Page 62 of Off Pitch

Rana chuckles. “She’s looking at you the same way. You make a very sweet couple.”

Couple.

Of course, she thinks we’re a couple. The entire world thinks we’re a couple. Even if we actually aren’t. But that word doesn’t sound as bad as I expected when hearing it from a stranger.

It’s actually sort of… nice.

I hear the curtains in the changing area open. As Harlow steps out, all coherent thought leaves my body.

She stands across from me in a pale blue gown, long enough to touch the ground, with a thigh-high slit and a plunging neckline that hits below her chest.

She is downrightstunning.

“What do you think, Knox?” she asks softly with a nervous smile. Does she think she needs my approval for this? I’d give it to her if I could speak right now, but she doesn’t need my approval for anything.

After a few more moments of silence, Rana pipes in, “He’s completely speechless, darling.” She laughs. “This dress wasmadefor you, Harlow!”

“Really?” she asks, her face slightly brighter.

“Yeah,” I manage. “You look incredible, Harlow. Blue is definitely your color.” The blush that spreads across her cheeks is adorable, and I can’t help but smile.

As I hear a few snickers from the side, I’m reminded that Lucia and Rory are indeed still here. And thank God for that because the desire to march Harlow back into that fitting room with me is strong, and I can’t act on that.

“So,” Rana says, severing the silence. “Is this your dress, Harlow?”

“Yeah,” she replies with a smile. “This is the one I want.”

“Perfect!” Rana claps her hands together. “Why don’t you three get changed back and bring your dresses out. We’ll get everything squared away.”

As Harlow, Lucia, and Rory disappear back into their changing areas, I grab my wallet and pull out a black card. “Here,” I say to Rana. “This is all on me.”

twenty-five

Knox

“I still can’t believeyou bought all three of our dresses, Knox,” Harlow says from her perch on my kitchen island, sipping from her mug of coffee. She’s expressed the same sentiment at least a dozen times since we returned to my penthouse last night.

“I still can’t believe that you can’t believe it,” I say with a smirk. “Rana Dagon is an expensive designer, Lo. I had no intention of letting any of you pay for your own dresses yesterday.” I take a sip of coffee from my own mug. “You really struggle to let people help you with things, don’t you?”

Harlow sighs as I set my mug down and lift myself up to join her on the island. “Yeah. Part of trying to be all self-sufficient, I guess.”

“You can still be self-sufficient if you let people help you sometimes, Lo.”

“Big talk from the man that only recently let someone into his life.”

I chuckle. “Those aren’t even comparable, Freckles. They’re not nearly the same thing.” She shrugs and takes another sip of coffee.

“I should head out,” she says, jumping off the counter. “You have practice soon anyway.”

I hate the idea of her leaving. I’ve grown so accustomed to spending time with her that I think I’d prefer she’s always around. It doesn’t make sense since none of this is real, but I’ll just shrug that off for now. “I’ll see you at the game tonight then, Lo,” is what I say in response.

Harlow grabs her bag and heads out the door. I let out a breath as I scrub a hand over my face. Why am I starting to feel like this? Why do I suddenly care when she’s not around? Why can’t I get the image of her in that dress yesterday out of my mind no matter how many times I take a damn shower?

I’m brought out of my thoughts by my phone vibrating on the counter next to me. Simon’s calling.

I grab the phone and bring it up to my ear. “Hey, Simon. What’s up?”

“I think that’s the nicest greeting I’ve ever gotten from you, Knox,” he says from the other line, and I just roll my eyes. As irritating as it is, though, I owe Simon my entire career. I wouldn’t be where I am if he weren’t there for me with Emily.

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