Chapter Chapter Three
Knox
Dr. Wayland let me go the next morning, but he insisted I work from home for a few days. His exact words were “At the slightest sign of a headache, put all work away. Otherwise, you’re just making life harder for yourself.”
I was too late for the brainstorming session with my brothers, so I Ubered home.
My car was in the shop for now, though I fortunately had a Range Rover waiting for me in my garage.
I had a huge house in Coronado, right on the ocean shore.
I took my laptop outside and sat on a lounge chair under the umbrella, figuring I could read all the reports out here.
I was determined to push myself but got a blinding headache after the second report, so I gave up.
My Monday was not going to be productive.
When I finally accepted that around four o’clock, I decided to text Finn.
Knox: Hey, you can all come earlier if you want to. I can’t work for shit.
The reason I Ubered from the hospital was because I didn’t know when they’d actually release me, and I didn’t want anyone waiting around.
But the family had been on my case about visiting since I got released.
Duncan insisted that Jeremy needed to see me to believe I wasn’t hurt.
Mom and Dad texted every hour about coming over, and Finn wanted to tag along.
Finn: Good. The doctor told you to take it easy.
Knox: Since when are you a stickler for rules?
Finn: Unlike you, I do respect important rules. Like wearing a seat belt.
I was never going to hear the end of this. I was sure of it.
Finn: All right. The clan will be on your doorstep ASAP.
I laughed. My family could be a bit much, but I didn’t mind. I was like that, too, after all.
John, my assistant, had emailed tomorrow’s schedule, and I glanced at it. There was an important meeting at four o’clock, but I knew I wouldn’t be up for it. I wanted to put my best foot forward in that meeting—not excuse myself halfway through it because I had a blinding headache.
Besides, I wasn’t supposed to drive for a few days, so there was that.
Instead of being annoyed like I would typically be in this situation, I saw it as an opportunity. It meant I could see Amy. Hell yeah.
The thought instantly cheered me up. How the hell did I let a year pass without seeing her?
Amy had always been a positive influence in my life.
Hanging out with her felt good. Though it was also an exercise in self-restraint.
Even after so many years, I still had to actively fight the impulse to flirt with her.
I was going to text her, then remembered my earlier headache and decided it would be better to call. I punched her number and put the phone to my ear. She answered right away. Jackpot.
“Hey, Knox.”
“Are you busy?”
“About to start the last tutoring session. How are you feeling?”
“Better than yesterday. But I can’t work for jack shit, so I won’t be having any meetings tomorrow afternoon.”
“Perfect. That means I can drop by your house, right?”
“Exactly. It’s a date.”
She laughed. “Yeah, it’s a date, Knox.”
“Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”
We said our goodbyes, and I felt victorious, which was strange. I usually felt like shit when I had to cancel work. I wasn’t obsessed with work by any means—I simply didn’t like canceling stuff. It wasn’t who I was.
Usually, I’d spend any downtime working out in the pool or gym.
I had both an indoor pool and an outdoor one, plus a fully equipped gym.
But the doctor was adamant that I not do any strenuous workouts.
I asked her to define “strenuous,” but she shut me down quickly.
I didn’t have time to get bored, though, because only twenty minutes later, people started arriving.
“Uncle Knox!” Jeremy yelled as he ran toward me. My family knew the code to my gate, and I’d left the front door unlocked so they could come right in.
“Hey, Jeremy.”
He stopped directly in front of me. “Can I hug you, or are you in pain? Your face looks terrible.”
“You can hug me.” My upper back felt as if someone had sewn my shoulder blades together, but other than that, I was good. My face looked rough, though—I had a huge bruise, and my eye was still a little swollen.
Jeremy wrapped his arms around my middle. Boy, the dude was getting taller and taller. Just a few years ago, I had to lift him in my arms for an actual hug. Otherwise, he’d just be wrapped around my knees.
“How are you feeling?”
“Perfect.”
“Can we go swimming?”
“Nah, the doctor said I shouldn’t.”
He pouted. “Okay.”
Duncan looked me up and down, and Riley elbowed him. “Oh, for God’s sake, Duncan. Can you relax a bit?”
She looked at me. “I’m truly sorry. I don’t know why he’s all in knots like this.”
“It’s just who he is,” I told her. “There are a select few people whom he lets loose around. Typically, that’s the family, but I’ve annoyed him by not wearing a seat belt.”
Riley grinned. She was younger than Duncan, even younger than me.
She’d been Jeremy’s nanny for a while before becoming part of their family.
