Chapter 65

KNOX

"Areyou looking at my sister's breasts?"

I turn to my left and Violet is staring at me.

She's got cute, drunk eyes going on and she's smiling.

"Would you rather me look at yours?" I whisper.

"Only if you ask Mac for permission," she winks.

I laugh.

"Abby is a psycho," Violet whispers to me. "I mean, I'm just saying it."

"Whoa, I am not interested in your sister," I say.

"Violet, don't try to whore out our whore of a sister," Vera says.

"Wow, some family dynamic there," I say.

"Abby knows it," Vera says. "Hey! Abby! Are you a whore?"

Abby looks at us, bats her eyes and smiles. "Oh… but of course!"

Everyone laughs at that one.

I have to find an excuse to get out of this situation.

No offense to the Monroe sisters… but this is weird.

I grab my beer and work my way to another part of the bar.

I settle up next to Willow. "Psst… save me."

"What?"

I lean closer. "Pretend you're talking to me."

"You're talking to me," she says.

"Yes. Just keep talking back."

"I'm so confused right now."

"Sorry. I got stuck between Violet and Vera. And Abby."

"Seems like a good place to get stuck, no?" Willow asks with a smile.

"It got weird. Fast."

"Not into weird stuff?"

"Sisters calling each other whores? Not really my thing. Also, two of the three are banging hockey teammates of mine."

"Banging. Such a romantic way to say it."

"Should I say making sweet love?"

Willow laughs. "You're right."

"Always am," I say.

I need another drink.

I have no choice but to get Abby's attention.

Lucky for me when she walks over, Willow orders a drink first.

I tell Abby to put that one on my tab.

Willow puts her hand to mine and gives Abby a little bit of an evil glare.

When Abby walks away, Willow gets closer to me. "There. We're even."

"Oh?"

"You bought me a drink and I just chased Abby away with the he's mine look," Willow says.

"I'm not so sure that look works with someone like Abby though."

Willow shrugs her shoulders. "I tried."

She gets a text and sets her sights on her phone.

By the way - hey. I'm Knox.

I'm a goalie.

I'm the goalie for the Puckford Pirates.

You probably know that by now.

But here I am sitting at this bar next to Willow.

Just hanging out.

And I get it.

I'm sure you and everyone else is thinking… oh, look at Knox go. Next to Willow. That's kind of a cute thing, huh? That would be a nice hookup.

Yeah. Right.

"Hey," I say to Willow. "Serious talk?"

"Ut-oh. I don't like the sound of that."

"I'm just… you know… with all this stuff going on. I'm not trying to slide into you or anything like that…"

"Knox, spit it out," Willow says.

"Are you doing okay?"

"That's what you wanted to ask?"

"Yeah. Can't be easy to see a family member go through what's happening."

"I've had time to think it all through. And my brother is an asshole. I love him. But he's an asshole. This is what's best for him for sure."

"But are you okay?"

"I think I'm doing okay," she says. "I'm here. Anything else?"

She smiles and leans into me.

She nudges me.

"Okay, enough nice guy talk," I say. "Want me to say something mean?"

"Please don't."

I smile at her.

Suddenly I've got the alcohol talking to me.

Willow…? Hmm…

She gasps and looks at her phone. "Oh, sweet! I've got to go."

"Bailing on me?"

She wiggles her phone. "I have a… date…"

"Ah," I say. "Hookup app."

"Don't say it like that."

"What? There's nothing wrong with that."

"I guess. I mean, yeah, whatever. Big deal."

"Hey," I say. "If by some chance things don't match up… picture to the person… and you need someone… give me a call."

"Are you really trying to be a wingman for my date?"

"Something like that," I say. "Just nice guy shit. That's all."

"Okay, Knox," Willow says. She touches my back. "Nice guy shit…"

She smiles at me and walks over to say goodbye to everyone.

I keep an eye on her as she leaves.

A part of me hopes she calls me. Even if I'm a backup plan.

Then again… whatever.

I face the bar and I see Abby looking at me.

Let's get real for a second.

The Monroe sisters…

Mac has Violet.

Villi has Vera.

Makes perfect sense for me to have Abby… even if she's openly proud to be a whore…