She threw out her arms. “We have a baby.”
“I’m sure Cass and I have figured that out,” he said, grinning again. “But isn’t there a little more that you can tell us?”
“Marissa is fine. Tom might take a little longer to get over his shell-shock.”
“I’m sure I’m on pins-and-needles to know how Deanne and Rob are faring—”
“Fabulous,” she said, instantly.
“Spare us any more stalling, doll,” her dad said, but he wore a smile too. “Boy, girl, which is it?”
“Okay, okay.” Breaking free from Knox’s hold, on the toes of one foot she made another single spin. “Elizabeth Erin, six pounds, four ounces. Early, yes. But healthy and sure to thrive.”
“So you got the middle name after all?” Knox said, pleased for her.
Her smile was his reward for remembering what she’d told him the night they met. “And Elizabeth is Deanne’s middle name.”
“Congratulations to all, then.” Knox ran a knuckle down her soft cheek. “That said, you’re a bit ragged around the edges, darlin’.”
“You look too closely.”
“When it comes to you.” Knox felt Cass’s scrutiny again, but he couldn’t pull his gaze from the man’s daughter as a blush bloomed on her cheeks. God. So beautiful.
“We were worried, that’s all,” she said, “because our Beth was arriving on scene early.”
“Well, she’s here now. That means you can rest. Or…what about the studio?”
“I called a couple of the seniors to get the word out and to put a sign on the studio door. Classes canceled for the day.”
“All right.” The envelope of money sat heavy in his back pocket. Was she concerned about losing income?
Before he could say anything, Erin was dancing away again. “My cell phone’s in my purse. I have pictures.”
Knox shared a look with Cass. “She’s revved.”
The older man wore a smile that held a tinge of sadness. “That’s her mother in her, the dancing, the brightness. Like a star.”
“Yes.” Knox thought of her silver eyes. The sparks when they touched.
Erin was back, swiping the screen of her phone. “This one first,” she said, presenting the device in the cup of her hands so that both he and her dad could view the image together.
Knox attempted appreciation. But it was a smushed scrap of humanity’s face between a swaddled blanket and a pink beanie. “Wow. Clearly a wise sage for the ages. Definitely a future world leader. Not to mention a gold-medal Olympian.”
She cast him a suspicious look.
“Laying it on too thick?” He lifted his hands. “I don’t know any babies. Second-to-the-last son, remember? I don’t remember any babies except for Finn who is still a puking mess in my mind.” Knox flashed her a winning smile.
“Is that the naval aviator puking mess?”
He’d made her laugh, his favorite thing to do. “It’s the G-forces.”
She laughed again. Then she included her dad in her glance. “Shall we all go to dinner to celebrate? My treat.”
Knox shook his head. “You don’t have to—”
“I insist.”
Well. It seemed as good a time as any to draw the envelope from his back pocket. “First I have to hand over something that belongs to you.”
Her brows drew together as she took it from him. Then she lifted the flap and went still. “Knox.” Big silver eyes lifted to his.
“Baby.” He wished he could take back the intimate endearment the instant it left his mouth. His gaze cut to Cass, who wore an impassive mask, then he looked back at the most beautiful woman in the world. “Yeah. I had a conversation with the cowboy. Suggested he return your money. But I didn’t demand interest,” Knox added, hoping that might make his interference less objectionable.
“Dad,” Erin said, addressing her father. “Do you know anything about this? Were you around when this money was miraculously delivered?”
The man lied like a rug. “Huh? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She inhaled a long breath and shifted to face Knox. “You’re crazy, you know that?”
Crazy about you.
After a moment, she sighed, clearly torn. “I suppose I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” Her fingers riffled through the bills. “All right. Then it’s going to be a very nice dinner, right, Dad?”
“Oh, I can’t go,” Cass said, hands in his pockets again. “Sorry, but who’ll keep an eye on the dogs?”
