Page 187 of Where We Stay

My mind goes straight to the garage.

Knox?

Well, this just got interesting.

“You work with him?” I ask, fighting a smile.

Rory’s eyes narrow. “Don’t.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Your face did.” She points directly at me. “Your face is being a bitch.”

I take another sip of wine, trying and failing to hide my amusement. “What does this completely hypothetical coworker do that annoys you so much?”

“Everything.” Rory sinks farther into the couch. “He’s cocky. He thinks he’s funny. He knows exactly how to piss me off, and he does it on purpose.”

He.

There it is.

“And yet you think about him when he isn’t there,” I point out.

“Unfortunately.”

“Rory.”

“What?”

“You have a crush on Knox.”

Her head snaps toward me. “I absolutely fucking do not.”

“Okay.”

“I don’t.”

“I said okay.”

“Stop saying it like that.”

I laugh into my wine. “Hey, you came to me. I didn’t go fishing for this information.”

“Clearly a mistake on my part,” she mutters.

“Why did you come to me, anyway?”

Rory looks down at her glass, swirling the wine around for a moment. “You’re easy to talk to. And you’re basically family now, considering my brother is completely obsessed with you.”

Warmth spreads through my chest. “Well, thank you. I think.”

“How are you and Dean?” she asks, far too casually.

I narrow my eyes at her. “Deflecting?”

“Shut up, or I’ll take my wine and leave.”

She tries to keep a straight face but ends up laughing, and I join her.