THIRTY
KNOX
After practice,I drove back over to this side of campus to pick up a coffee for me and Joanna. I was going to surprise her at her apartment with it, stopping by with a little gift. Plus, I have something important to tell her. I learned fairly quick that coffee is the way to her heart. Specifically vanilla lattes.
Vanilla lattes and Taylor Swift and soft blankets she can snuggle under.
Oh and kissing and fucking. She likes that too. A lot. About as much as I do. It’s like we can’t get enough of each other.
I know I can’t get enough of her.
So imagine my surprise when I spot her sitting in the damn café I just entered, tucked away in a dark, romantic corner with another guy, clutching hands with the asshole.
I saw red.
Hell, I barely remember charging over to their table. Can hardly believe I was able to string a coherent sentence together, but I know I sounded like a complete prick.
Joanna’s surprised gaze meets mine and she blinks up at me, the shock slowly melting away, replaced with…
Shit. Anger.
“Hello to you too,” she says coolly, slowly letting go of the guy’s hand. He’s watching me with an almost amused expression, not intimidated by me in the least.
I’m standing there like a dipshit with my mouth hanging open, my brain scrambling as I try to figure out if I should know this guy when Joanna introduces us.
“Leon, this is Knox. Knox, I work with Leon at the bookstore. He’s myfriend.”
I’m such an asshole.
“Oh right. Yeah.” I offer him my hand, and he takes it, shaking it firmly. “Nice to meet you.”
“I’m sure,” Leon practically drawls, on the verge of laughter. “Congrats on having such a great season, by the way.”
“Thank you.” The words automatically fall from my mouth. “You want tickets to our next home game?”
“Hey sure, that would be great. Perks of knowing the infamous tight end with a tight end, am I right?” Leon glances over at Joanna, who looks like she wants to crawl under the tiny table they’re sitting at and hide, her cheeks spotted with pink.
Tight end with a tight end? I mean…I’ve heard it before. “I’ll get your info from Jo Jo and make it happen. How many tickets do you want?”
“Jo Jo. So cute.” The look Leon sends Joanna’s way tells me he’s still amused. “Two please. Wait—make it four. Or is that too greedy of me?”
I chuckle, trying not to fold under the blast of icy-cold anger that Joanna is sending my way. I pissed her off good. “Definitely not too greedy. I’ll make sure and put aside four tickets for you at will call.”
“That would be great, thanks. And lucky me, I don’t have to work that day.” Leon stands, clutching his to-go cup in his hand. “I hate to run, but I have a few things I need to take care of.”
“Okay, yeah. Nice seeing you.” I shove my hands into my pockets, taking a step back when Joanna stands and wraps Leon in a big hug, squeezing him for an extra-long time.
Or at least, it feels that way.
The air grows chillier when Leon exits the café, I and Joanna settles back into her chair, then glances up at me.
“You going to sit down?”
I do, pulling the chair closer to the table, my knees bumping into hers. “I’m sorry.”
There’s no point in making excuses or trying to defend my actions. I fucked up.
She blinks at me, rearing back a little in her seat. “Okay.”