I start the engine and continue glancing at Carl who hasn’t looked away from me.
Finally, he speaks and his tone is lifeless. “You think I’m an idiot.”
“Kind of, but that’s not the point.” I’m not comfortable with the automatic transmission style of the car and have to readjust the mirror continually.
“Well, I am. I’m an idiot. I let Apple get away and now, no matter what I do, I can’t get her back. She just… runs from me.” He leans forward and rests his face in his hands.
“I got nothing for you, man.” I wince when he looks at me startled. Then I lift my hands. “Look, seriously? You drive a Fiat. You dress in that… what is that?” I shake my head and wave my hand. “No, don’t answer me. It’s not a real question. I don’t care. The truth is, you messed up. Time to move on. She doesn’t want you back. And pretending to get drunk off a wine cooler? I mean… didn’t they teach you self-respect where you were raised?”
“I was raised by my mother and three sisters and an aunt. Do you want to fight about what you’re saying right now?” He’s glaring but I’m not scared, more amused than anything.
I chuckle. “Yeah, I could flatten you without even trying. Look, Apple obviously isn’t for you. You need to straighten yourself up and then see about finding a woman who… is fine competing over the lavender body wash. Because that’s all I see in your future.”
Carl’s shoulders slump and he flops backward, staring out the side window. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
I know I’m right, but why rub it in his face?
Chapter 29
Savvy
The truck smells like Knox and I inhale deeply as I follow behind the small yellow car.
Apple didn’t seem torn up about Paul’s condition so much as how he’d ruined her house. There was permanent marker on the walls where he’d tried marking her house as his but he’d done a poor job of doing anything other than irritating Apple. Guys are just weird.
Knox’s two phones rest in the indented dashboard tray and only move a little as I turn corners.
In fact, I barely notice them as I’m considering the next time I get to kiss Knox. Until, my phone vibrates in my back pocket and the light on one of Knox’s phones lights up at the same time.
Must be another coincidence. They dinged at the same time at my house, too.
But my phone buzzes again at a stop sign and I can’t help it. I look at Knox’s phone and it lights up.
Pulling my lower lip between my teeth, I stare at the smart phone. Is it picking up something from my phone? I don’t know what would be worse, picking up the text messages or… what else could it be? Who could he be?
Carl’s place is a trailer park over on the far side of Seltice, fifteen minutes from Apple’s place.
That’s fifteen minutes of messages that happen at the same time between mine and his phone.
My stomach hurts as we pull up to a rundown single wide and the Fiat sits still for a minute.
I reach out, keeping an eye on the passengers of the yellow car, and grab the active phone.
Okay, wait. I’m not sure what the implications are. I’m having a hard time thinking straight. My teeth start chattering. Am I cold? But there’s no draft and the temperature is fairly comfortable in the truck and on that sunny day.
Glancing up, I jump as Knox climbs from the car and walks toward the truck. I toss the phones back on the dash and roll down the window as he comes to the driver’s side.
Giving me a sheepish grin, he runs his hand through his hair. “Can you give me a couple minutes? I’m going to make sure he gets inside. I think he needs a talking to about the proper way to treat a woman.” He studies my face, like he’s wondering if I’ll be upset.
I hold my gaze steady. “Of course, not. Maybe kick him in the junk while you’re at it.” I wink and laugh, like I don’t really mean what I actually do mean with all my heart.
He side-grins but doesn’t laugh. “That would be funny, if you didn’t actually mean it.”
I pause and watch as he walks back to the car. He knew I was serious. Knox knew so much about me. We clicked and I was falling for him.
Which is why I don’t want to turn back to the phones. I don’t want to deal with whatever the circumstances might mean.
Is it bad that I just want to hide my head in the sand and let everything continue as they have been?
But I can’t. One thing about me is my dogged determination to find out the truth.
Leaning forward, I claim both phones again and put them in my lap, glancing up every little bit to make sure Knox helped Paul inside and stayed there for a moment.
Pulling my own phone out, I swipe up on my thread with Knox and send him a message.
Savvy: Hey, I’m having fun! Too bad Carl has to ruin it.
The phone that had been quiet the whole drive vibrated in my hand. I narrow my eyes and set the piece up on the dash.
Okay, so why would my personal phone and his work phone go off at the same time?
