Summer made a face, and Zoe laughed.“I’d be happy to get you ice cream.Without coconut.”Then she handed the baby off to Spence, and together they headed to the ice cream cart.
Her two girls hugged her in turn, and Summer tried not to wince.
“You were amazing, Mom,” Cara said.
“You took on that asshole,” Fallon marveled.
“You’re my hero,” they crowed in unison.
All Summer really wanted was to put distance between herself and Knox.Before he got away from the grill and came back.
Just as she finished the ice cream Zoe had given her, the police arrived, putting Jewel’s boyfriend in the back of the squad car.They asked if Summer and Jewel needed the paramedics, and both of them refused.Then they took statements, checked if either Jewel or Summer wanted to press charges, and again, both said no.
When all the hubbub had died down, Summer said, “How about that lazy river ride on inner tubes?I don’t think I can handle the bouncy house.”
Fallon said, “But, Mom, you were just injured.”
Summer waved them off.“I’m completely fine.”
She chanced a glance at Knox by the grill.Of course, he was looking at her, his gaze telegraphing something she didn’t want to hear.
Then she added, “Let’s grab an inner tube before they’re all taken.”
And hopefully lose Knox in the crowd.
Knox servedup another hot dog.
“You okay?”he asked Court.The man’s knuckles were raw from the blows he’d landed on the dickhead’s nose.
“If Finn hadn’t pulled me off him,” Court growled, “I would have kept on hitting him.”
Court plopped a hamburger onto the plate of the last kid in line.There were still plenty of leftovers.
“He deserved it.”Knox kept seeing the guy’s hand on Summer’s chest as he shoved her.And Summer flying backward.
He watched now as the cop tugged a notepad from his pocket while he talked to Summer.He had the nearly unquenchable urge to rush to her side.But she was already standing up with her daughters.
She hadn’t looked at him, not even once.
Court brought him back, saying, “Looks like you could’ve thrown a few punches yourself.Could be you’re smitten, bro.”
Knox laughed.“Look who’s talking.”
The cops came over to get their stories while they were eating their own hamburgers.They didn’t seem bothered that Court had thrown a few punches.
“You should be aware he’s threatening to sue you,” the big cop said.
Court grinned.“Bring it on.”
When the cops were done with them, Court left to check on Jewel.But damn it, Summer managed to avoid Knox the rest of the afternoon.
Every time he approached her, she headed the other way.Or she floated down the lazy river.Or put her daughters between them.
Finally, Knox did what he did best.He called her.He saw her take her phone out of her pocket and look at the screen.Even though her back was to him the whole time, he knew she was well aware of him.
She hadn’t answered yet, and the ring was a trill against his ear.She said something to her daughters, stood up and walked away from the picnic table.
“You shouldn’t call me.”Her soft voice strummed along his cock.
