My mom used to do that. I minded. In a hurry.
I turn the truck engine off and follow them inside, ruffling Dexter’s hair as we climb the steps to the front door.
Her house is clean and well decorated without being overboard. I like her simple style of mixing rustic with contemporary and can’t stop staring at a sleek chrome wall clock with a rough-edged wood shelf beneath it filled with mini figurines. There’s something charming about the collection that catches the eye.
“I’m going to run upstairs. Make yourself at home.” She wiggles her fingers at me and then darts up the steps just off the hallway. Abby and Dexter have disappeared as well and I’m left to wander and snoop as I see fit.
Suddenly, a scream from upstairs splits the air and I’m climbing the steps without thought. Chasing down whoever or whatever might be hurting Savvy becomes my one true mission in life.
No one is going to hurt her when we’re just about to start dating.
A guy can’t catch a break.
Chapter 23
Savvy
Spike’s bloody hind end rests squarely on my pillow. The three babies she’s given birth to already wiggle and slime all over my favorite silken pillowcase.
My chest rises and falls as I try to see the beauty in the moment and not the horrendous mess on my bed. Both of my hands are clenched together and I press them to my mouth.
Knox thunders in behind me, his eyes wild like he’s ready to hurt whoever is in there.
I can’t speak. I just look at him and then back to the bed. He shifts his gaze from my face to the bed, his worry turning to anger to amazement.
“Oh, Mom, look. Spike had her babies.” Abby pushes in and stares at the bed. She turns to me, her face filled with awe. “Look at how tiny they are.”
Dexter is suddenly there and I feel like an ogre for being upset that Spike gave birth. On my bed. On my pillow. Maybe I shouldn’t be freaking out, but… Blood on my pillowcase didn’t exactly fill me with warm and fuzzies.
“Are you okay?” Knox turns back to me, studying my face as he reaches out and takes my upper arms in his large hands. “Savvy, are you alright?”
I blink my eyes off the cat and look up at him. “My bed.” I feel bad saying it but he asked.
Understanding furrows his brow and he nods. “I understand. We’ll get it cleaned up. We need to make sure she’s all done, though, okay?” He pulls me against his chest like he knows I need comforting and I don’t pull away.
I’m grateful for the solidness and the steadfast strength he offers. I stay a little too long, but I won’t apologize for it. Finally, after a moment, I pull back, allowing his arms to drop from my back.
I’m close to crying, even with Knox’s gentleness. I pull my planner from the backpack hanging from my shoulder and I clutch the covered pages in my arms, tight to my chest. I’m close to crying. I can feel it.
“Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay?” Knox leans back to study my face.
“Mom doesn’t like anything she doesn’t plan.” Abby doesn’t even look away from the miracle on my bed.
“Or things that aren’t clean. She planned all of this out and Spike was supposed to have her babies on Tuesday when Mom has Lila set up to cover the trailer.” The matter-of-fact tone Dexter offers up fills me with dismay.
“You guys are mean. I’m not like that.” I know I’m whining, but this is a lot to take in.
“Mom, you even told Spike to have the babies by the backdoor. Like you can control that.” Abby scoffs and then coos over the next baby sliding out of the cat.
I might throw up.
“Don’t make fun of me, you guys.” I feel kind of vulnerable and with Knox there it enhances the emotion.
Dexter and Abby turn at my words and face me, concern heavy in their features. “Mom, we’re not. Honest. It’s just…” They look at each other like they’re not sure what to say to keep me from losing it.
Do I look like a woman about to lose it?
“I think it’s smart to be prepared. Unfortunately, she had the babies early and in here. So, what can we do to help get the situation back under control? Maybe we could all work together to clean up and move her into the basket?” Knox searches my face and continues. “Moms usually like a safe and protected place. What about putting the basket into the closet or a bathroom? It will get them off the bed and into an easier-to-clean area?”
The pressure on my chest lessens and I feel like I can suddenly breathe. Someone else has answers. Someone else is the adult in the moment. For the first time in a long time, I have a little less pressure as I face something outside my control.
I’m not sure how Knox does it, but he has an innate ability to diffuse situations. I like that and envy it.
What if dating him really is possible?
***
I sit down across from Knox at the White House restaurant in Post Falls. They specialize in Greek fare and I’m so excited. I haven’t been out to eat at a sit-down restaurant in a long time.
I feel like an adult.
