Page 42 of Forget Me Knot

“Jack?” Owen sounds concerned, and I hear him say something rushed to someone in the background. “You okay? I’m leavin’ the gym now and I can be at your place in ten.”

“No, no. I’m okay. I just wanted to see how you’re doin’.” I look at the time and know I’m caught.

“At five thirty in the morning?”

“Knew you’d be up.”

“What’s goin’ on, Jack? Is everything okay? Did something happen with Dinah?”

I run my hand through my hair and fall on the couch, nestlingCatinto the crook of my thigh where he seems to like to snuggle. “Do you think I’m still… me?”

It’s a simple question, but one I know I can trust Owen to answer honestly. We’ve danced around the conversation for years, mostly thanks to my belligerence over the topic. But when I woke up this morning, I knew that before I could take any steps towards that life Maloy and Nate are convinced I can have—orthe girl on the other side of the wall I desperately want to pursue—I needed some clarity.

Owen sighs heavily, and I picture him adjusting his baseball hat a few times like he does when he’s uncomfortable. “I can’t tell you who you are, Jack. All I know is, it doesn’t matter to me whether you wake up tomorrow as Jackson or Jack or a whole new character. You’re my brother. Every version of you is my brother.”

I sit with that, mulling over the truth of his words and how they aren’t so different from the countless times he’s tried to pull me from the depths of self-pity, but today I guess I feel a little different.

“Jack?”

“Thank you,” I say, emotion clogging my voice, “for giving me time to figure things out.”

“I love you.” Owen gives his love so freely. A classic middle child. It’s something I want to be better at.

“I love you, bro,” I offer, cringing when the wordbroleaves my lips, and Owen chuckles before I ask, “You still need a coach for Peewee Spring Training?”

I hear the tears in his voice when he answers, “Definitely. I’d love to play ball with you, Jacky.”

14

STICK SEASON

NOAH KAHAN

DINAH

“Never in a million years did I think I’d see you up at seven a.m. on a Saturday for sports.” Emory scooches closer to me on the bleachers, grasping her coffee cup between her hands. Decked out in a baseball hat, loose tee, and high waisted jeans, she totally looks the part of a Peewee Baseball mom.

“You literally told me I had to be here,” I grumble.

“You’re right,” she cackles and sips her coffee like a cartoon villain. She knows I had to be up at four a.m. to ensure everything at Knotty & Nice was prepped for the day and ready for the two teens I hired to work on Saturdays and a couple afternoons a week—both of whom seem to have massive crushes on Jack’s delivery kid, Greg. It’s probably a disaster waiting to happen but having a free Saturday morning to spend with Emory and Molly feels like a huge win.

Molly rushes to me with a hug just as I take a sip of coffee. “And I’m not here for sports. I’m here for this little lady. How are you, Molly Dolly?”

“Aunt Dinah Belle! You came!” She wraps her perfect little arms around my neck and squeals in my ear far too loudly for the hour, jumping right into a list of questions. “Are you gonna stay the whole time? Did you see Theo yet? I’m wearin’ my American flag panties today, how ‘bout you?”

I giggle into Molly’s neck. This is why I came to Honey Hill. Not for a confusing romance with a complex man or pretzel baking but for moments and mornings like this, spent with my favorite people. “Saturday, for me.”

She pulls back, a question in her brow. “Saturday panties?!” she essentially yells—and does this child have no other volume?“What does that mean?”

I shrug. “Helps me keep my days of the week straight. And how about we don’t announce our underwear to the rest of the general population.” I look around at the various parents and kids assembling by the field within earshot. “If it’s a secret club, we can’t let everyone in on it.”

“Until you get the t-shirts made, though, right?” Emory perks up, and I just know she’s a second away from saying,“I told you so.”

“Right,” I agree. “Obviously. When we have thePatterned Panty Partyshirts printed, then everyone will know.”

Molly nods her head seriously and zips her lips before jumping off the bleachers suddenly and running full speed at Theo and his parents across the field.

“Let’s hope she’s a bit more coy about her undergarments with that kid than she is with me.”

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