Page 75 of Playing With Fire
Hudson
Ifeel lighter after having talked to Shannon, but a heaviness still lurks beneath my bones over what this weekend will hold for her. As I enter the fire station, I’m relieved to see Knox, but I’m also concerned for my friend since it’s his third night here in a row…and he stays busy during the day with his general contracting business.
He’s talking to a couple of the full-time guys, drinking a bottle of water, and I can see the bags under his eyes from here.
Making my way over, I nod hello to the guys occupying the poker table and clap a hand to Knox’s shoulder. “Hey, man, you look like shit,” I say, interrupting his conversation with a grin.
“Didn’t anyone ever teach you any manners?” he says moodily.
“Not really, is that an offer?” I bend over and put my hands on my knees so I can stick my ass out. “Do I deserve to get spanked?” He cuts his eyes to me as if my homoerotic innuendos are new to him. They aren’t. In fact, I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable just throwing them out there since Jake came out with Dylan. I once asked them if my jokes bother them, butthey’d both said no since they know I’m just teasing and not being derogatory.
“You need to fuck off,” Knox says with a little more anger than necessary over my harmless joke. It causes me to straighten up and grab his shoulder again.
“Whoa, hey, everything alright?”
“Everything’s fine,” he lies.
“Obviously,” I deadpan, crossing my arms over my chest, waiting for him to try again with the truth this time.
“Karen’s getting remarried,” he finally says on a huff.
Karen is Knox’s ex-wife, and if I had to describe her nicely, I’d use the phrase insufferable, nagging ogre. In fact, I think thetermKaren was actually based on her.
“So what?” I ask, often wondering why Knox was so heartbroken over that non-gem of a woman.
He looks uncomfortable and for a second, I think he isn’t going to answer me, but then he leans in and drops his voice.
“It makes me feel like something’s wrong with me that someone else pickedherbefore someone else pickedme.” A lot of people might think that’s a shallow thing to be upset about, but that’s only because those people never met Karen. Knox’s feelings are totally valid.
“Knoxy, that’s because your ex-wife is a strumpet who has been on the prowl literally since the day you two divorced. You, on the other hand, have been so closed-off that you’re about to be left with Phoenix as your only remaining option. And considering you’re both straight, I don’t think that’s going to work out so well.”
A nameless emotion flashes across his features before he hides the expression behind his mask of moodiness and cuts his eyes to me.
“Did you just call Karen astrumpet?”
“Out of everything I just said,that’swhat you’re choosingto perseverate on?” He stays quiet which prompts me to continue with a shrug. “Well,whoreseemed kind of harsh.”
Completely monotone, Knox says, “Especially considering your girlfriend is married.”
“Watch it,” I growl. “I’m not slut-shaming Karen, I’m simply stating facts. And you willneverput her and Shannon in the same category again or you risk ending this friendship.”
“How’s it going with her, anyway?” he asks, moving on like the dig never happened. He pushes off the counter and makes his way to a couple of chairs around the small kitchen table. The rest of the guys have gathered around the T.V. to watch the hockey game, leaving Knox and I alone.
“Well, they’re about to come to a head. She’s telling her husband she’s leaving when they get back from this business thing he has at the beach this weekend.”
It isn’t until I drop the bomb that I realize how insensitive I’m being. While I can’t wait for Shannon to tell Gregor goodbye and get the hell out, Knox was destroyed when he found out Karen was leaving. “Fuck, Knox, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make it sound like I’m excited for her marriage to end.”
“It’s not the same. I know that.” His words say he knows that, but his tone says something else entirely.
“I hate to be so needy, but while we’re on the subject, I was wondering if I could get the keys to your place?” There’s no good way to ask this question. It brings up demons for both of us, but I’ll be damned if I send Shannon four hours away with no one in her corner during one of the hardest times of her life.
I’ve sworn to myself that I won’t interfere or make my presence known, but if she needs me, I don’t want to be so far away.
Half the guys in the adjacent room all send up a bunch of cheers as someone scores a goal. The other half groans and we can hear the low grunts and laughs of theensuing play fights.
Finally, Knox says, “You sure you want to do that? You haven’t been to the coast since Will die?—”
“I’m sure,” I interrupt. It’s past time, anyway. Will’s probably mad as fuck at me that I haven’t been back to the beach or taken his kids. But goddamnit hurts to think about seeing the ocean without him next to me.
