of my calm evaporating from my body, like mist, even before I heard Knight’s voice muttering, “Shit.”
Shit, indeed.
I resumed my leaflet arrangement, keeping my back to them, like nothing had happened.
So what if they were here? I’d been volunteering in the shelter for eight years, practically since I was a pre-teen. Today was going to be wonderful. Puppies and elderly dogs alike were going to find new, loving homes. I was going to make the most out of it. Besides, Knight and I had agreed on a truce.
“Knight Jameson Cole. How’s your mama?” Bethany bellowed behind me.
“Well, ma’am. Thanks for asking. And yourself?”
“Been worse.”
“But never looked better.”
“You little charmer.” She let out a hearty laugh. “Is that how he caught you, Miss Astalis? With his smooth tongue?”
“Ma’am, you haven’t the slightest clue,” Knight drawled.
I bit down on a grin and rolled my eyes. He’d gone there. In front of a senior citizen. The horn dog.
“He makes me so happy,” Poppy gushed, clapping her hands together.
I wanted to gag. The only thing stopping me, in fact, was Bethany calling for me to come say hello to my good, good friend.
We lived in a small town, where everyone knew Knight Cole and Luna Rexroth were a package deal. He’d come to the shelter with me so many times, his mere presence here with someone else felt like a slap in my face.
Truce, Luna. Truce. He’s not yours, remember?
Drawing a calming breath, I turned around and plastered on a polite smile as I made my way to them. I waved hello to Poppy and Knight just as the door behind them opened and a person I assumed was Jefferson walked in.
Everyone went silent.
Jefferson was, for lack of other words, uncomfortably stunning, even in his gym clothes, sweat making his shirt stick to his six pack. I’d always been drawn to people with distinctive faces—a scar, a crooked nose, chipped tooth. Anything imperfect went, as long as they were flawed.
Knight’s saving grace was his eyes. Everything about him was perfect to the T, an all-American superhero who could slide comfortably into Chris Pine’s shoes and give him a run for his money. But his eyes were slightly different colors, one the shade of moss, the other more hazel. He was imperfect, but only if you looked really closely. Too closely for his comfort. Too close for him to ever allow. I could never fall in love with a hundred-percenter…but Knight was a solid 99.99%.
Jefferson, however, was three-figure perfect: thick, silken mane the color of sand and a jaw squarer than a Rubik’s Cube, a la Scott Eastwood. Since I was the reason he’d arrived, I was the first he reached out to for a handshake when Beth started with the introductions. I normally wasn’t hot on physical contact with people I didn’t know, but something about the situation pushed me into getting out of my comfort zone. Or rather, someone. Knight.
Jefferson gave me a gentle squeeze, peppering the gesture with a wide smile. He couldn’t be much older than twenty-two. I didn’t know why I was expecting someone older, considering his grams had mentioned he was still a student.
“Grandma Beth asked if I could save the day.” He grinned, his teeth sparkling like in a cartoon.
Typically, I wouldn’t answer him, in sign language or otherwise. But I could practically feel Knight’s gaze putting more layers of clothes on me to try to hide me away, one item at a time, as he tried to fence me back into being timid and shy. Not today, though.
“I appreciate it. You must be so busy.”
“Never too busy to be a beautiful girl’s knight in shining armor.”
I smirked. Interesting choice of words. Karma was definitely working extra hours today.
“She’s not a tortilla chip. No need to put so much cheese on it.” Knight tousled his own hair, his eyes drenched with disdain as he threw Jefferson a scowl.
Jefferson was still staring at me and shaking my hand, his chiseled face smiling radiantly at me.
“Actually, I’m vegan,” he deadpanned.
“I’m vegetarian.” My eyes bugged out.
Why was I surprised again? His grandparents ran a shelter. They were both vegetarian. Eugene and Beth looked between us, sharing a sly smile before they left to open the shelter doors to the general public.
“What are the odds?” Knight feigned interest. “I bet Harry Styles was both your favorite Fifth Harmony member.”
“Harry Styles was in One Direction,” Jefferson pointed out.
Knight spread his arms triumphantly. “Damn, son. You walked right into the trap. Not the kind