11. Knox

Nine o’clock,and all of the younger kids were asleep. My house looked like a tornado had gone through it, but it was more than worth it for all the fun we’d had. After eating pizza for supper, we did an ice cream sundae bar and then had the world’s biggest prank battle for an hour and a half.

I sank into the couch across from Fletcher and Maya, who were curled under a blanket watching “Is It Cake?” I don’t think I’d ever been this tired in my life, and I’d survived the police training academy and ran a marathon a few years back.

Fletcher pressed pause on the TV and said, “Holding up okay?”

I let out a chuckle. “The Icy Hot on the toilet seat was a bit of a surprise.” Maya cackled next to him, and I got up, going to tickle her. As she squealed and giggled, I said, “I knew you were the mastermind behind that one.” Her dog, Graham, gave me a warning yip, and I backed up just so he wouldn’t wake the kids.

“Ha ha,” Maya said and stuck out her tongue. “I’ll sic my guard dog on you.”

I rolled my eyes at her and began picking up the living room. “Think the girls are having fun?”

Fletcher gave me a look and pressed himself up to help me. “If Liv’s involved, you know they’re having too much fun.”

“What does that mean?” Maya asked.

“Nothing,” Fletcher and I replied at the same time.

She let out a grunt.

“Let’s clean up now,” Fletcher said, “so you won’t have to deal with the mess in the morning. Princess Maya can keep watching her show.”

She stuck her tongue out at him, and we got to work.

For the next half hour or so, my brother and I worked our way through the house, picking up toys, cleaning dishes, and throwing out trash. When we were done, I went to the guest bedroom to check on the kids. Emily was on the top bunk, the guardrail holding her in, Leah lay in the bottom bunk that was at floor level, and Jackson slept on his back in the pack and play, arms splayed above his head, hands forming little loose fists. I snapped another picture of the kids sleeping and texted it to Larkin.

Knox: We wore them out for you. :)

Then I tucked my phone back into my pocket and walked back to the living room, where another episode of the show started playing. We had fun making guesses out loud, seeing who was right. But it came to an end, and Fletcher told Maya it was bedtime.

He kissed her cheek and hugged her, then she gave me a quick hug before heading back to my guest bedroom.

“Want to keep watching this?” Fletcher asked me.

“Sure,” I said. “I actually kind of like it.”

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I shifted my hips to see what Larkin had texted me back, my heart picking up speed like it had when she touched my arm earlier.

I told myself it was because I wanted her to trust me as her neighbor, but I wasn’t much for lying, especially to myself.

But when I glanced at the screen, it wasn’t Larkin. Instead, it was a group chat with some guys who graduated the same year as me and still lived in town.

Garth: FRESH MEAT *peach emoji*

My eyebrows drew together.

A video came through, and I recognized the place immediately. There were purple, blue, and white lights illuminating the dance floor at Twisters, where Larkin was dancing along with Henrietta, Liv, Della, Maggie, and Camryn.

Usually Garth was harmless, making dumb comments here and there, but an uncomfortable tension tightened my jaw.

Especially when some of the other guys replied...

Ron: DIBS!

Mike: We’re grown men. You can’t call dibs.

Garth: Should have come out with Dennis and me if you wanted dibs. I’m moving in on this one. *eggplant emoji* *water drops emoji*

My hand clenched on the phone. Fuck.

I could feel eyes on me and glanced over to see Fletcher watching me.

“You okay?” he asked.

I let out a heavy breath as I passed him my phone. He swiped through, his eyebrows raising. Then he cringed.

“What?” I asked.

He flipped the phone my way to show me a lewd GIF Garth sent.

“That fucker,” I muttered.

Fletcher looked at the screen again. “Why didn’t you call dibs?”

I rolled my eyes at my brother.

“We all know you’re interested. Plus, you look like you want to punch someone over some locker room talk.”

“Of course I’m interested. Have you seen her?” I shook my head. “But she’s fresh out of a divorce. I wanted to give her space, a chance to settle into town.”

Fletcher handed me my phone back. “Garth’s not giving her space. He’s getting as close as he possibly can.”

I nearly broke my phone in half.

He laughed.

“Fuck you too.”

He reached beside the couch, getting a throw blanket and settling it over his lap. “Why don’t you just text Garth and tell him to fuck off? Or heck, go to Twisters and stake your claim. Make a move.”

“I can’t leave the kids here when I’m supposed to be babysitting.”

Fletcher coughed and mumbled something that sounded a heck of a lot like “friend zoned.”

“Oh no.” I stood up, pacing my living room floor. “I am not getting friend zoned.”

“Uh huh,” Fletcher replied. He sat back like he wished he had some popcorn. Ignoring him, I continued my trajectory back and forth in front of the coffee table.

“I just have to ask her out tonight, right?”

“After Garth’s put his greasy mitts all over her and given her enough free drinks to ease her inhibitions, right?” Fletcher asked.

“We might be grown, but I’m not above roughing you up,” I replied, only half joking.

Fletcher laughed. “Look, you just...”

But I didn’t hear the rest because another text came through my phone.

Garth: Fuck. She’s got kids. Not worth the trouble.

Garth: But then again if she’s got a sitter we can have a fun night.

I saw fucking red.

“Take this before I say something I’ll regret,” I said, handing Fletcher my phone.

He read the message as I ground my teeth together and clenched my hands into fists. Fletcher let out a low hiss.

Silence passed between us for a beat before my vision cleared a bit and Fletcher said, “What are you gonna tell him?”

I shook my head. “I’ll handle him in person.”

“And Larkin?” Fletcher asked.

“I’m not wasting any more time. I’m going to ask her out. Tonight.”