While everyone ate the delicious food and then lingered over the decadent brownie pie with a fresh pot of coffee, Maybelline and Tank enjoyed the extra attention.
Once they’d finished, Laylee tried to pitch in with cleanup, but they all insisted she and Knox should sit and “recover” from their ordeal.Only she hadn’t had an ordeal—because Knox had charged in like a true hero.
“You guys realize Knox was the only one hurt, right?I mean, I wanted to lend a hand, but I’ve never really been in a physical fight, and I figured I’d just be in the way.”
“Smart,” Bray said, nodding his approval.
Hmm.That wasn’t something Laylee heard often.Skye was always known as the smart twin.Laylee was just the carefree, fun-loving one—at least, according to her family.
“Retreating when you can is always the best option,” Bray explained.
Marcus disagreed with a snort, saying, “As if Bray ever would.”
“Depends on the circumstances.”He shrugged, shifting noticeable muscles in his shoulders.MMA kept him in prime physical shape.“I wouldn’t put anyone else in danger, but yeah, if I saw an opening, I’d take it.”
“Same,” Marcus said, “though I’m always armed.”
“He’s a cop,” Lucy reminded her.
That wasn’t something Laylee would ever forget.
Bray regained the group’s attention by saying to Laylee, “You should only engage if you’re trained, or if you’re not given a choice.”
“She protected that kid,” Knox bragged.“The one impressed with Bray.If it wasn’t for Laylee, he’d have been in the middle of it, probably getting hurt.”
“Scary,” Marcus said.“I remember being that age and thinking I was invincible.”
“Me too,” Bray agreed.
Karen rolled her eyes.“Girls usually have better sense.”
Knox laughed.“Unlike those two”—he nodded at Bray and Marcus—“at that age, I never had reason to fight, but then I led a very different life from them.”
“You still know how to handle yourself.”
He agreed with Bray.“When necessary.”
“Your parents really are terrific,” Karen said as she dried her hands after cleaning the table.
Lucy paused while loading the dishwasher to come lean against Marcus’s chair.“His brother and sister are nice, too.You’ll like them.”
Did everyone assume she’d be meeting Knox’s family?“I, um …”
“Come on.”Knox took her hand and tugged her from her seat.“They’ll have their way so we might as well go put our feet up.”
“I feel silly.”
Marcus paid no attention to that as he ushered them both to the couch.“Bray is making a run to the store.Do either of you need anything?”
Knox shot him a look, but Marcus kept his attention on Laylee.
“No, I’m fine, thank you.”They still hadn’t been able to do that pregnancy test, and no one was talking about going home.She resisted a yawn and allowed Knox to tug her down on the couch beside him.
As tired as she was, she didn’t want the day to end.She liked being with Knox, and right now she needed him near.
“Okay then.”Bray looked back and forth between them, jostled his keys, and said, “I’ll be right back.”
Knox gave her a knowing look.“You realize where he’s going, right?”
