Chapter Chapter Thirteen #2
“Don’t be dramatic,” I teased as I headed inside the house.
Mom was sitting on the couch with a bowlful of popcorn. The house smelled like butter.
“We’re all done, Mom. I’m leaving.”
“Already? I can’t wait to see it. You’re such good boys to help your dad out.”
“Not a problem.”
“You know, I do have real food for dinner, not just pie and popcorn.”
“I already stuffed my face with three pieces of pie. It was more than enough for dinner.” She put the popcorn bowl to one side, but I said, “Don’t bother.
” I motioned for her to stay there and leaned over to kiss her cheek.
“Just wanted to tell you that I’m going.
” I straightened up when she let out a sigh. “You okay?” I asked her.
She nodded. “Yes, I just... I can’t believe how everything is turning out.” She looked over her shoulder and then lowered her voice. “I thought it would be a challenge to get used to living with your dad again, but it isn’t. Things are just... working.” She sounded incredulous.
“I’m glad for you, Mom. I really am.”
“By the way, I was thinking of hosting a pizza party this weekend. Your dad found a miniature pizza oven online that we want to buy.”
I cleared my throat. “Sounds good. I won’t be here, though.”
“Are you going away on a business trip?”
Dad was going to share things with her anyway, so I just fessed up. “Nah. I offered to be a chaperone on Amy’s school trip.”
Mom stopped in mid-reach for more popcorn. “Okay. How come?”
“I gave a talk to some of her students, and they liked me a lot.”
“That’s a lovely thing, Knox. Amy’s a darling, isn’t she? I really like her.”
“So do I. That’s why we’ve stayed friends all these years.”
“Say hi to her for me.”
I blinked. How did she know I planned to drop by? I cleared my throat.
“When you see her on the camping trip,” Mom added. Once again, she sounded amused.
“Will do. Anything else you need, just let me know, okay?” I told her.
“Will do, will do.” She distractedly glanced at the TV again.
She still liked her cable shows. I tried to sell her on a streaming app, pointing out that she could watch whatever she wanted whenever she wanted, and her reply had surprised me.
“But that’s no fun. How would I ever decide? This way, I know I have to be in front of the TV at a certain hour. It’s my routine.”
After I left, I looked at the bars in the area and drove to the nearest one, which also sold drinks to go.
When I pulled up, the parking lot looked really busy, but I didn’t mind.
I could reply to several emails while I waited.
I didn’t like to work once business hours were over—it just created a bad habit, as far as I was concerned—but since I wasn’t going to be available on Friday, I wanted to wrap a few things up before I left.
The bar was small but loud. Everything was made out of wood except for the ceiling, which had mirrors, making it look much higher. It worked well.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked when it was finally my turn.
“Margarita to go.”
“Coming right up.”
After paying, I headed back to the car and realized I could walk to Amy’s place from here. I’d come back for the car later. I was still driving the SUV even though the Lexus was at home, out of the shop. I took out my phone intending to text her, but then just decided to surprise her.
When I headed up to her house, I already had a plan in mind.
I was going to invite myself over for the night.
Damn—I typically never spent time with a woman two days in a row, let alone stayed until the morning.
But to be honest, Amy was more than a fling or hookup.
I wasn’t sure how to define our relationship—although “friends with benefits” sounded good.
I rang the bell, already imagining her expression. But when the door swung open, a guy stood in front of me. I was pissed.
He looked at my cup. “Can I help you?” he asked me somewhat incredulously.
“Is Amy here?”
Who the fuck was this? Why was he at Amy’s house, and why hadn’t she mentioned him being here tonight? Why did she have a man over this late in the evening?
“I’m in the bedroom,” Amy said. “I’ll be right out. Just sign off for whatever delivery it is.”
Fuck. They were very familiar with each other if she just asked him to sign off on stuff.
“Amy, it’s me,” I said loudly. Her place was small, so I knew she’d hear me.
She darted out of the bedroom. “Knox,” she said. Her face was red, and her hair was haywire. “What are you doing here?”
Why was she in the bedroom?
I swallowed hard. My temple was pulsing. She couldn’t be sleeping with this fucking geek, could she? The guy looked like an adult-sized Harry Potter, and I didn’t mean that as a compliment. He had round glasses and shitty hair.
