Page 101 of Anyone But You

“I understand where you’re coming from, but can I be frank?”

“Please.”

“I see everything you don’t see—the viciousness, the hate, the scrutiny, the microaggressions, the racism—you name it. I’m consumed by it. And while I haven’t been your publicist for long, I feel protective of you and Knox. I don’t want to witness anyone mocking or vilifying you if I can help it. You and Knox have been through enough and deserve to be happy and stress-free, not under fire every time you turn around.”

I softened in understanding.

“You’re not superwoman, Polly Pocket, and you won’t be able to shield us from everything. Let them speculate, let them talk, and let them hate because meanwhile, I’m making Knox’s pockets hurt and living my best life.”

We laughed until knocking interrupted us.

“What’s good?”

“My love. Do you have a moment?” Knox asked through the door.

“I might. What’s up?”

“My mother would like to apologize. Would you spare her a moment of your time?”

“Sure.”

The bedroom swung open, and I almost laughed when Knox gently shoved his mother into the room. Lorena seemed less confident than when she first arrived and tried to put me in my place.

“I guess that’s my cue to leave. Good luck, Victoria,” she wished before slipping out of the room.

We were alone, avoiding the obvious elephant in the room.

Lorena clutched her leather handbag so tightly, I swore her knuckles cracked.

“I don’t hear apologizing,” Knox said through the door.

Lorena rolled her eyes and muttered Italian under her breath.

“I was pregnant with twins, you know,” she said suddenly.

My eyes widened in disbelief.

“No, I didn’t know that.”

“Mhm. Knox was originally a twin; however, he absorbed his twin in the womb, and now this is what I’m left with.”

I snickered, and soon she joined me.

“Of course Knox is the evil twin.”

I’m sorry for her loss, but thank goodness there aren’t two of them. I can’t imagine. I would’ve had double the dick, but double the headache.

Lorena sat in an armchair by the window, set her purse on a side table, smoothed her hands down her skirt, and crossed her ankles.

“I apologize for my behavior, Victoria. I was cold, dismissive, and didn’t give you a chance. I’ve lived with a knot in my stomach for years after what Naomi attempted to do to my boy. She had us both fooled—me more than him—and it almost cost him his life.”

“I understand, Mrs. Ramsey.”

“No,” she whispered. “You don’t understand. Even when the evidence was presented, I thought the cops had gotten it wrong. Naomi wouldn’t do something heinous like that. She loved Knox. It wasn’t possible, but there it was in black and white. The future I thought they would have dwindled away into nothing.”

Tears crested the woman’s eyes, and my heart lurched for her.

“And poor Knox. He was devastated. I thought he would remain a bachelor forever, and I had made peace with that. Sad to say, but I was a little gleeful that he’d given up on love. But then, you came along and changed his mind. I panicked. Especially after reading all the headlines, and I formed an opinion of you before meeting you, and that was wrong.” She took a shaky breath. “I’m sorry for disrespecting you, Victoria. Truly. You didn’t deserve my suspicion. Knox deserves happiness, and so do you. I hope you’ll forgive me.”