I’d never seen Knox upset before.
He wasn’t the loud, explosive type. But he was coiled tighter than I’d known was possible.
He packed with swift, efficient movements, throwing his clothes and the few items on top of the footlocker into his duffel bag.
Then, without even taking the time to change out of his towel, he was heading for the door again.
I blocked the exit with my body.
“Knox. Don’t go without hearing me out. Emerald set that up. I never asked for a date with Dawson, and I had no idea he was coming over. The poor man’s standing inside bewildered about the whole thing.”
“Maybe you should go console him.” Knox’s voice was gruff, but he gently shifted me out of the way. Even in anger, he was a gentleman.
But I couldn’t let him go. I latched my arms around his waist. If he left he’d have to drag me along with him.
Knox stopped moving the second he realized I wasn’t letting go.
He was breathing hard, and he wouldn’t even look at me.
I spoke in a rush, not wanting to miss this chance to clear the air. “Remember when I told you that Emerald’s been trying to set me up with every man on the mountain? Well, I’ve told her to quit it a thousand times, but there’s no stopping her. Dawson’s her latest victim. She arranged the date with him without telling me ahead of time. He showed up at the door with flowers in his hand and shocked the hell out of me. I was in the process of telling both Emerald and Dawson that I absolutely, positively couldn’t go on a date with him. But Emerald didn’t understand because I haven’t told her about you, which I can see now was a big mistake.”
Some of what I’d just said must have filtered in, because Knox looked at me for the first time since he’d spotted Dawson standing next to me with those stupid flowers in his hand.
Clutching his waist, I said, “Knox. You’re theonlyman I want on this mountain.”
I was afraid he was one minute away from getting in his truck and driving away forever.
His brow furrowed, and I got the sense he wanted to believe me but was still having doubts.
When he finally spoke, his words were measured. “If that’s true, I need you to prove it to me.”
“Sure. How? Anything.” I was just relieved he was listening to sense.
He met my eyes with the most serious look on his face. “Marry me.”
My eyes popped wide open. “W-what?”
“You heard me.Marryme. No more hiding us. I can give you a house, a dog, and lilac trees. Plus a big front porch that willbe perfect for spending lazy summer days sipping lemonade. Doesn’t that sound like a nice life? I think it does.”
I stood there in complete shock, unsure where this was coming from. “Is this just because Dawson wanted to take me on a date?”
He growled out, “No. It’s because I want to have alifewith you. And I know you don’t think I’m the right kind of man to be your husband, but maybe I can prove it to you. Look…” he said before mysteriously stalking out of the bunkhouse and across the yard towards the main house.
He was still wrapped only in a towel, muscles on display as he trudged barefoot across the snow to the pile of clothes he’d dropped on his way out here.
Emerald, Eric and Dawson were all standing by the front door, watching as he dug through the clothes, dropped down to his knees and pulled a small box from his pants pocket.
“Is this proof enough?” he hollered out.
I tottered closer on wobbly legs.
Knox had a small jewelry box in his hand. The kind that engagement rings come in.
“Get up, Knox, and come back into the bunkhouse before you get frostbite.”
But he stayed on his knees, rooted in place, extending that box out towards me.
My heart was pounding in my chest as he flipped the lid of the jewelry box open, revealing a delicate diamond engagement ring.