Resigned amusement crossed her face. “Dad…”
“Kidding.” Cass avoided Knox’s gaze. “It’s my poker night, remember?” Then, his head came up and turned, as if he heard something from the garage bays. “Excuse me.” The older man strode off.
Erin slapped the envelope against one palm. “I can’t decide if I should be mad at you or not.”
“I like the second choice better.”
“Okay, then. But only if you let me buy you dinner.” She flashed him an expectant smile.
“Erin…” He reached out to touch her face again, but let his hand drop.
Damn it, he’d made the decision to go. No more caresses, no more kisses, no more procrastination.
She must have seen his resolve on his face.
“Oh,” she said, her smile dying. The touch of disappointment in her eyes almost killed him. “You’re leaving. Now?”
“Yeah.” He nodded, hesitant to exchange another damn goodbye. He was so sick of saying that word to her. “Soon.”
“But not sooner than tomorrow,” Cass said, strolling up to them.
“What?” Knox stared at the older man.
“Jolly’s found a little trouble with your points,” he answered, cheerful. “It’s going to take some extra work.”
Knox looked from the man to his daughter. She didn’t say a word. She didn’t have to. Because spending more time with Erin was an irresistible temptation. Knox swallowed a curse at his own wavering determination. “It looks like you have yourself a dinner date then, darlin’—if the offer’s still open.”
Maybe, he thought with bleak hope, tonight he’d find a way to work her out from under his skin.
Chapter 10
Erin knew she and Knox had been saying goodbye since the moment they’d met. They’d even uttered the word more than once. But this time, she felt it to her bones. Goodbye. The end.
It was enough to pop the champagne bubbles that had been rushing through her bloodstream since Elizabeth Erin Farmer made her way into the world that afternoon.
“Are you okay?” Knox asked, his voice quiet. He caught her hand as they crossed the parking lot toward the fancy restaurant located at the spa-resort south of town.
“I’m great,” she said, forcing a smile. This was supposed to be a celebration.
Reaching the door, he pulled it open and ushered her through. “You look beautiful,” he said, bending to murmur in her ear as they waited for the hostess.
Erin resisted the urge to stroke the smooth knit of her wrap dress. Midnight blue, the garment ended just above her knees and tied in front below a deep vee of a neckline. The long sleeves were of dotted mesh, the same color as the dress itself, but the hint of flesh through the sheer fabric somehow made the bare parts of her—legs, throat, the small amount of cleavage she could create with a push-up bra—seem even barer.
Glancing at Knox, she noted again that he’d dressed up too—his look halfway between gentleman and biker. Along with his dark jeans and motorcycle boots, he wore a cream-colored dress shirt topped by a fitted navy blazer. She touched one light wool sleeve. “Don’t tell me you had this in the Indian’s saddlebags.”
He grinned, tripling handsomeness that was already off the chart. “Cass—”
“My dad has never worn anything like that in his life.”
“—gave me directions to a men’s store,” he continued. “I couldn’t embarrass you by showing up in my old Velvet Lemons concert T-shirt and my motorcy
cle jacket.”
To her mind, iIn whatever he wore he would outshine all the other men in the place, she thought, as they were led through the restaurant, passing by the elegant bar on the way to the dining tables draped in starched white linens. The one she’d reserved was positioned along a glass wall overlooking the Pacific, a prime spot for the view as well as to see and be seen by the other well-dressed diners.
Using her connection with the spa-resort through Yoga Girl, she’d pulled strings to get the best seat in the house.
She’d wanted the night to be special.
A special “Goodbye,” she reminded herself.
They settled into the cushioned chairs and were asked if they wanted cocktails. With an impish smile, Erin glanced at Knox.
He met her gaze, smiled too. “She’ll have a mai tai,” he said. “For me…what the heck, go ahead and bring us a pair of them.”
