Page 24 of Awakening
“Bring her with you to Greece. Let me meet the woman who’s got you sounding like a man with his chest cracked open.”
My throat tightened. “You sure?”
He laughed again, this time lighter, “You’re not the only one who’s grown up, Mav. We said we’d always be honest, right? You have never penalized me for my fluidity, only embraced my needs and desires, so let’s see what this is.You, me, her. Not like that,” he added quickly with a smirk I could hear in his voice, “Unless she’s into that.”
I shook my head, laughing, “You’re wild.”
“And you’re in love. Or close to it,” He sighed, “Book the flight, for both of you.”
I stared at the phone, floored.
“Knox?”
“Don’t thank me yet,” he said, “Just don’t run from whatever this is, or me.”
And just like that, I knew I wouldn’t, I couldn’t.
I sat on the edge of the bed, still gripping the phone like it had weight. My mind was buzzing as the conversation replayed in my mind: Knox’s laugh, his calm acceptance, the damn invitation. I didn’t expect him to say yes. Not like that. Not with so much grace.
Now I had to make the second call.
I didn’t even hesitate this time, as I found her name in my favorites and hit the call button.
It rang once.
“Hey, you,” Ajaih answered, her voice thick with that late-afternoon drawl she had when she was relaxed, probably stretched out somewhere barefoot with a glass of something in her hand.
I smiled into the phone, “You sound like you’re having a good day.”
“I am now,” she said, and I could feel her smiling. “What’s up?”
I leaned back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling like it might give me the right words.
“Got a question for you and maybe a proposition.”
“Mmm, sounds sexy already,” she teased.
I laughed. “Not that kind. Well, maybe, depending on if you say yes.”
“Now you’ve got my attention.”
I sat up, trying to ground myself. “How would you feel about five days in Santorini?”
A beat.
“Like the island? Greece?”
“Certainly not Alabama,” I chuckled.
Laughter.
“Are you serious?”
“Dead serious, I just got off the phone with Knox. He invited me out there for a few days so we could talk about our relationship, but before I said yes, I told him about you.”
Silence.
“And?”
