Page 71 of Juniper Hill (The Edens 2)

I gave Knox a sad smile. “I really loved that place.”

“Is that why your dad took it away?”

“Probably.”

My father had wanted his way. And like he had our entire lives, he kept his children in line by taking away the things we loved.

“Sorry, honey. Gotta say . . . I’m not cool with your dad.”

“I’m not cool with him either.”

When I’d first told Knox about my family, I hadn’t wanted them to seem ugly. But as the days passed, as Knox interacted with El

oise or Anne popped into the hotel to check on her kids, I began to see my parents’ true colors. Black and lifeless and empty.

Drake let out a burp so loud it filled the room. I blurted out a laugh, so did Knox, and then Drake cooed a sleepy yawn before passing out.

“So what was your fifth-best day?”

“I just told you. The townhouse day.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “So today was your second-best day?”

“Yeah.”

“You said top five. But it was number two?”

Without question.

He’d brought me my favorite coffee. He’d visited me all morning for kiss after kiss. Knox had made me feel special. Wanted. After he’d talked to Lester, he’d come to tell me first. And then tonight . . . Maybe I was giving away too much. Old Memphis would have played it differently. But I wasn’t playing. Not anymore.

“It was a really good day,” I said.

So why wasn’t he smiling?

Silence stretched through the room like the darkness and the night beyond the windows. A chill crept along my skin as Knox stared straight ahead, sitting motionless and giving nothing away.

Had he not liked today? He’d probably had countless best days. This one probably paled in comparison to the memorable days in his life. Maybe he thought my ranking good and bad times was silly.

Not for me.

When you lived with sharks, you marked the days when a life raft came floating your way.

“What did I say wrong?”

“Nothing.” Knox stood and carried Drake to the guest room.

I followed, hovering by the door as he laid the baby in his crib. My stomach knotted as Knox turned and acted as though he’d walk straight past me. But as his chest brushed my shoulder, he snagged my hand and towed me through the house.

He dropped my hand when we stepped into his bedroom and rubbed his palm over his jaw. “Today was your second-best day.”

“Well . . . yeah. What’s wrong with that?”

He shook his head. “It was just a normal day, honey.”

“Maybe for you.” I lifted a shoulder. “My normal days aren’t like this.”

“That’s . . .” Knox paced at the foot of the bed, stepping over the shirt he hadn’t put on. “That’s not right. And fuck, it hurts. It hurts me for you.”