“This is Gregory,” Amy said quickly. Was that a look of guilt on her face, or was I imagining it?
“How do you do?” He held his hand out.
“Knox Sterling,” I said without offering mine.
“Did you text me that you were dropping by?” Amy asked.
“No.”
What would she have done? Shoved him out the window so I wouldn’t see him?
What the hell had gotten into me? We owed each other nothing. There was no commitment. We were just friends with benefits, after all. My whole life, I’d never believed in monogamy, so it was a perfect situation.
But why did it not sit right with me now?
I needed to pull myself together.
“Gregory and I are doing some crafts for the elementary students,” Amy said.
Gregory looked at her a little too intently for my taste. Yeah, he was into her.
“We thought we’d finish at school today, but no such luck, huh, Amy?” He frowned.
My pulse calmed down. He was a teacher at school—which would explain why he looked like that. Just a teacher, and they were just working together.
I glanced at her kitchen table. It was full of crafts. Now that I paused to think about it, the air smelled like glue.
I finally offered him a hand to shake. “Knox Sterling.” We shook hands, and Amy looked at me with confusion. “I brought you this,” I said, handing her the cup.
“Coffee?” She grabbed the cup, and the second she realized it was cold, she frowned, then took a sip. I noticed her face open up into a huge smile. “Margarita! You brought me a margarita. Are you a dream guy or what?”
Gregory’s smile faded completely.
Yeah, take that, fucker.
“I didn’t know you were busy,” I told Amy.
She smiled, lowering the cup from her mouth. “I did tell you that I was making stuff for the kids.”
“I know. I just hadn’t realized that you had company.”
Her mouth formed an O. “Oh, right. Gregory and I still have a ways to go, but if you want, we can meet later.”
I shook my head. “That’s okay. This looks like it’ll keep the two of you up for a while.”
She wasn’t sleeping with this geek. I was sure of it. Fuck, I couldn’t believe how bothered seeing her with another guy made me. But they were just working on crafts together, so I needed to calm the fuck down.
“Did you eat?” I asked her.
“Yeah. Still have some leftovers if you want.”
I shook my head. “Nah, I’m good.”
I pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and Gregory frowned. So I wasn’t wrong—he had been looking at her far too closely before. This guy had a crush on her. Well, it was time he learned that she was off-limits.
Without any further ado, I captured her mouth. I’d missed kissing her, which was crazy. I’d been here just yesterday, but I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to make Gregory Potter disappear into thin air so I could have Amy all to myself. I deepened the kiss, but she pushed me back, eyes wide.
“Knox,” she murmured, then looked at Gregory, who’d turned his back to us and headed to the crafts table.
Yeah, that’s right. Run along, Potter.
Amy blinked and then mouthed, “What was that?”
“I missed kissing you.” I shrugged, knowing damn well I was staking my claim.
Since Gregory wasn’t watching, I did it again, though a bit more gently, but she pushed me back. Amy was pissed, but I didn’t really care. Yeah, I was an asshole, but now there’d be no mistaking who Amy belonged to.
“All right, then,” I said loudly. “I’m going to leave the two of you to finish up. Enjoy your drink, Amy. Gregory, sorry, I didn’t know you were here, or I would have brought another one.”
“There’s no need. Thank you,” he said in a mousy voice.
Amy shook her head. I’d have to make amends with her later, I knew.
As she walked me out the door, she said, “I’m upset.”
“I know. You look fucking sexy when you’re annoyed.”
“This isn’t funny, Knox.”
“I disagree.”
She swallowed hard and shook her head. “Well, I don’t have time to argue with you because Gregory and I do have a bunch of stars and planets to finish. So, thank you for the margarita, and have a great evening, I guess.”
She turned around and went back inside, practically slamming the door in my face, but I was still feeling victorious. She wasn’t sleeping with this Gregory. Now I needed to make sure she wasn’t sleeping with anyone else.
Fuck me. Finn was right—who the hell was I? I’d certainly never been territorial before, so this was a first. And I suspected it was the start of many more firsts.
And somehow, I was more than okay with that.