Page 78

I tried and failed at implementing some bullshit rule about how we could keep things casual and just be friends, which looking back, I knew was an excuse.

Because I knew from the moment I met Knox Browning, that falling for him would be the easiest thing I ever did.

I tiptoe down the stairs,knowing that there's no one on the night shift duty anymore—but I also know my way around the kitchen like it’s my own. The room feels like an extension of me, like another piece of me. And I have to eat. Now.

I poke my head into the dark room and don’t bother turning on the lights when I pluck a fruit from the bowl and turn around to grab a napkin.

“Morning darlin’—”

“Shit!” I throw the fruit up in the air and grab the countertop for dear life. Bringing a hand to my chest to settle my racing heart, I find Isla at the round table in the corner. “You scared me.”

“Sorry.” She winces. “I’ve been doing that a lot lately.”

“What are you doing down here?” I look around the empty room before picking up my food off the floor.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to start my day.” I turn towards the stove, reading the clock,4:14.“Seems you couldn’t sleep either.” I bite the skin of my lip, rubbing my fruit like it’s a magic lap. “I hope I’m not oversteppin’, but—” She holds her cup of tea with two hands, lifting it to her mouth and I hold my breath for what she has to say. “If you ever needed to talk to someone, other than my big lug of a son, I’m always around.”

My throat tightens, and I fight to hide how much her words really affect me. I know that part of the reason I was so quick to believe I could stay longer was because of Isla. She’s welcomed me into her kitchen, which has become a safe space for me and we’ve worked beside each other all these weeks. When I think about leaving, it’s not just Knox I’ll miss. When she smiles at me from over the rim of her mug, I blink back tears.

“Was Knox’s offer a surprise to you, too?”I guess I can be glad I’m not the only one he keeps things from.I nod, not trusting my voice, and she mirrors my movements.

“You know, we’ve all loved having Knox home.”

“I can imagine.” I finally speak but I keep my eyes glued on the counter in front of me.

“And, of course, we would be bummed to see him go again, but thankfully, I don’t think we really need to worry about that.”

“You don’t think he’ll leave? Even with how upset he was when he came home?”

“No.” She smiles, walking over to where I stand, unmoving at the counter. “Because as much as we love having him here, I think for the first time, he seems to love it for himself now.”

I want to believe her. I want to believe that I was right to put my trust in him. But even if Knox thinks he can be happy here, be happy withme,what’s to say that he won’t change his mind later?

Knox

I’ve been sittingon my couch, staring at my own reflection in the black TV for what feels like an eternity. I tried to talk to Taylor yesterday, but after waiting downstairs in the common room all day, my dad finally sent me away like a stray dog. Sitting in my living room, waiting for her to be ready to talk feels like a spiked, weighted hammer bouncing around my chest. It’s painful and brutal and agonizing all at the same time.

My front door creaks open, and I quickly comb my hands through my hair, jumping to my feet. My face lifts and then falls just as quickly when Taylor doesn’t walk through my door, but my own personal cheer squad does instead.

Liam carries a six-pack under each arm while Dax holds the door open.

“Did you know you have a cat out here on your porch?” he asks before closing it. I ignore the pain in my chest at the mention of the cat and fall back onto my couch.

“What are you two doing here?”

“It’s the first time no one has heard from you in a day since you’ve been back, you didn’t thinkwe were going to let you wallow in your little Disney cottage by yourself, did ya?” Liam asks, sticking the bottle cap between his teeth and prying it open.

“Who the fuck said I was wallowing?”

They share a glance and then look down at me. “Ryder,” they say in unison before sitting on the other side of the sectional.

I snatch one of the beers up and pop the top on the edge of the coffee table before throwing back half the contents of the bottle.

“Alright, mate, is the elephant in the room about your new coaching gig or Taylor?” Dax asks, but I don’t answer. “Right. I’m going to assume it’s about Taylor then, mostly because I don’t even want to get into you leaving again.” I bring the bottle to my mouth and take another deep swig. “What’s the deal, KB?”

My thumbnail digs into the label around my bottle for a minute before I give up on the silent treatment. “We were talking about her staying longer, but after the coaching position bomb that was dropped the other night,” I throw a pointed glance at Liam, and he holds his hands up in defense. Rationally, I know he didn’t do anything, and none of this is his fault. I just want to blame someone other than myself for a second. I set the bottle on the table and drop my face to my hands with a groan. “I think she got scared.”

“Did she say she’s not staying anymore?” Liam asks.