Page 14 of In the Long Run
Ouch.Pet names have never been my thing, but no woman wants to be calledthat, surely.
‘Ugh.I hate you,’ Celeste exclaims, pushing him away.‘I’m twenty-one, you know.’
‘Would you prefer “squirt” or “kid”?’His grin widens and his shoulders twitch.
‘I’m going to spit in your coffee.’Celeste moves over towards the fancy machine and reaches for three large takeaway cups.
‘I’d still drink it.’He’s trying not to laugh; his bottom lip is caught between his teeth.
‘You’re so gross.’
This is the strangest flirting I’ve ever seen.
‘Which poor woman did you pay to spend the night with you?’Celeste asks.
Oh.Oh.
I snap my jaws together.Typical.I can’t wait to tell Caleb – who has printed out Knox’s Army ID, drawn hearts all around his face and stuck it to our fridge – about this development.Turns out Knox is just like every other guy.
‘Really?’Knox shakes his head.
Celeste fiddles with the levers and knobs on the machine and the sound of grinding beans fills the air.‘Obviously.Who’d want to date you?You’re disgusting.And your face?It hurts my eyes.’She scrunches her nose for emphasis.
Knox barks a laugh and the sound bounds around the open space.It grates on me how deep and warm it is.
‘It’s true.I am.Good thing I’ve got you to keep me humble.’
Celeste nods as she tamps the beans before fixing the porta-filter back in place.
‘What else are little sisters for?’Celeste teases him so easily, I should’ve picked their relationship earlier.Her mouth drops open when Knox shakes his head.‘Don’t even think about saying we’re not family, Knox.I’ll tell Eugene on you.’
An extended pause squashes their easy camaraderie.‘Eugene’s pretty distracted at the moment.I think I’ll get away with it,’ Knox finally says.
‘How is he?’she asks.
Knox sighs.‘Home.’
Celeste’s expression immediately morphs into concern.‘Already?I thought he’d be in hospital for a few more days.See, this is information you could’ve given me if you weren’t so damn stingy with your texts.’
‘He asked me not to say anything until he was settled back at home.You know how he is.’
Wait.What?
‘What happened to Eugene?’I ask before remembering my manners and that I’m not part of this conversation.But even if we weren’t neighbours, Eugene’s a local celebrity.Alizée’s is an institution, and EugeneisAlizée’s.
Knox turns slowly.The shadows under his eyes are back, his beard has grown in a bit more and an air of exhaustion hovers around him.I can now also confirm that his black hoodie and grey tracksuit pants look as good from the front as they do from the back.I’m not going to read anything into the way his eyes lighten as he flashes me a quick smile, but sweet Taylor Alison Swift, Queen of Everything I Worship, he’s so damn pretty when he smiles.
‘He had an accident,’ Knox says.
‘Is he okay?’
Knox scratches at his beard and I fail miserably at not imagining how it would feel against my skin.Why can’t the man who’s obsessed with me be someone I’m actually attracted to?
‘He will be.Busted up his foot pretty bad and had to have surgery.He’s going to be laid up for a few months.’
‘Is there anything I can do to help?I could walk Madeleine and Chouquette.I know he takes them out each afternoon.’Eugene’s schnauzers have small-dog attitude in spades, and they must be struggling with being cooped up all day.It sounds like Knox hashis hands full helping Eugene, and selfishly, if I was to run into Brand, the girls would make a whole lot of noise.That should’ve been the first sign Brand wasn’t who he pretended to be.Madeleine and Chouquette rarely bark, but each time he came to pick me up, they’d go off.You should never trust someone a dog doesn’t like.
The coffee machine hisses and Celeste froths the milk.She pours it into the waiting cups, clips the lids on and slides them across the counter to Knox.The cappuccino I haven’t even ordered yet is added a second later, with ‘Gen’ scrawled across the side, followed by a smiley face.