Duncan had parted ways with Jeremy’s mother a long time ago.
She lived in Ireland, and Jeremy would visit her every summer, but you could tell he’d missed having a mother figure in his life.
Riley was perfect for both Duncan and Jeremy. I liked her a lot.
“Should we order something to eat?” she asked.
“Yes. I don’t have a lot in my fridge.”
“That’s not a surprise,” Finn said as he walked out the back door, joining us. He eyed me intently, which was unlike him. “You doing okay?”
“Yeah, perfect shape.”
“Hardly perfect, or you wouldn’t have bailed on today’s meetings, and tomorrow’s as well.”
John told him? What a snitch.
“Did you only come here to give me a hard time? Because that’s why Duncan is here, and he doesn’t need any help.”
Finn shook his head. “Sorry. Don’t know why I can’t get off your back.”
I waved him off. “It’s all good. Today, I’m not going to give anyone a hard time for being a pain in my neck.” I was going to say “ass,” but when Jeremy was around, I tried to hold some state of decorum.
Duncan cocked a brow. “That’s unlike you.”
“Maybe he’ll be one of those people who has an accident and then decides to reconsider their whole life,” Finn said.
“Fat chance,” I informed him, then shivered involuntarily. “It’s starting to get windy out here.”
It was always windy in the afternoon. The real estate agent who sold me the house went on and on about how perfect it would be to sit outside and watch the sunset. But the wind blew so damn hard before dusk that it took the fun out of it.
My parents joined us shortly after we went inside the house. No one else was coming this evening—at least I didn’t think so.
“My darling boy,” Mom said. She hadn’t called me that in a while. I wondered if I was in trouble.
Dad just looked at me with a critical eye, then waved his hand toward my bruise, saying, “Looking better.”
“All right, everyone, just let me know what you want to eat, and I’ll order it. No more talk about how I am or making me recount the accident again. What’s done is done.”
Mom frowned but nodded, and then we settled on ordering pizza. Thankfully, they all relaxed when the food arrived, and we spent an enjoyable evening together.
* * *
Tuesday was even more boring than Monday. I quickly realized that I wasn’t capable of filling my time during the week with anything that wasn’t work or the gym, both of which I couldn’t do right now. Jesus, when had my life turned so dull?
Amy was coming over later this afternoon.
She’d sent me a list of the ingredients for pecan pie, and I ordered everything online from my preferred store.
Like usual, they were unbelievably fast with the delivery.
I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d been to a grocery store.
I mostly ate out at restaurants. San Diego had plenty to offer, and I took advantage of it.
Checking the time, I texted Amy, hoping to catch her before she headed this way.
Knox: When are you arriving exactly? I’ll be waiting for you with a margarita.
Amy: But I’m driving :-(
Knox: Can you Uber?
Amy: Why, do you want to get me drunk?
I laughed.
Knox: I don’t. Just want you to be able to relax and not worry about having to drive back.
Then I got an idea.
Knox: I’ll send an Uber and charge it to the company.
Amy: You will do no such thing.
Knox: Why not?
Amy: Because it’s not a company expense.
Knox: Spoiler alert: I own the company. I can expense whatever I want.
Amy: Well... okay. I won’t say no to a margarita. I just got home, but I’ll text you when I need an Uber.
Fifteen minutes later, she was on the way. When the app showed that she’d be here in five minutes, I started prepping the margarita. I could make cocktails like nobody else.
Once the app showed that Amy had been dropped off, I opened the front gate from the intercom and went outside to welcome her. My property was vast; I’d spared absolutely no expense. I’d lived in bachelor pads before, but now I wanted every comfort possible—and lots of space.
Amy whistled as she came up the curved stone pathway to the main entrance.
“Knox Sterling, you’ve been holding out on me.
You’ve had this place to yourself for, what, a little more than a year?
And you didn’t think of inviting me over before now?
” She took me in and winced. “Oh, your face looks a little darker than when I saw you in the hospital. Does it hurt?”
“It’ll heal soon. Let’s not talk about it.”
“All right.” The concern in her gorgeous eyes was so cute. She looked around, then stated, “Hot damn, this is a sexy house!”
I laughed. “Really? A house can be sexy?”
“Well, yours definitely is.” She rose on her toes and looked toward the water. “Oh my goodness, you’re literally on the San Diego shore. Can we watch the sunset? I spy some lounge chairs out there.”
The corner of my mouth twitched. “It’s windy as shit on that side of the house.”