Page 64 of Inside the Penalty Box

“Okay, so then you want the bedroom with no bathroom and barely any windows?”

She gave me a funny look and nodded. That was when Knox stepped out into the hallway and put his arm around her. Her body stiffened. Dylan and I could barely contain our laughter as we looked at them.

“You need to loosen up a bit there,” Knox said, tweaking her chin.

She closed her eyes. I could tell she was fuming as she stepped away from him. “Aurora, can we please check out the kitchen and living room again?”

She walked down the hall, leaving the three of us behind. I looked at both Dylan and Knox. “Sorry, guys, I don’t know what has gotten into her today.”

“PMS,” Knox said.

I couldn’t help but giggle, but I knew if Lorelai had heard that she’d have come back to us and probably beat poor Knox to death.

* * *

Lorelai and Knox had been at each other the entire time we’d been checking out the condo. It had gotten so bad at one point that I’d pulled her into another room while Dylan and Knox looked over the contract. Everything the poor guy had said she’d fought against.

We’d been planning on having dinner together after checking out the condo, but Dylan and I agreed we’d do dinner tomorrow after our rock-climbing adventure. There was no way we could have taken the pair of them out together, fighting the way they were. So once we were back at the condo, we said good-bye, parted ways, and Lorelai and I headed over to Sip and Stir.

I sat in our usual booth, while Lorelai picked up our order. She’d calmed down considerably after we’d left and was now looking a little tired. She smiled at me as she carried over the tray filled with two coffees, two sandwiches, and two donuts, and placed it in the centre of the table.

“You’re sure you are comfortable signing the lease? I know two weeks wasn’t much time to organize moving, but you must admit this is exciting! Plus, we will be closer to work.”

“It’s signed. There is no going back now,” I replied, reaching for my sandwich. I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk about the condo right this moment. The entire events of the afternoon had put me into a mood.

“Look, I’m sorry about this afternoon,” she muttered, dumping three packets of sugar into her coffee.

“What got into you? That’s what I’d like to know.”

“Ugh, he is just so frustrating.”

I giggled. “Lorelai, he did nothing. It was all you. Everything he suggested or said, you jumped on him.”

“I didn’t.”

“You did! Goodness, when he suggested we paint the living room in a nice earth tone color instead of the horrendous yellow, you immediately ripped his head off, and you hate yellow.”

“I never did.”

“Please! Give it a rest! I also couldn’t believe you said you wanted the other bedroom. That gorgeous bedroom was the reason you even wanted to check that condo out. I know you were doing it to just to be argumentative.”

Lorelai let out a sigh and dropped her sandwich to her plate, putting her face into her hands.

“I couldn’t help it. He just makes me angry.”

“How? The man literally did nothing! So either you’re really hung up on him, or you hate his guts for something you haven’t told me about. So, you best spill it.”

I knew Lorelai hadn’t had the best dating history. I also knew that the break with Hugo nearly ruined her, especially after she slept with my brother to get over him. She’d been single ever since. She’d already told me that the next guy she dated would have to be a good guy, not one that would rake her through the coals again. I’d actually never seen her act this way before with anyone, so I was guessing there had to be a story hidden here somewhere.

“Fine, you win, you are right. Knox and my brother were the best of friends. Growing up, I’d always crushed on him, but there was always such a huge age bracket between us, he’d never give me the time of day. When he finally found out about my crush on him, he did nothing but tease me about it.”

“Well, now that you are older, perhaps he finds you attractive. Maybe he likes you now. However, with the attitude you just gave him, I can’t see that being true for very long,” I said, more to bug her than anything.

“Don’t you dare say that.” she said, giving me a disgusted look.

“Why not? I hate to break it to you, but he is hot, and he seems super sweet, and so what if he used to tease you? I’m sorry, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat him the way you are.”

Lorelai shook her head. “He isn’t hot, and he deserves it. He’s just like all the rest.”

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