He doesn’t say anything, and I don’t blame him. I’m sure he’s trying to process it all. I didn’t really expect us to hug it out or anything, but hopefully one of these days we can be in the same room without wanting to kill each other.

I’m about to leave when he finally speaks up. “We’re getting a divorce, you know,” he says quietly.

Turning back towards him, I respond. “I’m sorry to hear that, Bran.” I mean it. Just because of how they ended up together doesn’t mean I’d ever wish for their marriage to end.

He nods. “She was cheating,” he scoffs, shaking his head. “You probably think I deserve that.”

“Leopards and spots. You know the saying. But no, I don’t think you deserve that. No one does. Pre-nup?” I can’t help but ask.

Giving me a small smile, he stands. “Oh yeah. She screwed herself when she screwed someone else. Thanks for stopping by, Knox.”

Knowing that’s my signal that this conversation is over, I say goodbye. “See you around the holidays,” I tell him, knowing Thanksgiving’s right around the corner.

I’m almost out of the room when I hear him call my name. Looking back, I see him watching me. “Don’t ever let her go, Knox.”

Smiling, I tell him the only thing I can. “I don’t plan on it.”

Leaving the building, I realize how light my heart feels and how good it was to finally do just what I said. Let it go. Hopping back onto the highway, I suddenly remember something Kale said this morning and shoot him a text. He follows through a few minutes later, giving me the number I asked him for.

Dialing it, a gruff voice answers. “Hello?”

“Hey, man, it’s Knox,” I say, knowing he’s probably surprised as hell that I’m calling him. “I fucked up again, and well, I need your help.”

After a couple of minutes messing with me, he finally agrees to my plan, and when we hang up, I feel more energized than I have in days. One more night apart and then I’m going to prove to Charlie that she’s it for me, by any means necessary.


Charlie


“IT’S ONE damn beer. I can’t watch football without my wings and beer,” Dad pouts. He’s already making my head hurt. I have no idea how I’ve been staying with him this week. He’s the worst patient, and I’ve found myself ready to smother him with my pillow a couple of times.

Okay, he’s not that bad, but you’d think that as a medical professional he’d take the advice of his own doctors. If it weren’t for Lucy still feeling sick, I’d have gone to her place. Instead, I’m here with poor Olivia, being driven crazy by an anxious man on bed rest.

“Dad, eventually you can have it in moderation, but not while you’re trying to change your lifestyle. You were in the hospital a week ago. I’m sure one beer won’t put you there, but please, for my sake of mind, go one damn game without it.”

His shoulders fall, but I know I have him. “Fine. But if you think I’m going to watch the Iron Bowl without making my wings and you bringing your choice of six-pack, then you can go ahead and consider yourself uninvited.”

Laughing, I lean down and give him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. And don’t worry, I have no plans of ruining all our traditions. Plus, you think I’d leave you here alone to watch the game with Olivia?”

He shudders, and I have to stifle a laugh as I see Olivia glaring at both of us. “I’m not sure I’m going to let her in the house that day,” he says jokingly.

“You’re fooling yourself if you think I’m leaving your side, Wade Davenport,” she warns him, and I look back and forth between the two of them, confused.

My eyes widen when the realization of what she means pops in my head. “Are you moving in, Olivia?” I ask, and my eyes moisten. I may be miserable right now, but knowing that Dad has her, that they’ve become serious, soothes my aching heart, if only a little bit.

“Don’t get all misty eyed on me. Livvie already told me she wasn’t leaving. I figured I might as well ask her if she wanted to move in to make it official.”

“Not that he really had a choice,” she chimes in. Looking at the two of them, I feel happy for the first time in a few days.

“I’m happy for you both,” I say. “But don’t expect me to play referee during the Bama-Auburn game. I’ll always be on Dad’s side for that one.”

With that, they start bickering some more about who’s going to win. Leaving them alone, I go back to my old room and fall on my old bed. How the hell did I get here? Six months ago this is exactly where I didn’t want to be, but here I am.

Curling up with one of Knox’s shirts that I may have taken when I was packing, I think back on everything that happened the night he insinuated I wasn’t over Drew. I was so angry that night that I couldn’t see straight. His near accusation that I was still in love with Drew and the fact that he even thought it was possible that I’d leave him for Drew were more than I could stand. I couldn’t stay in that house after hearing those things, and I’ve been regretting it ever since.

