Page 5 of My Knight Before Christmas
Liam Knight.
Three
Adrenalinepumpedthroughmyveins like the Bellagio water fountains. My pulse sky-rocketed at the same time my heart screamed,Yes! Liam’s back!
The second he made eye contact with me, the grin I dreamed about all too often appeared. His reddish-brown curly hair was shorter than the last time I saw him. His broad frame had shrunk just the slightest. Not something I’d notice if I hadn’t memorized his physique in our short time together.
Through the pounding in my ears, I thought I heard him say to Spencer’s brother, Trent, “Excuse me. There’s someone I need to catch up with.”
I looked over my shoulder to see who he was referring to, but I was alone. Where had Amy disappeared to? And then it dawned on me. Liam was the reason they all acted so strange. Theyknewhe’d be here. My heart beat triple time in my chest. Those lying, conniving jerks. Why would they blindside me like that?
Liam stepped toward me, and my lungs decided I no longer needed air.
“Avery,” he exclaimed. “What a pleasant surprise. How do you know Spencer?”
“Anna.” I managed to choke out, whether in answer to his question, or as a plea for her to save me, I couldn’t be certain as my brain short-wired. “I need to go.” I spun on my heel and bolted out of the kitchen, past the living room, and down the porch steps. My ankles protested the hobble I executed in my wedges. I couldn’t stop, though. I had to get away from him. How could he smile at me like that? As if he hadn’t dropped off the face of the planet and been captured by aliens. And his voice? How had I forgotten the smooth cadence of it?
Moments later, I heard Amy and Anna hollering my name. I didn’t turn back. I kept awkwardly running at a Frankenstein sort of gait. I would text them later once I was a safe distance away.
Before too long, a stitch ached in my side. I slowed to a walk while breathing heavily. I clenched my fists. Why had my roommates kept him a secret, and why hadn’t he shown any remorse for ghosting me? The least he could do was pretend to be sorry for his actions. Instead, he acted as if we split amicably and I would be delighted to see him.
Amy and Anna saw how I had moped around after he stopped talking to me. Why would they think I ever wanted to see him again? I gained seven pounds in three weeks from trying to seek comfort from any and all forms of sugar. All it left me was a sore heart and tight pants.
My phone buzzed in my pocket—another reason I loved Anna’s dress. I pulled my cell out. Amy’s name flashed across the screen. I silenced the call and kept walking. I had no clue where I was going, but I’d hitchhike before going back to Spencer’s.
A few minutes later, Anna’s silver Prius pulled alongside me. Amy, in the driver’s seat, rolled the window down. “I’m sorry. We should have warned you.”
I lifted my chin, turning my head away. I know I behaved like a child. My heart hurt too much to care at the moment.
“Avery, please,” Amy said. “Get in the car.”
“I’m not going back there.”
“I’ll drive you home.”
I stopped, looking at her straight on. “No thanks. I don’t ride with meanie heads.” Wow, I was really hitting that childish behavior right on the head. I started hobble-walking again.
“You’ll miss out on Big Doc’s,” she so helpfully pointed out.
“I think I’ll survive.” I wouldn’t. As upset as I was about the whole Liam thing, my stomach also decided to protest the missed opportunity by not letting up with the pain in my side. “I’ll call an Uber,” I said.
She frowned. “This is ridiculous. Please, get in the car?”
I stopped again with my hands fisted at my sides. “No, what’s ridiculous is you and Anna thinking it was a good idea to blind side me like that.” I threw an arm in the direction of Spencer’s house. “Not cool, Amy.”
Her head hung. “I know.” Her tone was so sad. So dejected.
“Why?” I asked.
“I’ll explain on the way home.”
I held up a finger. “Only if we stop for takeout.”
She smiled while rolling her eyes. “Get in.”
Walking home would take forever and I really didn’t love the idea of wasting money on an Uber. Besides, side ache or not, I would have barbeque tonight, and she would get me there. I relented and got in.
I clicked my seat belt in place while she turned the car around. There was one question that kept nagging at me. “How do Liam and Spencer even know one another?”