As we’re handed our menus, I lean across the small table to Knox and murmur, “I love it here.”
“Yeah, I do, too. It’s the only one I could think of with enough options for keto.” He glances down at the menu.
My jaw slackens. Crud. Keto? Did he think I was keto, too? “Um, yeah, I don’t eat keto.”
He lowers the menu and squints at me in the dark lighting like I might be joking or something. “Sorry, what?”
“I don’t eat keto.” I grimace, picking at the edge of the menu.
He blinks like he’s confused. “Wait, you have a keto truck and you don’t eat keto? How do you make your things taste so good?”
I shift on my seat, more than a little embarrassed. “Actually, I have a degree in chemistry and… it’s really easy to make things come out right when you know their chemical composition and what’s going to work with what.” I shrug but peer at him like he might change his mind about dating. “Is that bad? I’m not exactly being honest to the customer, but at the same time, I don’t have on there that Miller eats keto. You know?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “I don’t think that’s important. Your keto food is delicious. I don’t eat low carb and I love eating the treats.”
“Yeah, I love eating carbs too much.” I half-shrug and then sigh, setting the menu on the table and leaning forward. “The thing is… I’m really quirky. You probably don’t want to date me. I have too many secrets and idiosyncrasies.” I’m trying not to let my shame engulf me, but I’m definitely grateful that it’s darker inside and harder to see the color of my face.
“Your secret is safe with me and I won’t judge you. I promise. I have a few secrets of my own, to be honest. Some I’m not too proud of.” His features tighten and he lowers his menu as well.
“Tell me one of your secrets. I won’t tell anyone. Promise.” I lift my fifth finger in the air and arch an eyebrow at him in challenge. “Pinky promise.”
He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table as he closes the distance between us to a mere couple inches. I mean a couple.
He reaches out, plucking at a shock of loose hair from my sloppy bun. “You want a secret?”
I nod, enchanted by the suddenly slumberous look in his eyes. The things this man can do with just his eyes is hypnotic.
He leans closer, casting a fast glance around the restaurant before turning back to me, his whisper soft as it reaches my ears. “I’ve wanted to date you for almost a year now.” He studies me as he waits for his words to sink in.
But I don’t wait. I know what I want.
I lean forward and press my lips to his, reveling in the heat and the firm softness of his lips against mine.
His mouth moves and I’m suddenly feeling like I can fly and pass out at the same time. Slamming my hands down to steady myself, something freezing cold hits my hand and slaps onto my lap.
Gasping, I jerk back, finding my water and his knocked over
, covering the table and our laps with an icy chill.
I laugh uncomfortably and sigh. “I’m so sorry.” Panicked, I clutch at napkins and dab at the water on the table and then half-stand to lean forward, working the napkins on his chest where the water splotches his shirt.
“As much as I love the… uh, physical attention, we’re getting an audience.” Knox’s mirthful smile is gentle.
I look around and quickly sit in my seat at the sight of the people around us glancing and giggling.
“Well, you can’t say I don’t keep things interesting.” I shrug and pick up the menu. I suddenly want the night over with.
“I think you keep things exactly like they need to be. I’ll never be bored and that’s the way I like it. Not to mention, I think I knocked the water over.” He winks when I lift my gaze to his face and like an emotional mess, I decide I don’t want the night to end.
How’s that for whirlwind?
Chapter 24
Knox
Even with freezing water slowly warming on the lap of my pants, I’m having the best time with Savvy.
She makes me laugh three more times before we order and she doesn’t even do it intentionally.
Embarrassed, she’s tilted her seat to the side to put her back as much to the rest of the room as possible.
At the risk of sounding like a woman, I can’t help my thoughts from going continually back to the kiss.
What does it mean? Other than my mind almost blew up at the sensation of having her lips against mine, I’m not sure what context to put that kiss into.
Was it exploratory? Initial? Will we be able to kiss again? Was the water spilling a sign we shouldn’t be kissing?
Obviously, I’m overthinking things.
“Do you think the kittens will be okay?” Savvy trails her finger up and down the side of the new glass of water the server brought us.
I nod, grateful for the new topic to focus on, even if talking and looking at her rather than at my phone does mean I have to see her lips and think about kissing them again.
Oh, who are we kidding? I was doing that without the excuse of talking.
“Yes, I think Spike – odd name for a girl cat, by the way – will make a good mom. She chose the safest place in the house to have babies.” I grin at Savvy and take a sip of my water and then lean back as the waitress sets a plate of Greek salad in front of both of us.
