Though Summer wouldn’t look at him, his mind was still screaming that he shouldn’t leave her.
Ruby snapped her fingers at Court.“You too,” she said a little more loudly.
Court ignored her, saying to Jewel, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Knox hadn’t even seen him go to the woman, but there he was, hand on her arm, face bent low to talk to her.
Jewel answered, “I’m fine.”
“But your wrist.”
“It’s not broken or sprained or anything,” she said.“He twisted it a little, but it’s fine.”
“You don’t know that.You should see a doctor.”
Jewel insisted, “Really, thank you, but I’m fine.”
Ruby snapped her fingers again and pointed.“Court.Burgers.Now.”
Then she damn near pushed them both back to the grills.Once she’d herded them, she turned back to the crowd and in a voice Knox couldn’t have imagined would come out of such a petite woman, she yelled like a drill sergeant, “Show’s over, people.There’s a lot more food here.So let’s get back to having some fun.”
Incredibly, everyone did exactly what Ruby said.
But when he looked back at Summer, she turned away from him, sitting on the opposite side of the picnic bench, her back to him.
Damn it all to hell.He’d totally screwed himself with that kiss in front of her daughters and all of West Coast and SV Displays.
She’d never forgive him.
18
Spence Benedict hunkered down beside the bench Summer sat on.
“Really, I’m okay,” Summer told him.“He only shoved me.”She waved a hand at Jewel, having overheard the woman’s name.“But I thought he was going to break Jewel’s arm the way he was yanking on her wrist.”
Spence’s wife Zoe stood beside him, the month-old baby in her arms.“It was a very brave thing you did,” she said.“However, one of these big lugs—” She poked her husband.“—should have taken care of that bully.”
“But I was right next to them.”Now that the adrenaline had worn off, Summer felt a little shaky and grabbed for her soda can, missing it and knocking it over.
Cara righted it.“Here’s some water, Mom.”She handed Summer a bottle.
Then Jewel stepped around Spence.She appeared so delicate, her skin pale, with dark circles under her eyes.“Thank you.I really appreciate you stepping in.”Bruises were already forming on her wrist, the clear fingerprints of a bully.
“I hope you’ll be okay.”Summer didn’t say all the things she could have, the things she would have said to her daughters.That Jewel needed to dump that asshole immediately, that if she didn’t, he’d do it again, that no man had a right to touch any woman that way.But looking into Jewel’s eyes, she was sure the woman already knew that.
Jewel smiled tentatively.“I’m good.I’m more worried about you.”
Summer waved her hand as if it were nothing.“I’m good too.”
Then more of her coworkers came over to check on Summer, as if she’d been injured instead of just shoved.Although she had to admit her back was a little sore where she’d banged into the picnic table.
In all the well-wishing, the one thing she was grateful for was that no one mentioned Knox’s kiss.She couldn’t believe he’d done that here, of all places.Especially when he knew the rules, when he knew how she felt.Maybe in all the hubbub of Court Stevens smashing his fist into Crushed Beer Can Guy’s nose, no one had actually noticed.
Fallon patted her back gently.“Do you want me to get you some ice cream?”
“Oh God, yes,” she said gratefully.“With every single topping they have, except coconut.”
Spence laughed.“But it’s toasted coconut and really good.”
