“His shirt, his sneakers, any receipts or napkins he could find in his mom’s car.”Marcus laughed.“I think he was ready for Bray to sign his forehead, but Bray suggested a photo with him instead.”
“He’s that well known?”Laylee asked.
“Around here, yeah.”Marcus sent her a grin through the rearview mirror.“And his popularity grows all the time.”
The conversation with Marcus helped to distract her until they were home.It was late enough now that all the outside lights were on, though she wasn’t sure of the actual time.In some ways, it was as if three days had passed, and in others, the moments blurred together like the blink of an eye.
Marcus got out first and was about to assist Knox, until he grumbled, “Don’t even think it.”
It reassured her that he moved just fine, giving her a helping hand and then hauling her close.He kissed her forehead.“You’re okay?”
“Knox.”She put her palm to his cheek, feeling the dark bristles rasp against her skin.“I’m not the one who got hit repeatedly.”
“Not repeatedly,” he gruffly complained.“You’ll have Marcus thinking I had my ass handed to me.”
So she turned to Marcus and said, “He was pretty amazing, actually.Nothing seemed to slow him down.I’m sure he gave better than he got.”
Marcus laughed.“No doubt.Remember, I saw the other guys.”
Knox said, “I took them by surprise and the older man helped with his cane.”
The second they reached the front door, it opened, and therestood Bray holding Tank with Maybelline beside him.Both dogs were joyous to have them back home.Laylee went in first, shrugged off her purse on the entry table, and then dropped to her knees for some doggy loving.While the dogs were busy twisting, turning, licking, and occasionally yapping, Knox spoke quietly to Bray.
She hugged Maybelline first, embracing her so long, the dog seemed worried.Then she picked up Tank and kissed him on his head.Beyond the animals, she saw Bray clasp Knox’s chin and turn his face this way and that, poke at his ribs a few times, and then lightly prod the area round his eye.Knox barely suffered his examination before griping.“You already did this.Leave me be.”
“You’re more colorful now, so I was just double-checking.”
Even more worried, Laylee glanced up.
“He’ll live,” Bray announced again.“But I’m getting him some OTC pain meds—whether he wants them or not.”
“In the medicine cabinet above the sink,” Laylee said.
“Ice for his eye, too,” Bray instructed Marcus, who saluted and headed to the kitchen.
Music played in the background, and she could smell something delicious cooking.
Since Knox was still grumbling, Laylee admitted, “I like that they’re all pampering you.”
He held Tank and stroked Maybelline.“Ford would be worse if he was here.”
“Will they tell him?”
“We all agreed not to, which means he’ll raise hell once he’s home.That is, unless you want to call your sister?It would be fine, of course.”
Laylee shook her head.“I’d rather not worry her.”Again she leaned into Knox.“Besides, I’ve had you to talk to.”
Just then Bray came out of the bathroom looking somewhat shell-shocked.“Getting you water,” he muttered as he went right past them with the aspirin bottle.
“Shit,” Knox said.“You left the test on the sink?”
Her eyes flared.“Ohmigod.”How in the world had sheforgotten?She started to jump up, but Knox held on to her.“Too late now.”
Suddenly all of them—Bray, Karen, Marcus, and Lucy—were standing before them.
After a brief hesitation, Bray stepped forward and said in an overly bright tone, “Here you go.”He handed a bottle of water to each of them, then the pill bottle to Knox.
Lucy cleared her throat.“I made barbecue sandwiches, fries, and pasta salad.It’s all ready now if you want to eat.”
