“It’s been a while,” he says as I approach. “Thought I’d probably run into you this morning.”
I slow down and stop in front of him, pleased that I’m still able to look down at him. “Is that why you came this morning? Not to see Aurora, but to check up on me?”
“I wanted to be able to talk to you face-to-face.”
“Well, here I am.”
“Saw some of your games. You were good. Better than good. What was it that the Highland Gazette printed about you a few months ago?”
I know exactly which sports article he’s referring to.
Knox snaps his fingers. “Oh yeah. It said something like, ‘Peyton Manning once said the perfect quarterback would be a player who would have Elway’s arm, Marino’s release, Aikman’s drop-back, Favre’s scramble, Montana’s two-minute poise and his speed. JD Hallstead has all that in spades, plus focus and a drive to win. Hallstead is set to become one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.’ So imagine my surprise when I found out you were back in town and working here no less.”
Knox is trying to bait me into a confrontation. He’s going to be very disappointed. “Saw some of your competitions as well,” I tell him. “You’ve made quite a name for yourself.”
“Thank you,” he slowly replies, squinting his eyes at me like he’s trying to figure me out.
Knox steps back and I follow him into the office, but I don’t take a seat.
He opens a paper bag and starts taking out and placing donuts in a pyramid on a plate sitting on the desk.
“These are Aurora’s favorites.”
“She doesn’t like cream cheese so you may want to put that one back in the bag,” I inform him, gesturing to the pastry with cream cheese frosting that he’s holding. He quickly discards it.
Sitting down in the chair behind the desk, he rocks back. “It usually takes her about twenty minutes to shower and get dressed, so I’ll make this brief and cut the small talk. Stay away from Aurora.”
“I’ll be just as brief. No.”
He leans forward in the chair. “She and I are together now.”
Other than irritation at Knox’s interest in Aurora, I never really had a problem with him. Until now.
“Are you sure about that? Good men who are in a relationship don’t try and hook up with other women at a bar.”
Knox’s shocked expression is priceless. “She told you about that?”
“No. You forget that Highland isn’t a big city, and I know a lot of people here. Word gets around quickly.” He doesn’t need to know that I overheard Aurora and Austin talking about it.
He curses under his breath. “Why are you really back, JD?”
“For Aurora,” I say truthfully and succinctly.
He slams his palms against the desk. “Well, you can’t have her! She’s mine now! You gave her up.”
If he wants to get into a pissing match, I’m all for it. I’m about to tell him she was never his to begin with because she’s always been mine, but my phone starts ringing. I look at the screen and see it’s a local number.
Turning to face the wall, I answer. “Hello?”
“JD?”
Fuck it all to hell. “I don’t know how you got my number, but don’t ever call me again,” I tell my mother and hang up. I immediately block her number.
Looking back over to Knox whose face is filled with interest from my phone call, I say, “I’ve got work to do, so if we’re done—”
He sits back again. “Not by a long shot,” he bites back.
“What’s going on?” Aurora asks from the open doorway.
