He gave me a long, unreadable look before bending to retrieve his jeans.
My mother gave me an incredibly inappropriate double thumbs-up as Knox turned his back on us and zipped the fly of his jeans.
MOM! I mouthed.
But she just continued flashing me the thumbs and a creepy smile of approval.
It reminded me of the time I’d taken her to see the Andersontown Community Theater’s production of The Full Monty. My mom had an appreciation for the male form.
“Okay, I think we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves. Mom, Dad, this is Knox. He’s my neighbor and boss. We’re not in love.”
My mother’s face fell, and Dad looked at the floor, hands on hips, his shoulders hunched. I’d seen that reaction before. Concern. Disappointment. Worry. But never for anything I’d done. It was always Tina bringing them trouble. I hated that this time it was me.
“Is this some one-night stand? Are you having some kind of mid-life crisis, and this guy took advantage of you?” My father, who had won Best Hugger three years running at the Witt Family Reunion, looked as if he was about ready to start throwing punches.
“Dad! No one took advantage of anyone.”
I shut up as Knox appeared at my side and handed me a fresh cup of coffee.
“How long are you two in town?” Knox asked my parents.
Dad glared at him.
“We haven’t decided,” Mom said to his tattoos. “We’re very excited to meet our granddaughter. And we’re a little concerned about you know who.” She pointed at me as if I hadn’t heard her stage whisper.
Knox looked at me and sighed. He put his free hand on the back of my neck and pulled me into his side. “Here’s the situation. Your daughter blew into town trying to help her no-good sister, no offense.”
“None taken,” Mom assured him.
“I took one look at Naomi and fell hard and fast.”
“Knox,” I hissed. But he squeezed the back of my neck and continued.
“We’re just seeing where this thing goes. Could be nothing, but we’re enjoying it. You raised a smart, beautiful, stubborn woman.”
Mom fluffed her hair. “She gets that from me.”
“What is it you do for a living, Knock?” Dad demanded.
“Knox,” I corrected. “He owns businesses and some property, Dad.”
My father harrumphed. “Self-made man? Guess it’s better than Mr. Nepotism.” I assumed he was speaking of Warner, who got a job at the family company after college graduation.
“Got lucky a few years back and won the lottery. Invested most of it here in my hometown,” Knox explained. “Thought I’d used up all my luck till Naomi here showed up.”
Fake Romantic Knox was going to ruin all real romance for me if I wasn’t careful.
“His name’s on the police station,” I said with forced brightness.
His grip on my neck tightened again. I reached behind him and pinched the skin just above the waistband of his jeans. He squeezed harder. I pinched harder.
“I need some Advil or something,” Dad muttered, rubbing his forehead.
“You shouldn’t have a headache, Lou. Our daughter is fine. I was the one who was worried on the way down here, remember?” Mom said as if Knox and I weren’t even in the room.
“Yeah? Well, now I’m the one who thinks there’s something wrong with her.”
“Let me get you something for your head,” I offered, trying to extricate myself from Knox’s grip. But he merely squeezed tighter and took a sip of his coffee.