Page 76 of When The Noise Stops

I looked at him.

"Knox," I said.

"We're not together."

He went still.

"I know," he said.

"We're friends. We sleep together. We hang out. That's it. That's what we agreed on."

"I know."

"So why are you explaining this to me like I'm your girlfriend?"

I wasn't pretending not to care. There was nothing for me to pretend about. Maggie didn't take him from me. Knox hadn't lied to me. He hadn't cheated on me. His daughter had shown up after three years of him not being allowed to see her.

If anything, I was happy for him.

Complicated didn't automatically mean bad.

But something was sitting in my chest. Something I didn't want to name.

"I'm not mad, Grizz."

"I didn't say you were."

"Your face did."

"I'm not gonna be weird about your ex-wife, Knox. I'm not gonna be jealous. I'm not gonna make this a thing. You don't owe me an explanation."

"I know I don't. But I wanted you to know because I wanted you to know," he said.

"Because it matters to me what you think. Even if it shouldn't."

"So you want me to be bothered."

He shook his head, frustrated.

"A fucking little," he said. Quiet. Like it cost him something to admit.

I didn't know what to say to that.

So I said nothing.

We sat there. The silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was heavy. But not in a bad way.

"You're a good father," I said finally.

"That's not a weakness."

"I know."

"Then stop looking at me like you ruined something."

He shook his head. Looked at the floor.

"I don't know what I'm doing," he said.