Chapter 14 #2
Crystal bustles in from the kitchen, her apron streaked with flour and her smile as bright as the sun streaming through the windows. She tucks a strand of light strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear before saying, “Henry!” She moves toward him with open arms, like watching a slow car crash.
Henry awkwardly stretches out his arms, forcing a fake smile onto his perfect lips. She embraces him in a brief hug, his hands hovering discreetly before falling back to his sides. “Hi, Crystal.”
“And who is this,” she says warmly before turning to me.
“This is Emma, Hun. Remember, I told you about her. She’s the one renting the bottom half of the duplex Henry is staying in this summer.”
Crystal’s eyes immediately flash with recognition like she’s known me her entire life. “Of course! It’s so nice to meet you. George has mentioned how sweet you and Milo are.”
“That’s kind of you to say,” I respond, attempting to match her warmth but failing miserably. This woman was a literal bag of sunshine.
“Sit, sit,” Crystal urges, motioning to the table where a pitcher of lemonade and a plate of cookies I know she made from scratch wait. “George tells me that you found a stray.”
Henry pulls out a chair but doesn’t sit immediately. “We figured Dad could help,” he says flatly.
George’s laugh fills the space. “Well, I’m glad you thought of me. It’s nice to know you still think I’m good for something.”
The sentiment is lighthearted, but the undercurrent in his tone makes me glance at Henry to make sure he’s okay. His lips press into a thin line, and I can physically see the walls reappearing. He finally sits, but his posture remains rigid, his hands pressed into his thighs for comfort.
Unable to sit still while he suffers in silence, I throw my plan out the window and stealthily place my right hand on top of Henry’s below the table.
When my hand connects with his, the rigid shape of his lips trembles like they might bounce back into the smile that I love.
They don’t, but I know my simple gesture is enough to make his shoulders relax, even for a moment.
Crystal sits next to George, her eyes growing tender as she looks at Henry. “It’s been nice having you here this summer, Henry,” she says gently. “How is your book coming along?”
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 George chuckles 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 attention sinks 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.
Henry stiffens beside me, but he quickly forces a smile. “Hey, Knox.”
Knox’s attention shifts to me, turning with a smirk. “Hey, I’m Knox.”
“We’ve met.”
“I know. I just wanted to see how you’d react,” he boasts. “I’ll give you one more chance to pick the right brother. He may be charming, but I know how to have a good time.”
I flush, caught off guard by his teasing, but Henry brushes it off with a roll of his eyes.
“What do you want, Knox?” Henry asks.
I glance to my right, and I feel my heart skip a beat at the playful smile planted on Henry’s lips. Heat surges deep in my gut, and my spine sits straighter.
Knox crosses his arms, leaning against the side of Henry’s car. “I’m heading out to this brewery outside of town in a bit for Trivia. You guys should come. It’s a blast. And, bonus, I’m undefeated.”
Henry shakes his head. “I don’t think so. We’ve had a long day.”
Knox waves off the excuse. “Come on, Henry. You know you’ll have more fun with me than sitting at home brooding. And Emma, I hear you’re a librarian. We’d be unstoppable.”
I glance at Henry, unsure how to respond. His jaw tightens, but then he looks at me, his eyes searching for an answer. I give him a slight head nod to let him know I’ll support whatever he decides.
“Okay,” he finally answers after a long pause, surprising both Knox and me. “But only for one round.”
Knox beams. “That’s the spirit! I need to take a shower, and I’ll be ready to head out. It starts at eight, but I’ll text you when I’m getting ready to leave.” He claps Henry on the back before sauntering off toward the house.
“Trivia, huh?” I question, turning to Henry with a small smirk.
“You don’t have to go,” he says, reaching behind his neck. “I just have a hard time saying no to Knox. He’s a pain in my ass.”
“No, I’ll go,” I answer way too quickly. I wasn’t ready for our interaction to be over yet. And I desperately needed to know what he was about to say.
“Okay,” he says with a smile. “Let’s head home, and I’ll tell you when to be ready.”
I give him a polite nod, and we both turn away from the thick tension between us. I walk toward my car, my chest light with a mix of nerves and anticipation.
This night was far from over.