I glance up again, but don’t see any sign of Knox anywhere.
Opening my text inbox, I see all of my missed messages on the trip are from the divorced women’s group.
My stomach clenches. Is it possible he’s on there? Is it possible he’s one of the women?
How though? How does that work?
I have met them all or I have a relationship with them all. I just don’t understand how he could be one of them?
So, I do the only thing I can think of.
Me: Hey, everyone! Can you do a check in so I know my texts are getting to everyone? I’m trying to clean up my threads and my contact list. Just reply with a here. And PS: We got Apple’s situation under control! Stupid men.
I glare at Knox’s phone as it lights up. He must have muted it at my house.
Pulling the phone toward me, I catch a glimpse of the text I just sent the group.
He’s on the group text. But as who?
I met everyone.
Well, I think I did, anyway. But I have a friendship with KT and she would never do that to me.
So, maybe it’s Someone else. Or maybe Knox is babysitting someone’s phone?
I can’t really wrap my head around the situation. Not with his return looming any second.
How do I deal with this? I don’t understand what the implications are of lying. Why would he lie about this? Or anything?
It’s not like I have any secrets on the group chat. Or secrets in anything. Nothing that could benefit him anyway.
Unless… Maybe he’s just trying to sleep with me. Isn’t that what guys like him are after? Maybe he’s been working on getting information to use to get closer to me. Guys have a one-track mind.
I want to be mad at Knox, but I’m not sure how to be that way.
He’s a liar. That much I’ve proven. But how do I justify being mad at him when I’ve snooped? I’ve broken into his privacy and gone through his phone. Well, not really, but I figured out that he’s lying to me by using his phones.
One way or another I need to push this issue. I need to prove that he’s lying and I have to do it without coming clean about the phones.
Which makes me a liar.
And I hate lying.
Chapter 30
Knox
“If I have to come back here, Carl, you won’t like what I have to do. I’ll probably bring some friends and my brother. Who has an eyebrow ring.” I have no idea why that matters but judging by the way Carl’s eyes go bigger and bigger the more I talk, it’s more the intention behind the words rather than the actual syllables themselves.
He nods like he’s suddenly morphed into a bobble head figurine. “Got it. I won’t go to Apple’s again. I won’t even text her.” His lower lip quivers and he stops when he sees the look in my eyes. “Nothing. I’ll leave her alone.”
“Good, Carl. That’s good.” I clap his shoulder and turn, but swivel back to give him one last glare. I know I can look scary when I
want to. The ink and the muscles help with that.
He reacts exactly like I need him to as he sinks back onto the seat behind him, resting his hands on the armrests.
I leave the house, careful to shut the door firmly, but not slam it. I have no idea if the building would stay standing, if I went any harder closing it.
I ignore the Fiat as I make my way to the truck and grin as Savvy scoots out from behind the steering wheel but doesn’t go all the way across the bench seat.
Climbing in, I glance to my right and meet her deep blue eyes. “Thanks for waiting.”
“Get everything taken care of?” Her smile seems almost too bright as she reaches up and wraps her fingers around my bicep.
“Yeah, I’ll take you home.” The stick is right between her legs and I’m not sure what to do. She’s not wearing a dress or anything, but it seems highly inappropriate to shift the truck with the gearstick poking up between her knees.
I swallow, even though I would love the intimacy that the gesture would suggest, I know we’re not there yet. At least, I don’t think we are. “Sorry, I need to shift.” I say it as nicely as I can, but I won’t be surprised, if she thinks I’m rude about it.
Her eyes go round and her mouth forms an O. “Sorry, I wasn’t even thinking.” She’s giggling and sliding her leg to the other side of the stick but still clutching my arm. I have to shift and still touch her leg, but at least it’s not between her knees.
And I’m not complaining that I have to touch her.
We get back to her place and I’m sure my breathing is raspy and I’m having a hard time concentrating on much more than getting us to her driveway. I’d love to kiss her, but I’m not going to push for anything more as the night took an agonizing turn.
“Okay, so, do you want to come in and finish dinner? I made dessert.” Savvy leans into me, pressing her chest against my arm and something clicks.
I don’t know why, but I feel like she’s mad at me. There’s no other explanation for why she’s being more forward than normal.
“Sure, um, okay. That works. Thanks.” I open the door and instead of going out the other side, Savvy follows me, holding out her hands and putting them on my shoulders.
