Page 183 of Where We Stay

“What?” I ask.

Knox grins over the rim of his coffee. “Nothing, Domestic Dean.”

I throw the shop rag in my hand at him, hitting him square in the chest.

“Dude, what the fuck?” He looks down at the grease smeared across his shirt.

Rory laughs a little too hard, and the sound immediately makes Knox smile.

“Nice to see you smiling, Aurora,” he says, looking over at her. “Forgot you knew how to do that.”

Her smile disappears. “It’s hard to smile when you’re around, Ellington.”

Rory grabs her coffee and storms toward the office.

Logan watches her leave before looking at Knox. “You really know how to get under her skin, don’t you, bud?”

“Don’t I know it,” Knox murmurs, staring after her for a second longer than necessary.

See what I mean?

Something has definitely shifted.

I pull out my phone to let Blair know I’ve made Christmas Eve plans for her without actually asking.

ME: I might have volunteered you to spend Christmas Eve with my family.

Her reply appears almost immediately.

MY GIRL: I wouldn’t expect anything else. Is there anything I should be worried about?

ME: Matching pajamas.

MY GIRL: I LOVE MATCHING PAJAMAS!

I stare at her response, shaking my head even as another stupid smile stretches across my face.

ME: Of course you do.

Thirty Seven

Blair

I’ve spent twenty minutes trying to explain subtraction to a six-year-old who fundamentally disagrees with the concept.

How is teaching twenty six-year-olds significantly easier than helping Aspen with homework that I wrote?

“If you have eight apples and give three to Annie, how many do you have left?” I ask, pointing to the worksheet.

Aspen stares at the question. “Eight.”

“Pen.”

“I wouldn’t give Annie my apples.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, trying not to laugh. “That isn’t really the point.”

“But they’re my apples.”