Chapter Chapter Fourteen
Amy
I was so damn pissed at Knox. First, he’d been completely impolite to Gregory, leaving him with his hand outstretched. Then he’d kissed me shamelessly in front of him. And tried again a second time. What the heck was that? I wasn’t a prude by any means, but that was inappropriate.
I kept apologizing to Gregory throughout the evening. He insisted that it was quite all right, but he refused to make eye contact.
“Yes, we did. So, this Knox guy is the one coming with us on the trip?”
“Yes. Instead of Derek, who dropped out.”
He nodded. “Right, right. Okay.”
Gregory was another high school teacher who was also helping out with the little ones while Francine was away.
“So, you two are an, uh, an item?” he said awkwardly.
Since he’d brushed off my excuses for Knox’s behavior all evening, I assumed he simply didn’t want to talk about it, but since he’d asked, I answered. “Yes.”
I appreciated the fact that he’d phrased it like that—an item—because I certainly couldn’t call him my boyfriend or partner based on our current situation. He didn’t add anything else, and I knew the conversation was over.
“Well, I’m going, then. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
“Yeah, see you, Gregory.”
After seeing him out, I went to the couch and texted Knox.
Amy: I’m still pissed.
He called me right away.
“I figured you might be,” he said instead of hello.
“Knox, you can’t just do that.”
“What, kiss you in your house?”
“You know what I mean. Gregory’s a colleague. It was impolite.”
“Is that the only reason you’re pissed?” His voice had changed slightly.
I brought my knees closer to my chest and rested my forearm on top of them. “Yes.”
“I don’t think Harry Potter minded much.”
I frowned until I realized what he meant. With his round glasses and black hair, Gregory might bear an uncanny resemblance to the character.
“I think he was just embarrassed. As any guy would be with the display you made.”
“He likes you, Amy.”
“No, he doesn’t.” He’d asked me to do things, but always for school, like tonight.
“Yeah, he does. I could see it from the way he looked at me before and after I kissed you.” After a brief pause, he added, “And the way he looked at you.”
“You’re ridiculous. He’s just weird, that’s all. I thought he liked me, too, in the beginning when he first started at the school. But he never asked me out on a date.” At one time, I thought maybe we would go out eventually, but as I got to know Gregory, I quickly realized we weren’t a match.
“That’s because he doesn’t have balls.”
“Knox, that’s so rude.”
I’d never known this side of Knox. It was infuriating. He’d always seemed so laid-back. But somehow, Gregory’s presence here seemed to annoy him.
“So what if he does like me?” I asked, bristling.
Silence.
“Knox?” I said, wondering if the call disconnected.
“I’m here,” he replied. “I don’t like the thought of another guy near you.”
His words felt like an electric shock. I drew my knees in even closer.
“It’s not like that,” I whispered, but I wasn’t pissed any longer. My anger just melted away.
Knox Sterling was jealous.
“I don’t like the fact that he’s near you at school either.”
I laughed. “Right. And what are you going to do about that?”
“Get him fired.”
“Knox, you can’t do that!”
“The truth is, I can. And I’m exerting a lot of self-restraint not to do it because I know how insane it sounds.”
I could barely believe his reaction. He’d known for a while now that I was trying to find a relationship, and it hadn’t bothered him. But now, he wanted to... what? Be exclusive? Was that what this was about?
Knox confused the crap out of me.
“Well, don’t do anything like that because it would affect me more than you’d think.”
“Amy.”
I waited, but he didn’t add anything else. “Yes?” I prodded.
He huffed. “This is insane. I never get jealous. Up until tonight, I didn’t even understand the definition of the word.
But he opened the door, and you spoke to him from the bedroom, telling him to sign off on a delivery.
As if you’d had that conversation a million times.
As if he’d been in your house a million times. In your bed.”
“You thought... Okay.”
I tried to rewind the evening and see it from his point of view, but I couldn’t really. I’d gone into my bedroom to search for a scrunchie and had frantically looked for it everywhere—under the bed, between my pillows, in my dresser. I hadn’t been able to find it. And then I heard Knox’s voice.
“I don’t want you seeing him or anyone else,” he went on.
“Right. Then the same goes for you.”
“Obviously,” Knox replied, and I’d never been so relieved in my life.
This felt like we were on the precipice of something that neither of us had expected. My heart was racing, almost too fast. I put a hand on my chest, drawing in a deep breath and exhaling slowly to calm myself down.
“Knox, this cannot happen again on the trip. You can’t kiss me in front of my colleagues—”
He interrupted so quickly that I couldn’t finish my thought.
“Are there going to be any more guys there who have a crush on you?”
“Well, Gregory’s coming.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“No, I’m not. And please be kind to him. He really isn’t my type. You have nothing to worry about, seriously. Plus, he organized the whole trip and put a lot of effort into it.”
“Right.”
“Knox, I need your word that you aren’t going to go rogue again.”
“I can’t give you my word.” It was clear that he wasn’t making fun of me. He sounded pained when he added, “I can’t promise that won’t happen again.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. I could ask Knox not to join us after all, to avoid any potential drama. I didn’t want to, but...
“You’re thinking about disinviting me, aren’t you?” he said.
“Yes,” I replied honestly. “But I think the kids would be disappointed.”
Knox started laughing. “That’s your only reason? You don’t think I would be disappointed?”
“Would you?” I was curious now. I mean, this was the guy who’d never wanted to marry, have kids, a dog, a white picket fence...
“I told you, I want to spend time with you. That’s why I even offered, though I don’t mind spending time with the kids either.” He paused, then asked, “Are we sharing a tent?”
“No tents. There are small cabins there, and we’re bunking up.” I grinned. “Actually, the other teacher is a woman, so I’m bunking with her, and I guess you’re bunking with...”
“Fucking Gregory,” Knox said, and I laughed.
“Surprise, surprise, huh?”
“Amy,” he prodded.
“Nope. There’s no negotiating this. And please be nice to poor Gregory. He’s...”
“What?”
“Well, he’s not like you.”
“I will need details.”
I scoffed. “You know what I mean. Just don’t be mean, okay? He’s shy and quiet, and he’s got a good heart.”
“Wait, you mentioned him. When you first told me about your dating plan. This is the guy you said you were hoping would ask you out.” His voice was tight again.
Ah. I knew he would put two and two together at some point. Why had I even told him that?
“Yes,” I admitted.
After a pause, he added, “So, you like him?”
“No, not in that way. But when I first met him, I just figured we’d be a good fit...” Desperation, I supposed.
“I see.”
I waited for him to continue, but he didn’t.
“I’ll see you on Friday morning,” I went on.
My heart was beating erratically. I suddenly wished he was right here with me. I needed to look at him to gauge what was happening in that brilliant mind of his.
I was so confused. Knox Sterling didn’t do jealousy. He also didn’t do committed relationships, so I wasn’t sure what any of this was.
He cleared his throat. “We’ll have fun.”
“Knox,” I said in a warning tone.
“I didn’t say what kind of fun.”
“No, but I can infer.”
“Well, then, that’s on you for having a dirty mind, isn’t it?”
I laughed. “Well, that’s true. Good night, Knox.”
“Good night, Amy.”