Savvy glances up and thanks the woman. I follow suit and we return to our conversation as we pick up our forks.
“Well, Spike was Dexter’s choice. We bought her when we were having a really hard time shortly after Keith left. I don’t remember what spurred on the evening, but we were sitting down to eat and I hadn’t made very much money yet at the trailer. I mean, no money. Keith wasn’t paying anything to help support us and I think we were having ramen or mac and cheese without the milk for dinner. I can’t remember.”
She laughs and shakes her head, spearing a cucumber and olive before continuing. “Dexter always hated ramen. He started crying and then he got mad because he was crying and that made it worse. Abby started crying. I guess she was also having problems at school. And then I broke down into tears because I was failing. Just failing and I had no one to help me. No one to be my soft spot, you know?” She twists her lips to the side and drops her gaze, obviously emotionally traumatized and trying to play if off like it is her failure.
“I don’t think you’re failing. At all. Those kids are doing pretty good and that’s all because of you.” I take a bite and then return to studying her. “What made you focus on a keto trailer? You could have done anything. Why a food truck?” I hate getting that question from people, but right now, it’s never seemed more relevant.
“I’ve always been a stay-at-home mom. Always. I had a job in high school before meeting Keith, but when I went to college, it was on scholarship and I was supposed to be going pre-med. I always wanted to be a doctor. An OB/GYN, actually.” She shrugs. “But dreams change. Keith convinced me I wanted to be married and stay home. I never did when I was growing up, but… So anyway, I’m pretty good in the kitchen and a friend of mine was trying out the keto diet but she kept bingeing, which I know all about, by the way. So, I offered to help her with some items. She tried a keto bagel that I made and after that, she started paying me. That turned into more and more and when Keith left, it was the only thing I could think of that might turn into something sustainable.”
“I find it fascinating that you don’t eat keto but you bake for it.” I shake my head in awe. The woman was proving to be more amazing than I’d originally thought. “For the record, I’m hard to impress. And I’m impressed.”
Her gaze drops to her plate and I can barely see high points of color in her cheeks. The dim lighting is both an irritant and a blessing as it makes it harder to see her but also creates a sensation of intimate ambience.
Savvy glances up and bites her bottom lip. I suddenly understand David’s fascination with lip biting as my stomach clenches. This woman has no idea what her appeal is.
It’s enough to drive me insane.
“Can I ask you a question?” Savvy keeps her tone down, like maybe the question is extremely private.
Nodding, I take another bite of my salad.
“Can you see my bra through the wet shirt?” She’s serious and her brow is furrowed like she can’t believe she has to ask me.
I cough, because hello, she just asked me to check out her chest in a wet shirt. I’ve been doing my level best to not look and there she is telling me to look. I’m not sure if it’s a trap or a gift, but I’m looking.
I drop my gaze and then shift it back to her face after a full second. “Unfortunately, no.”
Her mouth drops open and then she grins, shaking her head. “Oh, you’re bad.” But she’s not insulted as she finishes her salad. “What made you want to do a food truck?”
“Honestly? I wanted to do anything that wasn’t what my dad wanted me to do. Plus, engineering is extremely stiff and formal. I could barely attend the initial courses for the degree and I only had half the artwork I have now. I opted for business schooling to get a Masters in – which I haven’t used anything of to run my own business, by the way.” I cock my head forward with my eyebrows raised. “And… I wanted something that seemed like it was doomed to failure. I’ve been at the food lot for almost three years and it’s just done better and better. We’re actually thinking about getting a second truck and going into the Post Falls lot they just opened. We’ve been invited three times and I’ve been hesitant.”
“Why? It sounds like a great opportunity.” Savvy pushes her empty plate to the side of the table and leans forward, twisting her fingers together before dropping her hands below the edge of the table.
“Because I only have David to rely on at this point. It’s hard finding reliable help and I’m not sure I have the time to train someone else.” I push my plate to the side like hers.
“Yeah, but that’s not all of it, is it.” She doesn’t ask because she can see right through me.
I shake my head. “No, it’s not.” She’s observant and calling me on what she sees. That combined with the kiss… I’ve never been more turned on. She waits patiently for me to finish.
Wrong Text, Right Reply: A Sweet Accidental Romance (An Accidental But Perfect Romance Book 1) Page 16
