Hard Knox - Riley Hart Page 0,85

friend. You got dragged into that and I’m sorry, but I—we—would like it if you stayed. You can never have too many friends and all.”

Oh, if I hadn’t been crazy in love with him already, I would have fallen right then and there. “Yeah, definitely,” I added. “I haven’t lived here long either. I know how it can be. I’m always looking to connect with new people.”

“Thank you. I’d like that.” Amanda nodded. She looked to be closer to my age than Knox’s. I didn’t figure this was easy for her.

I went back to the car for the pizza, and the three of us went inside. The kids were all sitting around the coffee table.

“Callum!” Logan stood. “After dinner, will you play the maze game with us?” He looked at Dale. “He’s super good at it. He can power up better than I can and get through that one spot we were having trouble with.”

“Yeah, sure. That’d be fun,” I told him, before looking at Charlie. “Your dad told me you like Canadian bacon and pineapple, so I got a whole pizza with that on it.”

“It’s so gross,” Logan said. “Fruit doesn’t belong on pizza.”

“Fruit belongs everywhere, kid,” I replied, then turned and went to the kitchen to set the boxes down. I’d decided I would be polite to Charlie, of course, but I wasn’t going to push. Where a couple of days ago I likely would have continued to try and engage after telling her about the pizza, I decided to walk away. Everyone followed behind me. “Knox, do we still have those paper plates I bought?” I asked, looking in the cabinet.

“Yeah, I put them in the microwave.”

I passed around plates to everyone as Knox opened the boxes. The boys dived in right away, piling their plates with pepperoni pizza.

“Geez, guys. What happened to ladies first?” Knox asked.

“Sorry,” Logan replied around a mouthful.

“Go ahead, Charlie and Amanda,” Knox added, standing beside me.

“I’ll wait for you, Daddy,” Charlie replied.

“No, you can go ahead and make your plate,” he countered.

She didn’t seem happy with his response, but did so.

Knox and I grabbed our food next. We headed to the table outside, then came back in for drinks. I purposefully sat beside Logan and Dale. Now that Amanda knew, I didn’t feel the same need to claim what was mine. I was also hoping to show Charlie I wasn’t any kind of competition. She would still have her dad no matter what.

We ate, then played some yard games, like we had when Knox and I had the barbecue. Amanda seemed to be having a good time, and when Charlie forgot she was supposed to hate me, she’d let go and almost act like she liked me.

When it started to get dark, Knox built a fire in the pit. We toasted marshmallows and made s’mores. The kids were laughing, Knox and Amanda chatting, and I stood back a little and let myself take it in.

I couldn’t help smiling. This was how it could be—this life, Knox and me; firepits, dinners, laughter and friendships. It was perfect.

I was closer to Logan than Knox was and I suddenly heard the familiar sound of wheezing. I looked over, and noticed something was off with the color of Logan’s skin. Dale was rambling to him and acting something out, and Logan was trying to keep up with him. I could see he was attempting to play it off, that he didn’t want his friend to know something was wrong, but it only took me a moment to realize it was.

Logan started coughing, his deep wheeze growing worse. I rushed over to him, felt his pockets for his inhaler that wasn’t there.

“Knox!” I shouted. “Watch Logan!” I shot into the house for the other inhaler and the peak flow meter I knew they kept in a bowl on the kitchen counter. My heart was racing. I was sweating and felt like I couldn’t breathe myself, fear clawing and ripping at my insides.

I grabbed his medication, and by the time I got out, Knox was calmly trying to calm him down. His breathing was worse, making quick, short panting sounds mingled with his cough. I handed the inhaler over and he sucked the albuterol in, then held his breath before doing it again a minute later. He was still coughing and wheezing, so Knox put the peak flow monitor to his mouth and instructed him. Knox looked at me and shook his head.

“Take him in,” I rushed out.