Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Knox
W hen was the last time I played a board game and talked about rocks with a woman I was also attracted to?
Never. That’s when.
No make-up with her hair a mess on the top of her head, and she’s the most exquisite woman I’ve ever seen.
Throw her late-night smokey voice in with her sarcasm and sense of humor, and you’ve got a cocktail that makes it hard to breathe.
And not just because all the blood rushes to my dick whenever she opens her mouth.
Everything about her is intoxicating, warming me from the inside just like alcohol once did.
Who needs to drink to get a buzz when a board game and a little conversation with a wise-ass redhead sends my heartbeat racing with a jolt of adrenaline?
There’s an ever-present drumming in my chest. Like a favorite melody I can’t get out of my head. And frankly, don’t want to.
She’s answered every question I’ve asked her, but I’m treading lightly, afraid I’ll scare her or, even worse, she’ll build those walls of hers even higher.
She said she’s never let anyone close enough to get over them, but I’m not climbing over anything.
If she lets me close enough, I plan on bulldozing right through them.
Hell, I might as well start now.
Knox
hey little sister U busy?
Daisy
It’s 11:45 on a Friday night. If I say no, I’m a loser.
Knox
so?
Daisy
I’m a loser. What’s up?
Knox
what can you tell me about ryan jameson
My phone rings before my thumb leaves the send button. Chuckling, I hit the green accept call on my screen.
“What are you up to, Knoxamillion?”
“Well, hello to you too, Driving Miss Daisy.”
“I know Ryan’s on tour with you. I saw her when she was in town a few weeks back. She said you... how did she put it? Oh, yeah, you hate her.”
“She said that?” I ask quietly praying she can’t hear the spike in my interest, because I fucking heard it.
The roar of the bus is loud, so I know those in the back can’t hear me, but I still keep my voice down.
“Something like that. Why?”
“Tell me about her.”
Daisy gasps on the other end of the line. “Oh, my God. You like her!”
“Didn’t say that, Dais.”
“But you do. You never text me and you never ask me about girls.”
“I do text you and I didn’t ask you about a girl. I asked you about the journalist writing about our band. I’m doing my due diligence.”
“Like I said, she’s been with you guys for weeks. Why are you calling now?”
She’s right, I don’t reach out as often as I should and if I’m reaching out; she knows I’m serious as a heart attack.
“I didn’t call you. You called me. Why does it matter?”
“It matters, because she’s the best. I don’t need you trying to get in her pants. She’s more than a random hook-up.”
“Don’t I know it,” I sigh.
“I knew it,” she says sweetly. “I get it, though. She’s awesome.”
“She is.”
“And have you two... you know... bumped uglies yet?”
Laughing much louder than is wise, I scold my sister. “God, who raised you? ”
“I learned everything I know from my obnoxious older brothers.”
“Fair point.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“No, we haven’t.”
“Just a little smoochy, smoochy?”
“If that’s what you insist on calling it.”
“You really have a thing for hooking up with my friends, don’t you? Have you considered therapy to uncover your unresolved issues?”
Shit. That hadn’t even crossed my mind. Likely, because I only remember my five minutes with Mia in drunk flashbacks. I never had a thing for her. Never thought of her as anything other than my sister’s best friend.
“Please tell me you know this is different. I don’t remember Ryan ever being around. I didn’t even know she was from Goose Hollow until after she had been with us for weeks.”
“Hey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“I deserve it.”
“You do and you don’t. But you’re right, Ryan wasn’t over much until you were already long gone. Besides, she was pretty quiet, introverted until she left for college.”
“Yeah?”
“She’s like a supercharged version of the person she was. She found her voice when she moved away. Every visit home she’s more her authentic self. It’s strange, because she was great before, but now nothing can stop her.”
It warms my heart to hear the pride behind Daisy’s words. She’s proud of her friend. Her comments also prove what Ryan said is true, my sister is clueless about Ryan’s home life otherwise she would know why leaving town made such a difference in her personality.
“That’s nice to hear.”
“I’m not sure what kind of information you’re looking for, but she’s an open book.
She lives in New York, so I don’t see her that often, but we make a point of getting together when she’s in town.
She travels a lot for work and hasn’t been in a ton of relationships. I’m pretty sure she’s single, though.”
“She is,” I confirm.
“You hoping to change that?”
“Just trying to get to know her right now.”
“Well, she’d be great for you. Keep you on your toes. Tell you the truth.”
“I like that about her.”
“She won’t care that you’re Knox McKinnon , you know. Your status won’t phase her the least little bit.”
“She’s the real deal, isn’t she?”
“The realest.”
My sister confirms what I already know. You don’t meet a woman like Ryan and not want to call her yours. She isn’t mine yet, but if I’ve done anything right in this or a past life, I hope it’s enough to deserve her.
“Thanks for the talk, sis. I appreciate the call.”
“Talking to your sister is always better than texting. Especially about love.”
“Whoa, there. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Too late. I’m already manifesting the shit out of the two of you together.
Don’t mess this up for me. I mean, you. Don’t mess this up for you .
It wouldn’t make me at all happy that my big brother and one of the coolest chicks I know were together.
And if my gut is right, you’re gonna be in Goose Hollow a lot more, which means Ryan would be, too. ”
“Love you, Daisy.”
“Love you, Knoxamillion. Get some sleep.”
“See you in a few weeks.”
“Can’t wait.”
“Bye.”
Ending the call, I feel even more resolved in my intention to call Ryan mine.
Daisy doesn’t pull any punches. If there was an issue with Ry, she would tell me.
If the two of us being together bothered her, she wouldn’t hesitate to let me know.
I didn’t reach out looking for my sister’s approval, but now that I have it, I feel like I’m all out of excuses.
I’m ready to work for what I want. And what I want is Ryan Jameson.