Thinking back, I knew there was a chance that Knox saw Drew, and if I’m honest with myself, I probably would’ve freaked out if I’d spotting him getting so close with Megan. I have no idea how I got out of that house without tears spilling over, but I think if I had started crying, I wouldn’t have ever left. While I wish I hadn’t, I’m hoping that Knox is taking his time to work through his baggage or else I don’t know that we’ll have a snowball’s chance in hell of working out. I’ve found myself in my car, ready to head home more times than I can count, but I always stop myself, knowing that I need to let Knox do this on his own, even if it kills me.

The only things that have kept me from a breakdown are knowing that he wasn’t scared when I told him I loved him and the fact that he didn’t deny it when I said that I know he loves me. Because at the end of the day, when I think back on our time together, with how much he’s opened up to me and how tender he is, I know he does, even if he hasn’t said it. I don’t doubt that for a second. What I doubt is if it’ll ever be enough.

A while later, my phone chimes, waking me up. My heart races, hoping, praying that it’s him. As I reach over to grab my phone, I realize I must’ve fallen asleep with Knox’s shirt clutched to my chest.

My excitement fades quickly when I see that it’s from Lucy. Feeling much better and I need to get out. I’m meeting Kale at Chris’s band’s show tonight. Please say you’ll come over and help me find something to wear and then go with me. I’ll love you forever.

The idea of getting out actually sounds pretty nice, and I know I can’t keep moping around Dad’s. Walking out of my bedroom, I head down the hall to where he and Olivia are watching football.

“I’m going to go out with Lucy and probably stay at her place for the night. That is, as long as you don’t need me?” A look passes between them before Olivia gets up from the couch, saying something about needing to start dinner.

“Come here, Charlie,” Dad requests, patting the spot on the couch next to him. Sitting down next to him, I watch as he lowers the volume of the television and then turns to me. “Don’t get me wrong, honey. I love having you here, even if you women are trying to drive me nuts. But there’s no reason you need to spend all your non-working moments hovering over me. What’s really going on? Did something happen with Knox?”

“We had a misunderstanding. It’s not a big deal. We’re just trying to figure some things out.”

“I hope it works out. I like him for you, and I like seeing how happy he makes you. And I know I probably shouldn’t say this, but he told Olivia that things were getting serious. I hate to see any kind of misunderstanding change that for you.”

Wait. What? “He told her that? When? Any time we’ve talked about the future, he’d never give me a real answer, so that’s kind of news to me.”

Dad grimaces. “Dammit, I knew I should’ve kept my mouth shut. Don’t tell him—or her for that matter—that I told you. But I guess he told her that first morning when he went to get coffee so we could have some time together.”

My heart sinks, realizing what that means. He must’ve just come from telling Olivia that, and then he got shell-shocked when he saw me with Drew. Putting it all together, I begin to realize how Knox could’ve been so confused. I told him I loved him. Then he did what he always does—he anticipated my needs by giving me alone time with my Dad. And I rewarded him by kissing Drew like I didn’t care who saw. It was completely harmless, but for the first time, I’m really seeing it through Knox’s perspective. While I wish he’d have talked to me about it, I can suddenly see why he was so upset.

“Charlie?” Dad says, bringing me out of my thoughts. “Did you hear me?”

“Yeah, Dad. I heard you. And yes, I love him. I love him more than I ever thought possible.”

“Then don’t let him go.”

Nodding, I lean and give him a hug. “Thanks, Dad. For what it’s worth, I’m glad you have Olivia.”

“I’m happy for you, too. I guess this was the year for the Davenports.”

Smiling, I pull away, knowing I need to make this right. “Yeah, Dad, I guess it was,” I tell him as I get up to leave the room.

He squeezes my shoulder. “Going to get your man?”

I grin at him. “You better believe it.”

I head down to my bedroom and pack up everything I brought to Dad’s the night of our fallout. I pray that I can find something in Lucy’s closet because I’m completely out of fresh clothes, having not been able to bring myself to go back to Knox’s. Pulling out my phone, I make a quick call and Lucy picks up on the first ring.