She steps out of the truck and slides down my body, her curves abundantly clear.
Oh, she’s mad at me. But what did I do?
Taking my hand, Savvy leads me up the path to her house. I’m not sure how to get out of this. While I’m normally a fairly alpha guy, this is definitely out of my realm of experience.
Savvy isn’t deterred as we reach the steps. Instead, she stops three steps up and turns, placing her hands on my chest and slowing my momentum forward.
Her husky voice curls around me and I swear my knees go weak. “Knox, why don’t you come in and stay the night.” She leans forward, kissing me and pulling my lower lip between her teeth gently, tugging and then kissing my mouth more fully.
I couldn’t have opened my eyes right then, if I tried. She wraps her fingers around my neck, softly scratching her nails into the nape as she pulls me closer, deepening the already deep kiss.
Holy. Moly. I pull back, breathing deeply and studying her face. I can’t figure out where the anger is coming from. The hot heated kiss isn’t something I necessarily want to put an end to, but I don’t want her upset. I cup her shoulders in my palms and rub my thumbs up and down her the front of her arms. “Savvy, I… I really like you. I think it would be better, if we took things slow. Remember? That’s what we said we were going to do?”
I can barely keep my wits about me. I don’t want to take anything slow, but I do want to have more than a one-night fling with this woman who could potentially be my entire life soon. She has captured me, all of me, and I don’t want to rush anything or put too much pressure on what this could be, whatever this is.
“I don’t want to take it slow. I want you. Now.” She leans forward, kissing me again, with more heat, more anger, more involvement.
I almost can’t escape, but then I take a deep breath and set her back. I’m sure I’m just making her madder, but I can’t allow anything to get between us. “No. We said slow.”
Savvy’s chest rises and falls. Bright points of color mark her cheekbones and her eyes are a brilliant blue. “We’ve said a lot of things, Knox. Why pretend they mean anything?”
“Look, this isn’t how I want to start a relationship with you.” I’m racking my brain, trying to figure out what I said in the short time span between leaving Apple’s place and Carl’s. Where did I go wrong? “Plus, I don’t want to take the chance that your kids might see us.” It’s a lame excuse, but one I’m holding onto with fierce determination.
Savvy pushes me away, turning to walk up the rest of the steps and then spinning back on me. She holds up a hand and shakes her head. “Don’t talk about my kids like you have a right. You don’t and you don’t care. So, stop pretending.” Tears in her eyes confirm something has happened, but I’m not sure what.
I stand there on the steps, staring at the slammed door for who knows how long before I turn and go back to my truck.
I could have taken advantage of that situation. Stayed the night. Instead, I’ve made her madder than I’ve ever seen her. What do I know? Maybe the good guy really does finish last.
Every. Time.
Chapter 31
Savvy
I pace in the kitchen, back and forth, back and forth. My hands flutter around me and I’m talking to myself without really hearing or understanding what I’m saying.
The truth is blatant. I need to tell the group. But what? What do I tell them? That one of our own is a man? That he’s been lying to us?
I don’t even know how to process this. I stop at the end of the counter, pausing as I listen to see if I’ve woken anyone up.
Making my way to my room, I realize there’s no real answer to what I’m facing. I can’t do anything with the group until I figure out what it is exactly that I know.
KT? Is it really possible? A huge part of me doesn’t want it to be KT. If I’m being honest, a huge part of me doesn’t want it to be any one in the group. I want to be wrong. But how then would Knox have our group text on his phone? That doesn’t make sense.
Nothing is making sense.
I brace my hands on the end of the bathroom counter and hang my head. When did I get in the bathroom? I take a deep breath and count to ten.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.
When I reach six, I know it’s futile but I finish anyway.
Splashing my face with water from the sink, I freeze at the sound of a knock on the door. “Yeah?”
“Mom, hurry. That black cat is trying to get in through the cat door.” Abby’s soft but urgent tone triggers something in me and I reach under the sink, grabbing my spray bottle I used for dampening my hair on days I just need a little body.
Flinging open the door, I push by my daughter and rush down the stairs spraying toward the cat door before I’ve even gotten close enough.
Wrong Text, Right Reply: A Sweet Accidental Romance (An Accidental But Perfect Romance Book 1) Page 20