A sudden clutch of concern in her belly took her mood down another notch. mai tais. The two of them had a drink now! Okay, it was a joke, but an in-joke that only they shared and it might be nearly as dangerous as having a song. More dangerous? A song could go out of fashion, eventually you wouldn’t hear it on an elevator or while on hold on the phone, but a mai tai was an enduring standard.
Destined to live forever.
Like her memories of Knox Brannigan.
Erin swallowed, hard.
“Hey, hey, hey,” he said, reaching across the table to grasp her hand. His was hard and warm and slightly rough.
Her belly clutched again.
“What’s wrong?” Knox smoothed his thumb over her knuckles.
And before she had to lie, the server returned with their drinks and a bowl of newly roasted mixed nuts, hot and salty, a spa staple.
“Well?” Knox asked, lifting his glass. “To Elizabeth Erin Farmer?”
Erin grasped at the thought like a lifeline, and then went on to keep the conversation light by regaling Knox with stories from the waiting room at the hospital, where the Farmer grandparents, Jeff and Misty, had worn holes in the flooring and blamed each other for being banned from the labor and delivery room because of their sympathetic but very loud wincing every time Rissa had a contraction.
Knox winced now too. “Could we skip the details?”
“Such a man,” she said, airily, and was about to tease him with talk of umbilical cords and breastfeeding, when a light hand touched her shoulder. Erin glanced up, then pushed back her chair to stand.
“Katie!” she said, hugging the other woman. “How are you? I haven’t seen you since—”
“Our yoga certification classes.” The blonde wore her hair in a long braid that she pushed over her shoulder. “Remember Kelly and I moved to Sacramento?”
“Yes, of course, and your twin is well too?”
“Fine, both of us are fine, and we’ve moved back to the area. My boyfriend and I were tired of the long distance thing, and it made more sense for me to return than for him to uproot his massage therapy business.”
“We’ll have to get together.”
“I’d like that—Kelly and I both would. We’ll pick your brain for what’s new in the area and how we can make some cash. We’re only going to work part-time with my boyfriend, and we don’t want to leave yoga behind.”
“I have a studio now,” Erin said. “Two years old.”
“Oh! We could take some classes with you.”
“Sure…” Erin glanced over at Knox, then realized how rude she’d been. “I’m sorry, Katie, this is Knox Brannigan. Knox, Katie Richards, from—”
“Yoga certification,” he said, standing to shake the other woman’s hand. “I heard. Nice to meet you.”
Katie gave the man a once-over then looked back at Erin, a wowza expression on her face. “You’ve been busy.”
“With the studio,” Erin said firmly. But a new idea flashed in her head, one brought on by the person she’d called at the resort that day when she’d pulled that string for the primo table. “And about that…”
“Yes?”
“I have a contact here at the spa who’s trying to interest me in putting on some classes here, maybe even some workshops and weekend retreats centered around yoga. But taking that on solo, as well as my regular schedule at the studio, would be too much for me.”
Katie’s eyes widened. “You’ll need some help?”
“I think so.” Erin glanced at Knox to see him nod. “Yes. If I go forward, I’ll need additional instructors. Are you interested?”
A few minutes passed as they exchanged phone numbers. Katie thought she could speak for herself and her twin to say they were both very interested in learning more about what Erin had in mind.
“I’m not sure I know exactly what I have in mind,” Erin admitted to Knox, after the other woman returned to her table of friends at the bar.
“But you have options now,” he said, then the conversation paused as the server returned with the bottle of wine they’d selected. Next came their salads and then their matching dinner plates. They didn’t return to the earlier conversation until they were sampling bites of garlic mashed potatoes, steamed green beans amandine, and swordfish steaks topped by dabs of avocado butter.
“Taking on some employees is a good move for you, Erin,” he said, scooping up more potatoes.
“I don’t know that I would have seriously considered it, or considered the idea of classes here at the spa, if you hadn’t encouraged me.”
“I like to think I have good instincts about what will work and what won’t,” he said. “And I also have faith in you. If growing your business is what you want, then you’ll do it.”
