One More Taste (One and Only Texas #2)(79)

A knock sounded at the front door.

After exchanging looks, Emily pulled away from Carina to peer through the peephole. When she saw who it was, her heart gave a painful squeeze. “It’s Knox,” she whispered. “I can’t talk to him. I need time.”

Carina wiggled and scooted her butt to the edge of the sofa then held out her hand. “I’m going to tell him that, okay? Let me handle it. Just help me up first.” Emily pulled Carina to standing, then hustled to the shadows of the kitchen as Carina opened the door as wide as her body.

“Is she here?” Knox said.

The sound of his voice sent a shiver down Emily’s spine. Tears pricked her eyes.

“Yes,” Carina said.

Emily looked in his direction to make sure he wasn’t trying to push past Carina to get in, which he wasn’t, and found him watching her. She met his troubled gaze, pride forcing hers not to turn away.

“Emily,” he rasped from behind clenched jaws.

“Give her time to calm down, okay?” Carina said.

Knox’s nostrils flared. With his attention locked on Emily, he offered a terse nod.

Decker appeared behind Knox and set a firm hand on his shoulder. “Tomorrow’s as good as tonight, man. You want to go grab a beer with me?”

Knox scowled, the contortion of his lips reflecting the monumental effort it was taking for him to remain poised. “Can’t. I have a restaurant full of investors waiting for me to return with an explanation about why the talented chef I’ve been telling them about just quit. I wanted to ask her one last time if she’d reconsider.”

Shit. She’d embarrassed him in front of his colleagues. Yet another way their relationship had messed with her judgment. She walked toward the door, prepared to apologize for putting him in such a terrible place. “That’s what this visit is about? Your investors?”

“Of course, it’s not,” he growled. “It’s about you and me and whatever the hell happened back there. But more than that, I want you to—” his voice broke. “I want you to succeed in your career, with your passion. I’m trying to be your support.”

“Tomorrow,” Carina pressed. Decker’s hand appeared on Knox’s shoulder once more.

Knox’s eyes remained steadily on Emily. “Tomorrow.”

Emily swallowed and turned away from the door. Then tomorrow she’d need to be long gone.





Chapter Nineteen

He was going to fight for her. After too many sleepless nights alone in bed spent playing the events of the past month over and over again, this was the one truth Knox kept circling back around to. He refused to lose Emily over this decision. And though he was no closer to understanding why she’d quit, he was going to fight for her presence in his life.

Starting today.

This was bigger than the restaurant, bigger than the resort. He was going to fight for the woman he loved because the two of them deserved a chance to try for something real. And so, at dawn on the seventh day—seven days of unanswered voicemail messages to her, seven days of her being AWOL at the resort—he hoisted his gym bag into the back of his truck.

He pushed the key into the ignition, then paused. Ever since he’d been voted the new CEO of Briscoe Ranch, he’d felt his dad’s presence all around him every time he was in the truck. What was his dad’s spirit’s opinion on everything that had gone down with the resort and with Emily?

Did it matter anymore what his dad thought? Knox was feeling less and less that it did. Knox had made enough decisions in his life with the goal of making his father proud, and he was starting to reach the conclusion that it was time for him to grow the hell up and stop worrying about his father’s judgment.

He rested against the seatback, his vision softening as he pictured his father sitting in the passenger seat, as they’d done so many times in their lives, beginning when his dad had taught Knox how to drive. “Dad, my life can’t be about revenge anymore. I did this for you, but I never expected her. I’d love your support, but either way, I know what I want now, and I’m going after her. And I’m not sure what that’s going to mean for my plans for the resort. I’m not sure I can sell it off anymore.”

He’d never expected the way Emily had changed how he thought about passion and family and love. Just like he’d never expected to care about his grandmother or cousins the way he did. The idea of displacing them when he sold the resort made his stomach churn.

One thing at a time, man. Nothing was going to happen with the resort for a couple of years, until the renovations were complete, so he had time to figure out how to handle the sale in a way that would keep the Briscoes on their property while keeping Knox’s investors happy.

All he knew now was that there was more to life than revenge. And that he was in love with a woman worth fighting for.

He half expected his truck to break down on the way to Murph’s Gym.

It didn’t. He sent up a silent prayer of thanks to his dad, then grabbed his gym bag and headed inside. Murph didn’t look up from the game of solitaire he’d dealt himself on the counter. “She’s not here.”

Knox had figured as much.

“She hasn’t been here for a week.”

Panic made Knox’s heart squeeze painfully. “She’s coming back, isn’t she?”