Henry shifts uncomfortably, his gaze dropping to the table. I squeeze his hand for a little reassurance. “It’s fine.”
Crystal beams, clearly not deterred by Henry’s clipped response. “I can’t wait to read it someday. You’ll let us know when it’s finished, won’t you?”
Henry nods faintly, his lips barely moving. “Sure.”
I look over at George, who studies his son with a mix of hope and hesitation. The silence stretches a little too long, and I feel compelled to break it.
“These cookies are amazing,” I say, grabbing one from the plate. “Did you use cinnamon? It’s a nice touch.”
Henry’s stepmom brightens from across the table. “I did! You have a good palate. They’re Knox’s favorite—though he’s not picky when it comes to sweets.”
Henry flinches at the mention of his half-brother, and his hand tenses under mine. I rub my thumb across his knuckles.
George clears his throat. “Speaking of Knox, he should be home any minute. He’s been working as a mechanic down at Sal’s Auto. He really likes it.”
“Yeah,” Henry says, easing into the topic of his brother. “He told me about his new job the other night.”
My eyebrows raise at the sudden shift in mood. Henry was with his brother that night at the bar, so maybe they were on better terms than he and his dad. He still tensed up when Crystal mentioned Knox, so I wasn’t sure where their relationship stood now.
George opens his mouth to say something, but then we're interrupted by the sound of glass breaking in the other room. I look around, and of course, the dog is nowhere to be seen.
Crystal bolts into action immediately, and Georgechuckles a small chuckle. “Looks like someone found the good china,” George quips before rising to his feet. “Well, I better get it down to the shelter before it gives Crystal a heart attack.”
“Yeah, we should probably get going, too,” Henry says, standing to his feet. I follow suit. “Thanks for the lemonade.”
“Sure thing, Son. I’ll let you know if we find its owner,” George replies before pausing. “And it really is nice having you here, Henry. You’re always welcome.”
Henry replies with a stiff nod, turning to head outside, and George races off toward Crystal’s cries.
I have to speed walk to catch up to Henry’s quick pace. I can tell he wants to get out of here.
Once we get outside, the cool evening air greets us, and Henry finally exhales like he’s been holding his breath the entire time he was inside. He turns to me, his expression softening.
“Thanks for coming in with me,” he says quietly.
I smile gently, tucking a loose strand of hair back into my messy braid. “Of course. I didn’t want you to deal with that alone.”
Henry nods, his gaze falling to the gravel beneath our feet. It wasn’t like him to be speechless. I decided to give him some space. Our talk could wait.
“Well, I’m going to head home. Call me if you need anything.”
Before I can make it more than a few steps, his hand wraps around my wrist, tugging me back to him.
“Wait,” he says.
I stop and turn to face him. My breath hitches at the intensity in his eyes.
“I’ve been thinking about earlier,” he begins, his voice faltering. He scratches the back of his neck, a faint flush feathering his cheeks. “About the kiss.”
My heart skips a beat, and I swallow hard. My attentionsinks to his lips, and gravity holds back the urge to move forward. Maybe details were overrated.
“Emma…” He trails off, his gaze pinning my body in place. “I don’t know what I’m doing. But I do know that?—”
A car door slamming interrupts him, and we both look toward the driveway. A tall and broad figure with a familiar lopsided grin is approaching.
“Henry!” Knox calls out, his voice carrying easily in the stillness of the evening. He waves, a grease-stained rag hanging out of his back pocket. “I thought that was your car.”
Knox’s clean-shaven face looks bright and shiny in the daylight. His tattooed arms are on full display in a cut-off t-shirt—a detail I missed the first time I met Knox. He looks even more youthful than he did that night on the porch.
