands her fist on the hip she pops out in that way of hers. “Well. This explains why you didn’t answer my text about opening the diner today.”
The diner. I forgot. Like, legit never gave it a single byte of brain space.Sorry, Uncle Charlie.
I throw my feet to the floor. “I’ve got to go.”
Marlene looks like the grandmother of all snowwomen in her fluffy white coat factory-dusted with glitter. “Oh, hon, don’t you worry about that. Even Charlie closes on days like this.”
I seem to remember differently, but I’m going to pretend I don’t. Between the weather and my injury, going through the motions today doesn’t make sense.
“I can drive you by to put a sign on the door, if you’d like,” says Knox, finally finding his voice.
“That would be great, thanks.” I ease onto my feet, gradually increasing the amount of weight on my ankle. Hurts, but not nearly as much as last night.
He comes over and holds onto my waist. He smells like old motel, with a dash of mortification. “Maybe I should take you to an urgent care instead.”
“Nope. The ankle’s already tons better.” Truly.
“That’s right, sugar. You should definitely stay off your feet today.” Marlene’s fake-lashed wink encompasses her entire face.
Cliff grins.
Knox palms his face, and I…I think I finally turn as red as a holly berry.
Someone clears their throat.
Knox unfreezes. He takes Cliff by the arm. “Okay, out of here, or you’re fired, old man.”
Cliff chortles. “You can’t afford to fire me, kid.”
“Yeah, well…” The words trail as he muscles the laughing man to the exit.
Cliff balks on the threshold, grins, and tells uskidsto be good. Marlene rises onto her tiptoes behind him, wildly shaking her head and mouthing the wordno.
Knox closes the door on them, hard, leans on it, and rubs his chin. “That was interesting.”
I can hear the toe-curling scratch of stubbly jaw from here. I pull my legs back onto the mattress and wrap my arms around them. “Quite a wakeup, right?”
“No kidding.” He lets out a yawn, rustling his hair again and shifting into serious mode. “I’m sorry about that, Everly. I just opened the door on instinct.”
“Don’t be sorry. That was the most fun I’ve had in ages.”
Our gazes lock and hold…and we die of laughter together.
The fit tapers to an end. He jams the heel of his hand to his forehead. “Man, I am glad your father is overseas.”
My giggles haven’t completely stopped. “Yeah. You dodged a bullet.”
His eyes bug.
