Page 18 of Red Rose Cupcake

“There’s my girl,” my dad says with a warm smile. “How’d you sleep?”

“Better,” I admit, offering him a small smile as I take a seat at the table. “Thanks for letting me crash here.”

“You know you’re always welcome,” my mom says, sliding a mug of coffee in front of me. “Your brother and sister are on their way over too. They’ll be here any minute.”

I raise an eyebrow. “They’re coming?”

“Of course,” my dad says, chuckling. “You know how it is. Once they found out you were coming home, they couldn’t stay away.”

Sure enough, a few minutes later, the doorbell rings, and my younger brother, Marcus, barges into the house, grinning from ear to ear.

“Hey, sis!” he says, pulling me into a tight hug. “What’s going on? I didn’t know you were coming home this weekend.”

“I needed a break,” I say, trying to keep my tone light. “Just wanted to see the family.”

A few moments later, my sister, Lena, arrives with her two kids in tow, and suddenly the house is filled with the sound of chatter and laughter. It’s exactly what I needed—a distraction from everything that’s been going on with Knox.

We gather around the dining table, enjoying breakfast together like we always do when we’re all home. My parents make sure everyone has enough to eat, while my siblings and Iexchange stories and jokes, trying to one-up each other like we did when we were kids.

But even as I laugh along with them, a part of me feels distant. Like there’s a weight pressing down on my chest that I can’t shake.

After breakfast, I excuse myself to step outside for some air. I’m standing on the front porch, taking in the quiet morning when the doorbell rings again.

I glance back at the house, wondering who it could be—maybe one of my siblings forgot something in their car.

But when my mom opens the door, I freeze.

It’s Knox.

Chapter 13

ROSIE

I freeze on the front porch, my heart hammering in my chest as I hear my mom’s voice from the doorway.

“HI, can I help you?”

I can’t see him, but I know it’s Knox. There’s a heaviness in the air, the kind that can only come from him, that intense presence that I’ve come to know so well. I take a step back, trying to figure out what the hell I’m supposed to do now.

“Is Rosie here?” Knox’s deep voice rumbles from the doorway, making my stomach flip.

There’s a pause, and then I hear my mom chuckle softly. “Ah, I see. Well, she’s right out here.”

Before I can hide or run away, the door opens wider, and there he is—Knox, standing in the doorway with that same determined look in his eyes. He’s dressed casually, but even in a simple T-shirt and jeans, he looks like he stepped straight out of my fantasies. His sleeves are rolled up, revealing those strong, veiny forearms, and I catch the hint of his clean, woodsy cologne drifting through the air.

“Hi,” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.

My mom gives me a knowing smile before stepping back inside, closing the door behind her, and leaving us alone. Thanks, Mom.

Knox steps onto the porch, his eyes locking onto mine. He doesn’t say anything at first, just looks at me, his jaw tight, like he’s trying to figure out what to say.

I cross my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling exposed. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to talk,” he says, his voice low but steady. “I couldn’t just leave things the way they were.”

I shake my head, my emotions still all over the place. “Knox, I told you not to follow me.”

“I know,” he replies, stepping closer, his gaze never leaving mine. “But I had to. I’m not walking away from this.”

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