He had faith in her. The words boosted her confidence, and she smiled at him, then swung her leg to nudge his with the toe of her shoe. “You can make a woman feel pretty darn good, do you know that?”
It could have been taken in a sexual way—because he had to know he was excellent in that department, too—but he merely reached for her free hand and gave it a brief squeeze with his. “I’m glad. And I’m glad we met, Erin.”
Before she could do something to embarrass herself, she nodded and gave her attention once again to her meal. A few beats of silence passed, then Knox spoke again.
“You know, if you do get some other instructors on your payroll, that could really change things for you.”
“I’ll have to bone up on employee workplace rights,” she said, with a little grimace. “Not something I know too much about.”
“You can also plan some real time off for yourself.”
Erin glanced up at Knox, surprised by the thought. “Time off.”
“A concept that’s especially pleasant when you can string days of time off together. In case you’ve forgotten, those are known as weekends, even long weekends, and, dare I mention it, vacations.” He was smiling at her.
And then his expression turned serious. “Erin, that means…” He looked away, seeming to struggle with something.
“That means?” she prompted.
His gaze returned to her face. “We could see each other again. You could come visit me in Santa Monica. I could take you to my brother’s resort in Yosemite. This wouldn’t…”
Have to end, she finished for him. Their goodbye wouldn’t have to happen after all.
The appeal of the idea was no surprise, but her fear of it was. A cold wave washed over her as she imagined herself arriving on Knox’s doorstep one day for a long weekend, only to see regret in his gaze…or disinterest.
Was it wrong of her to imagine the worst that might happen? The best could be some shared days here and there, pleasant times spent catching up on their separate lives. Spent in bed.
He’d mix her mai tais at cocktail hour and she’d make him pancakes for breakfast and they’d go for motorcycle rides and walks on the beach. And then the real world would reassert itself. They’d have to part once more…if not a goodbye, but a so long until…until…
Until such casual relationships, however warm in i
ntention—however hot in the sack, fizzled out.
A situation like that was sure to disturb her inner harmony. She’d definitely find herself out of the driver’s seat of her life.
On a sigh, Erin glanced up to see the resort admin and yoga student, Lindsay Fox, approaching with a welcoming smile on her face. As she paused beside their table, Erin greeted her. “Hey, it’s nice to see you.”
“Just making sure your dinner is to your satisfaction,” Lindsay said, then introduced herself to Knox. “I hope you’re enjoying your evening.”
“We are,” he assured her.
Then Lindsay turned to Erin again. “Could I interrupt you just a moment to set up a couple of meetings?” She made a face. “Rude, right? But I’m so excited about our ideas!”
Hesitating, Erin glanced at Knox.
“Go ahead, ladies,” he said. “Don’t mind me, I’ll just be sipping my wine and savoring the view.”
But as Lindsay consulted her calendar app on her phone, Erin couldn’t help noticing that Knox’s attention was caught not by the Pacific Ocean on the other side of the glass, but by a sweet charmer at a neighboring table. A rosy-cheeked cherub—probably not yet two—sat in a stroller across the narrow aisle. She stared at him with fascinated interest. Wearing a bemused expression, Knox looked back.
The cherub ducked her head, inserted her thumb in her mouth, then glanced up at him again through the veil of curly dark lashes.
What a little flirt!
It made Knox grin, and smooth operator and ladies’ man that he was, he wiggled his fingers at her. The little girl smiled around her thumb and uncurled the tiny digits hooked on her nose to wave back. Then she stretched her other hand to present Knox with a small stuffed dog.
The animal was pink and a little grubby around the edges. An ear was torn, and in the place of one black embroidered eye was a patch of yellow felt attached with crude white stitches. Clearly a well-loved toy.
Knox refused to take it by shaking his head, but Sweet Charmer’s brows slammed together, and she offered it to him with more insistence.
Knox KOBO Page 14
