Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
I couldn’t help being nervous, though. It would be just my luck that I was overstepping. For all I knew, Knox and Logan had no interest in something like this, but if Logan did, Knox would too.
I paid, thanked him, and stepped out of the studio. I was halfway back to my car when my phone buzzed in my back pocket.
Tugging it out, I saw a text on the screen. Hey…thanks again for yesterday. It was fun.
The giddiness was back, wreaking havoc on my insides. It was only a text. People did it every day. Yet here I was, acting like he’d invited me on a date or something.
Logan had fun, Knox added, and I deflated a bit. Not that I didn’t want Logan to have a good time. Obviously, I did, but I wanted Knox to have had fun as well.
No problem. I’m a fun guy. Makes sense. Stupidly, I wondered if that made him laugh.
Me too, though. I had fun too.
A tingling sensation formed at the base of my spine. Again, makes sense. I’m a fun guy.
Funny? Funny-looking?
I rolled my eyes. Oh God. Dad jokes! I thought you were a sexy—I backspaced that word, damn it—tough-guy lumberjack? Not an old guy with dad jokes.
Okay, that one was maybe pretty bad.
You’re forgiven, Dad.
Knox’s reply came back quickly. No…not the dad stuff. I thought we were friends?
We were. Or at least, I really wanted to be friends with Knox Wheeler. We are.
I frowned when a response didn’t come back right away. I thought about saying something else or telling him about the class, but I also didn’t want to be that guy. I didn’t want to seem like I was sitting around looking for a reason to talk to him, while at the same time I was driving myself crazy, thinking maybe I said something wrong in those two simple words. He was screwing with my head, that was for sure.
I got all the way back to my car before my phone buzzed again. I fumbled it with too much enthusiasm…over a text.
Sorry. I had to help a customer. Logan asked this morning if maybe you’d want to come over and hang out again tonight? I told him you might be busy. I’ll understand if you have other things to do, but I thought I’d ask. I know he’s twelve, so it’s probably weird that he’s wondering, but I just…I want him to have friends.
I finished reading that message as the next one came through.
And since we’re friends and all too…maybe it’s less weird if we both wanted to see if you could hang out. That’s what I meant to say.
I leaned against the car, closed my eyes, and held my phone to my chest.
Knox Wheeler was going to wreck me, break me in ways no one else had. I knew it right then and there. The stupid, sweet man already had my pulse thumping, and even though I knew I’d likely fall for him and that he was straight, I wouldn’t say no. I would spend time with him, whenever he asked, and deal with the consequences later.
CHAPTER TEN
Knox
It was ridiculous that I’d felt silly inviting Callum over earlier. There was this strange restlessness going on beneath my skin, running through my veins. It was unfamiliar and confusing, so I tried to tell myself it wasn’t there.
I finished my workday, climbed into the truck, and headed home. I’d been back and forth between the store and my house a few times, trying to take care of Frankie Blue while Logan was at school. It would be hectic for a while, and maybe getting a dog so soon hadn’t been the best idea, but Logan’s happiness made it worth whatever sacrifices I had to make.
“Logan?” I called out, stepping into the house.
“Up here, Dad!”
I went upstairs to see him sitting on the floor with the puppy, who immediately came running over to attack my feet.
“Hey, silly girl.” I bent and petted her. “Did you take her out?”
“Yep. I took her out and cleaned her kennel. She had one accident on the floor, and I cleaned that up too.”
“Wow, I’m impressed.” This definitely wasn’t typical behavior. Like most kids, chores usually took some prodding.
“I wanna make sure I prove to you that I can handle a puppy.”
“Good man.” I pushed to my feet. “Homework?”
“A little bit.”
“You should maybe start it now. Callum will be here in about an hour, and that way you won’t have to do it while he’s here.”
“Awesome! I’m glad he’s coming over.”
Logan and Frankie Blue followed me downstairs, the latter stumbling over her feet slightly. Logan grabbed his backpack from the hook by the door, then went to the table and got started on his homework.
“How’s your hand?”
Logan rolled his eyes. “It’s fine, Dad.”
I already had boneless, skinless chicken breasts marinating in the fridge, so I plucked out the vegetables I’d gotten at the store on one of my trips home today, washed my hands, and started cutting.