Whatever was happening between Knox and me was confusing. I just knew it would be a mistake to give in to lust with him again.
That’s all it was.
Instalust.
My heart was already feeling pretty battered, even though he hadn’t done anything wrong. Who knew I could get attached to a man so quickly?
I refocused on the game and laid down my next card when Emerald’s phone rang.
“Hi. Yeah? Yeah? Oh!Right now!?!Okay!”
She got off, looking frantic. “They had a cancellation, but we need to go right now.”
I scrambled out of my chair and raced outside, hoping to catch the guys before they left. Her husband’s truck was just starting to back out.
“Eric!” I hollered, slipping through the snow in my house slippers. “Wait!”
He put his truck in neutral and rolled down the window. “What’s up?”
“Emerald just got an appointment at the doctor’s office. A cancellation opened up.”
Eric jumped out of the truck and ran up the steps to get her. They’d been nervously waiting for this appointment.
He looked back at me and asked, “Can you take Knox?” Then he instantly turned around, his hands on Emerald, guiding her down the porch steps as if she were a porcelain doll. Once again, an idle pain shot through me as I wished a man could love me the way Eric loved Emerald.
I nodded at his back, then realized he couldn’t hear me. Then, further realized it didn’t matter. His focus was entirely on Emerald right now.
Knox got out of the truck and looked at me quizzically. “What’s going on?”
“Oh… just a change of plans. I’ll take you to Rusty’s.”
“All right.” Knox furrowed his brow, fully aware that the three of us were keeping secrets from him. But he didn’t pry.
I started to head to my car, but he planted his hands on my shoulders, stopping me. “Go get your coat. And you need proper shoes.”
That’s when I looked down and realized I was still in my house clothes. A sweatshirt and leggings. The snow was already soaking through my slippers, chilling my toes.
For a moment I just stared at him, my eyes clinging to his, wishing thatKnoxwould be the man to care about what happened to me. That he’d always be there to make sure I didn’t go out into the winter world without proper shoes on.
He stared back, confusion written across his face. Then the corners of his lips tugged up, and he softly repeated his request, the words coming out of his mouth like a love song, “Go get your shoes, Gwen.”
Eric was ushering Emerald to his truck, still treating her like fragile cargo. Before I went inside, I took her hands and told her, “You’re going to be fine.Everything’sgoing to be fine.”
She swallowed hard and hugged me, her voice tiny as she squeaked out, “I hope so.” Then she followed Eric to the truck.
With my heart racing, I ran back inside, reminding myself that she was in good hands. Eric and the doctor would take care of her.
Five minutes later I came back out, properly dressed for the elements.
Knox was leaning against my car, waiting for me, with a curious look on his face.
“Everything all right?” he asked as we got into my car.
“Yeah. There’s a lot happening that I’m not supposed to talk about.”
He didn’t press the issue. Which I appreciated.
But he did addressus.
